Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
At least I’d had time to cool off and really think.
“Want some coffee?” I offered.
“Promise not to throw it in my face?” He ran his hand over his hair.
“No.” A corner of my mouth rose.
“Fair enough.” He half smiled, but it was genuine. “Look, I was going to wait until Christmas, but after the way things went at Thanksgiving…” He shook his head. “Well, I figured I’d just give it to you now, not that it’s mine to give. It’s yours.” He held out the box and I took it.
“It’s mine?” My brow knit in confusion as I opened the top of the cardboard box. Then my heart hit the fucking floor. “It’s mine,” I whispered, taking the handmade ceramic mug out with exquisite care. Its weight in my palm was familiar and alien all at once. It was a relic from another time, when there had been three Madigan boys doted on by their mother. Its lines were unique, shaped by Mom’s hands, and there were only two others in the world like it—one for Reed and one for Crew—a different color for each of us. Holding it put a lump into my throat. “I thought he’d broken them.”
“I thought so, too, but Ava found them in a random box.” He shoved his hands into his front pockets. “I figured you’d want it.”
“Yeah.” I nodded slowly. “I want it. Thank you.” My eyes squeezed shut as I fought through a wave of grief. It had been fifteen years, and I swore I could still smell her perfume, hear her laugh. I missed everything about her, but most of all, her astute advice.
She would have hated what my relationship with Reed had become. She would have been more than disappointed with me for losing my temper.
I turned around, heading for the kitchen. “Leave your boots on. We’re going for a walk.”
“Wait a minute. So I’m the one who extends the hand and comes to your place, but you’re the one setting the terms here?”
“Yep.” I set my childhood mug on the counter and prepped two stainless steel travel mugs with black coffee, then put my boots and coat on while he waited by the door, his gaze sweeping over the space I shared with Callie. “Let’s go.”
He took the cup I offered, and we walked out into the frigid December air. We hadn’t had fresh snow in a couple days, but we were due for a dumping tonight.
“How are bookings?” he asked as we walked out of the cul-de-sac and onto the worn path that led toward the slopes. The snow was compact here, and I could even make out Sutton’s boot prints from skiing yesterday afternoon.
“You have the same access to the software that I do, so you know we’re doing great. We’ve already made enough to make the summer payments on the bird.” I looked over at him. “You really want to talk business?”
“No.” He shook his head and yanked his zipper from his collar to all the way up his throat. “I actually came to your house so that you’d know it wasn’t about business.”
“And yet…” I shot him a pointed look and took a sip of my scalding hot coffee as we hiked through the pines.
“You know, seeing that I spent sixteen years of my life with you after the two-year bliss of being an only child, you’d think I’d know how to talk to you by now,” he muttered.
“It wasn’t the first sixteen that confused you, it was the fifteen after.” I ducked under a pine branch and Reed followed suit.
“Touché.”
“Just say what you need to say, Reed. I’ve never been one for small talk.” The snow crunched under my boots and the noon sunlight filtered down through the trees, checkering the path.
“I was really pissed at you for wrecking Thanksgiving.”
I laughed at the bewilderment in his voice. “Were you now?”
“Fucking livid.” He walked beside me and shot a glare in my direction. “Ava had been stressed about it, especially since we’ve been living in Mom and Dad’s house—”
“It’s not her house. Not anymore.” That was my problem with going there.
“Fine. Dad and Melody’s house, but I get the point.” He sighed. “I thought it would be the perfect time for you and me to put shit behind us. Not to mention it was the first time you’ve agreed to have dinner with me since you got back.”
“Your first mistake was putting your expectations on my reactions.” I took another drink and willed my temper to stay asleep. If Reed had the balls to make the first move, then I could at least refrain from yelling.
Reed blinked and lifted his eyebrows at me. “Okay, I guess that’s fair.”
“It is,” I assured him. “My first mistake was thinking I could sit there for a couple of hours and not fly off the handle.” I looked over and waited until we made eye contact. “Ava has my most sincere apology for ruining her dinner. I’ve already apologized to Callie and Sutton.”