Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 116708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
She barked a laugh. “I mean, I probably had a hand in it. Cooking up all that greasy bacon he demanded. But to answer your question, no I didn’t off him. It was a heart attack.”
I let out an audible sigh of relief, making her laugh again. “What about husband number three?” I asked. “Third time the charm?”
At the mention of her third husband, her face softened, and for the first time since I’d met her, I caught a glimpse of the vulnerability she seemed to keep hidden.
“Lewis,” she said softly. For several moments, she didn’t speak, her gaze fixed over my head, dreamily. When she brought her attention back to me, the softness was replaced by her quirky grin. “That man was a pain in my ass. Cantankerous, loud, and annoying as hell. Don’t even get me started about how horny he always was. That man couldn’t keep his hands off of me.” She waggled her eyebrows and chuckled. “I can’t blame him. I’m a card-toting member of the AARP, but I still got it.”
“You do,” I agreed wholeheartedly.
Her face got serious. “But I miss him every single day. He passed away a few years back. Left me a mountain of money, but I’d give it all away to have my Lewis back.”
“That’s really sweet.”
“Yeah. He was a good one. I had to look past a lot of flaws, but he treated me like a queen. My biggest regret was that I didn’t meet him when I was younger. He didn’t have any kids, but he always treated mine as his own. He left them each a gas station when he died.”
“A gas station?”
“Yup. He owned a string of them. My kids all got one. Then he left the others to me.”
“Wait, you own gas stations? As in plural?”
“Nah. I sold them all. What was I gonna do with ten Texacos?”
My jaw slacked open. “Ten? What the hell were you doing working at The Grille?”
“I liked to keep myself busy even before I lost him. You heard the part about him being cantankerous, loud, and annoying as hell, right?”
I nodded. “I guess it’s good that you’re not in this for the money. At the rate I’m going, I may end up having to pay you in IOUs and eternal gratitude.”
She grinned. “You gonna tell me what the sudden interest in my personal life has to do with why your head’s been in the clouds today?”
I chewed on my bottom lip, my mind jumping back to Truett. “Hypothetically speaking. Let’s say you started spending time with your ex.” I paused and held up a hand. “Just casually. Except, then it became not so casually and you started to feel a spark. Let’s call it chemistry, maybe? I don’t know.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “You have my attention.”
“So, let’s pretend that this ex kissed you.”
Her eyes flashed wide, a playful grin splitting her mouth. “Now, you’re talking.”
I shot her a glare, and she rolled her eyes before motioning for me to continue.
“What if when that happened—you know, when he kissed you—you liked it? A lot. So much so that it freaked you out and now you can’t stop thinking about it or him and focus on anything you’re supposed to be doing?”
“Well.” Her lips twisted as she tried not to smile. “Hypothetically speaking, ’cause that’s what this is, right? Just a pretend scenario that didn’t actually happen?”
“Right. Exactly. Did not actually happen.”
“Okay, then. Hypothetically, if ex number one kissed me, I probably would like it. He was a great kisser and a decent guy.”
“Mmhm. Okay.”
“And, hypothetically, if ex number two kissed me, I would probably assume I was in hell, since he’s dead and that is surely where he is. So I would be pretty upset, ’cause I’m no saint, but I don’t think I’m headed down south.”
I grinned. “I dunno. Maybe you’ll be the first ever Saint Cooter.”
Her laughter erupted from deep in her throat. “Wouldn’t that be a trip?”
“What about ex number three?” I pressed.
That soft smile returned. “I’d give anything to kiss Lewis one more time. He wasn’t perfect, but he was mine.” She propped her elbows on the table. “I guess what I’m saying is that I can’t answer this hypothetically. ’Cause I’ve heard some stories from Dylan, and she will run over me with her car if I condone you making out with your kid’s dad.”
My stomach churned at the thought of ever kissing Jeff again. “No. Not him.”
Her eyes bugged out of her head as she animatedly slapped the tabletop. “I knew it! You kissed the hot gargoyle! Holy shit, girl. I need details.”
I groaned as I squeezed my eyes shut. “It was good. I mean… It was better than good. It was incredible in every cheesy cliché you’ve ever thought. Toe-curling. Heart-stopping—”
“Panty-melting?” she interrupted.
Truett’s mouth could definitely be defined as panty-melting.