Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
Ugh, no, I can’t say the word—even in my head.
“Can we get the car, please?” I ask sheepishly.
He eyes the ticket I’m holding out for him to take, then glances at Landon before looking back at me. “Sure. Just a minute.”
I don’t know what we’re waiting for, but a moment later, a BMW pulls up and an older man in the same uniform—though without the rolled-up sleeves—climbs out of the car.
“I’ll take that,” Javi says, walking around to take the keys and hand him ours. “Can you grab the Maserati in spot 14?”
The man looks briefly confused, but he nods and trades keys with Javi before heading back toward the parking lot.
“Couldn’t go get it yourself, huh?” Landon asks.
Javi shakes his head. “I’m busy.”
Since he’s just standing there, Landon says, “Doing what?”
Javi holds his gaze, then he picks up the stack of blank parking tickets and taps each end to make sure they’re nice and neat.
“Oh, my mistake. That seems pretty fucking important.”
“Whole place might collapse if I don’t get it done.”
This is not a friendly exchange, so before Landon can do anything idiotic and escalate it, I grab his T-shirt and drag him away toward the black metal bench off to the left. “We’ll wait over here. Thank you.”
“Don’t wander too far,” Javi calls after me.
Landon starts to turn back, but I tighten my grip and yank him toward the bench. “Come on.”
“I don’t fucking like that guy.”
“Really? I couldn’t tell,” I murmur, releasing his shirt so I can smooth my skirt under my legs and sit on the bench.
Landon drops into the empty space beside me and crosses his arms as he spreads out. “You never answered me, either.”
I try to keep my gaze from drifting to his muscular thighs.
What lovely columns this portico has. So… thick and… pretty.
Probably not worth all the trouble they cause, but nice to look at, regardless.
“Not going to now either, huh?” Landon says.
Reluctantly, I meet his gaze. “Hm? What was the question?”
“Why you’re being so fucking nice.”
“Oh. Right. Because I’m madly in love with you,” I say flatly.
The corner of his mouth tips up and he nods. “Knew it.”
“Yeah,” I say, nodding along. “I can’t eat. Can’t sleep. I go through so many notebooks because I can’t stop doodling your name.”
“And here people think you’re just studious.”
“I’m not sure Parker Atwater works, so if we get married, I’ll probably keep my last name.”
His lips curve up more and he shakes his head. “All right, smartass.”
Landon’s phone buzzing in my hand steals my attention. I look at the screen on impulse, then I hold the phone out to him.
He glances at the screen, then snatches the phone and answers it. “Hey.”
It’s Malek, probably returning the call since I didn’t leave a message.
“Yeah,” Landon says. “Any chance you can swing by the country club and pick me up? Got roped into a family dinner thing and…” He trails off, smirking as his gaze shifts to me. “Yeah. All right, cool. I’ll meet you around front.”
He stands and ends the call without another word. As he slips the phone into his pocket, he says, “Look at that. Problem solved.”
“You didn’t have to…” I start, but I don’t even know how to finish.
In the enclosed space of Hayden’s car, it’s unlikely that nobody else would notice the alcohol on his breath. It’s probably better that he gets a ride home with Malek, even if our parents will think he’s just being a jerk.
“It’s better this way.” Then, his eyes sparkling a bit as he backs away, he says, “This way, I live to torture you another day.”
I crack an absurd smile and roll my eyes. “Oh, yay.”
He smirks, and with one last lingering look, turns and saunters off down the walking path away from the portico.
Chapter Seven
Parker
Since Landon went to Malek’s after dinner, I take advantage of his absence to go for a swim in the pool.
Afterward, I eye up the pool house and consider how Hannah would like it if she had to live there. I decide it needs a desk for her to do her schoolwork at, so I’ll do a little browsing online once I finish my homework and see what I can find.
I’m still using the towel to squeeze pool water out of my hair when I come inside. Hayden is standing in the living room. I want to ask if he’s amenable to pool house modifications, but one look at Mom standing worriedly at Hayden’s side as if waiting for more information redirects every thought in my head.
My gaze shoots to Hayden’s face. I just figured he was on a work call, but a work call wouldn’t worry Mom. And now that I’m looking at him, I note Hayden’s locked jaw, the glint of anger in his eyes.
The last time he looked like that was when he had to come to the police station to pick up Landon after he broke into my house.