Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Of course, at some point, I’ll have to have a man-to-man conversation with her father, but there’s no rush for that.
“It’s not too busy in Bitterroot Valley for a Friday evening,” I say to Lily as we drive into town. The heart of tourist season is definitely over, and there are fewer and fewer tourists in the area every weekend. It’s a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the heart of summer. I’m ready for the couple of months of relative quiet that we’ll get before ski season kicks in around the holidays.
As I stop at a red light, I glance over to Ciao and notice that Summer and her parents are sitting out on the patio. I’d recognize her golden hair and the self-assured set of her shoulders anywhere.
But then it dawns on me that she’s not only with her parents. She’s sitting next to Evan Spencer.
I frown and lean forward and watch as that slimy son of a bitch wraps his arm around her fucking shoulders.
Someone honks behind me, and I realize that the light has turned green, so I drive ahead, scowling.
“What the fuck is going on?” My stomach fills with lead, and blood roars through my ears as anger sets in.
Why didn’t she mention that Evan was going to dinner, as well? What kind of game is she playing?
“Maybe I didn’t see that right.” I take a right and drive around the block, intending to get another look at this cozy dinner. There can’t be something going on between Summer and Evan. The thought is absolutely ludicrous. Besides, when would she have time? She’s either at work, or she’s with me.
Except when I’m working nights or swing shifts.
“Calm the fuck down,” I mutter to myself. “There’s a reasonable explanation, and you know it.”
And if there isn’t, I’ll kill the slimy bastard.
As I turn the corner by Ciao and look at the patio, only Summer’s parents and Evan remain at the table, deep in conversation. Summer’s gone.
“Did she go to the bathroom?”
And then I see her. No, she didn’t go to the ladies’ room. She’s striding—no, marching—down the street toward the flower shop, and I pull up to the curb and roll down the window.
“Summer?”
She doesn’t acknowledge me, and she’s muttering to herself. She looks pissed as hell.
“Summer!”
She jumps and looks my way, then walks to the door and sighs, pushing her hand through her hair. Lily jumps up to kiss Summer through the open window.
“Hey, sorry. I was going to get my car and then go to my place to get some things.” She scratches Lily’s head absently.
“Hop in.”
“My car—”
“Will be there in the morning. Get in the truck, Summer.” Her eyes narrow at the sharp tone of my voice, but she opens the door, scoops Lily onto her lap, and fastens her seat belt. “We’ll go to your house first.”
“I’m so mad I probably shouldn’t drive anyway,” she says and pushes her hands through her hair again. “I will tell you everything that happened, but right now, I need to seethe.”
“Seethe away,” I reply simply and drive into the neighborhood and park in Summer’s driveway. Lily takes a second to squat in the front yard to relieve herself, and then the three of us go inside after Summer unlocks the door and disarms the alarm.
“Get what you need to get.” I move to walk back to the kitchen for some water, but Summer rounds on me.
“Why am I getting attitude from you?”
I stop and, standing across from her, fold my arms over my chest, watching as she frowns at me. “I just rolled by Ciao on my way home and saw you on the patio with your parents and Evan, and the motherfucker had his hand on you—again. I’m doing my best to stay relatively calm and hear you out when you’re ready to talk about it, Summer. This isn’t attitude; this is barely restrained patience.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong.” She points her thumb at her chest, and I nod.
“Okay.”
“But you don’t believe me.”
“I didn’t say that. I don’t have any reason not to believe you, but I know what I saw, and I have questions.”
She closes her eyes and turns her back to me, pulling her hand down her face. “I’m sorry. I’m so mad, and you’re a handy target right now. You didn’t deserve that.”
“Apology accepted. So, wanna tell me what’s going on so I don’t go out, find Evan, and dispose of the goddamn body?”
She turns back to me and grins. “You’d do that for me?”
“No, sugar, I’d do that for me. What happened tonight?”
Lily kicks at her food container, indicating that she’s hungry, so Summer scoops some food into the dog’s bowl and then takes my hand and leads me into the living room where she sits on the couch.