Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“You told him you were too busy for a relationship?” he asked, waving me off when I looked at him in surprise. “I hear shit. No one around here can keep their trap shut. You give him a time frame? Tell him to wait?”
“No.”
“You just expected him to read your mind, then,” Dad said calmly.
“I expected him to not want to be with anyone else!” I practically yelled.
“Not a fair expectation, yeah?” my dad asked, a sympathetic smile on his lips. “You were expectin’ the man to hang around alone while you figured your shit out—but you didn’t tell him that.”
“I know it’s not logical,” I spat. “That doesn’t help how I feel.”
“Guess you gotta figure out if feelin’ betrayed and punishin’ him is more important than actually bein’ with the man,” my dad said with a shrug. “Can’t have it both ways.”
“I hate having conversations with you,” I said, dropping back down in my seat.
“Next time you and your mother can sit out here bitchin’ about men and how horrible we are,” he said, sipping his coffee.
“We can do that with you present,” my mom joked, coming out of the trailer in her robe.
“Ladybug, workers are gonna be here in less than an hour.”
“And?” she asked, taking her coffee.
“You gonna get dressed?”
“No one is going to see me in my robe, Cody,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“Uh huh,” he grumbled. “That’s why you’re already wearin’ makeup?”
“You worry about you,” my mom said dismissively, making dad chuckle. “How’s my youngest and favorite this morning?”
“Tired,” I replied. “Still mad.”
“Yeah, I heard the last bit—”
“Were you eavesdroppin’, Ladybug?” my dad asked in amusement.
“You weren’t exactly quiet,” my mom replied. She looked at me. “I get it.”
“Thank you!” I said, sending my dad a pointed look.
“But your dad’s right,” she said with a shrug.
“Mmhmm,” my dad said in satisfaction.
“You don’t have to get past it today, kid,” my mom said, grimacing. “But if you want to be with Bishop, you’ll have to let it go eventually or you’ll both be miserable.”
“Could you both stop acting like I’m being crazy?”
“I don’t think you’re crazy,” my mom said instantly. “I’d feel the same way you do. I’m just saying, don’t wallow in it.”
“I’ll wallow if I want to,” I joked.
“Change of subject,” my mom said, smiling big. “What are you going to name the new cart?”
“Buy My Fucking Coffee,” I joked.
“Hippies, Stop Here,” my dad said.
“Not a Health Hazard!”
“Clean as Fuck, We Promise.”
“Very funny,” my mom said. “But really, any ideas?”
“Yeah, but it’s nothing fancy,” I said with a shrug.
“Hit me,” my mom said, leaning forward.
“Charlie’s Coffee?” I said with a self-deprecating laugh. “It’s basic, but—”
“I like it,” my dad said, cutting me off. “Simple.”
“I do, too, actually,” my mom said thoughtfully.
“Really?”
“Really,” she said. “But, I mean, I named you.”
“I should’ve thought of that,” I said with a laugh. “But I also thought, I don’t know, it’s so close to the club and stuff, and it was your dad’s name, too.”
“Namin’ it after the former president,” my dad said with a smile. “Smart.”
“Aces will have to stop by for their coffee,” my mom said with a snicker.
“Well, I wasn’t trying to be that sneaky,” I said defensively as I laughed. “I just thought it was a nice thing to do.”
“Sure,” my mom said, drawing the word out.
“You guys are impossible.”
“Where’d you think you got it?” my mom asked, reaching over to poke me in the side. “Charlie’s Coffee—the alliteration is good. Plus, your dad’s right. It’s simple and the boys won’t mind having it written on the sides of their fancy coffee cups.”
“I’m going to have to order new stuff,” I said with a sigh.
“We’ll figure all that out later,” my dad said.
At the sound of a vehicle on the gravel, we all turned to look down the driveway.
“Looks like Bishop couldn’t sleep either,” my dad said, getting to his feet. “Ready or not, Charlie Bear.” He and my mom went inside, abandoning me before Bishop had even parked his truck.
Since I didn’t feel like letting them eavesdrop, I walked toward the truck, meeting Bishop halfway. “I left for a reason.”
“I told you I was sorry,” he replied. “Not much more I can do.”
“You’re right,” I said with a laugh. “So what exactly are you doing here?”
Looking at him hurt. Standing close to him hurt. The fact that he’d come to find me before work, hurt. It all hurt.
“I didn’t know she was talkin’ shit,” he said with a sigh. “You know I wouldn’t have gone near her if I’d known.”
“I don’t know how you could go near anyone,” I blurted, frustrated. It wasn’t just the fact that it had been Tabitha, though that had made it worse—it was the fact that he’d wanted to date anyone else at all that I couldn’t see past.
“You wanted me to be alone,” he said with a half-laugh. “Alright.”