Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
16
GRIFFIN
“What’s up?” I answer the phone seeing it’s Jack’s name on the display screen. The last thing I need is for my brother to give me shit when my head is focused on packing my bag for the weekend. I’ve already got the bar covered. Stormy is moved in, and we’re settling in. Except for Finn, the fucking traitor, he only wants my woman. She also spoils him with walks twice a day, feeding him fruits and vegetables as snacks, and constantly has his head in her lap when mine isn’t.
“You ready for this weekend?” He follows up my question. Figures he’d call to make sure I’m okay. Neither of us has broached the giant elephant in the room, and I’m hoping he doesn’t do it right now. I’ve got more important shit to deal with than his daughter, my niece being a conniving cunt. In a way, I should be thankful. Never would I have gone after Stormy when she was with Zach, and before that she was way too young.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” This boat race is three days long. Friday is a practice round, Saturday is qualifying, and Sunday is the finals.
“Listen, I’m putting it out there because you know this town talks. Mel and Zach will be back Sunday. She’s already called and asked if we can have a family get-together.” You gotta be fucking kidding me. I take my baseball cap off my head, run my fingers through my hair, and toss the cap on the bed. This is not what I want to deal with. Stormy is currently out on the beach with Finn, wearing a barely-there bikini, and I’m stuck in here for the time being. Luckily for me, I’ve got a clear view out to the beach. She’s throwing the ball for Finn while I’m packing my suitcase.
“Alright, let me know a time and what day. I’ll make sure Stormy’s good with it, and we’ll go from there.” Jack’s aware of what Mel and Zach are doing. Kind of hard not to in this town or when the bride-to-be and I didn’t show up. Plus, she fessed up to her dad before they left. There’s still a lot Jack doesn’t know, and it’s not my story to tell. Stormy keeps a lot close to her chest, not that I can blame her.
“Sounds good. You need me to stop by the bar or your house for Finn?” Jack asks this every time I’m out of town. He may be ten years older than me, and we practically grew up like only children, but we still look out for one another. He’s been single for fifteen years. Mel’s mom was caught on her knees with one of Jack’s associates at the engineering firm he owns. Since she left, he’s stayed a bachelor, and the only woman he has his eyes set on is Barbie, who refuses to give him the time of day. Which means I hear it from both sides.
“Barbie’s got a handle on the bar. I figure you’ll stop by anyways. You want me to text you the schedule, so you know when she’s working?” I chuckle and abandon packing my bag. There’s no way I’m going to get it done when I could be outside with Stormy.
“Yep, it’d make it easier than stopping by twice a day.” Jack won’t admit he wants Barbie, and Barbie won’t admit she has her eye set on my brother. A bunch of fucking drama queens.
“Will do. As for Finn, Stormy’s living here now, and you better not even think about fucking stopping by either.” Finn trots back to my woman, proud as a damn peacock, ball in his mouth and wagging his tail. I’ll just bet when I get back home, my dog won’t so much as say hello to me and will more than likely take my place in our bed.
“It’s like that, huh?” Jack says with a chuckle. This dickwad, he knows if roles were reversed, and this were me talking about Barbie, he’d lose his mind.
“It’s exactly like that.” I hit the speaker button, toss my phone on the bed, and take off my shirt. As soon as I’m off this call, I’m going to join my woman and traitor of an animal.
“Then I won’t stop by, give her my number just in case something happens. That’s if she can get past what Mel did and realizes it’s not something I condone either. Fuck, my daughter is turning out to be her mother, Griff.” We’ve yet to meet up and talk about this shit. It’s hitting him hard, which I knew it would. Hell, it’s pissed me off that my niece could do something like this to a friend she’s known since high school.
“I’ll do that. Stormy is pretty levelheaded. She’s aware this is on Mel and Zach, nothing more or nothing less. As for Mel turning into her cunt of a mother, don’t hold yourself accountable. Not once did you think it was okay to stick with a cheater or condone it. You’ve raised Melissa to go down a certain path. She veered off said path, and it has nothing to do with you.” A heart-to-heart conversation isn’t what I had planned for, but when your brother needs a minute, you give it to him.