Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“Night watch?” She frowned. “Is that really necessary?”
“It is until we get the security system up and running.”
“I really think everyone is overreacting and I’m not really in any danger.”
“Nevertheless, this is my job and I take it very seriously. I’d also appreciate it if you didn’t open any windows at night. It’s getting pretty cold for that anyway.”
“I like a cool breeze when I’m sleeping,” she murmured. “But I guess I can do that.”
“Thank you. Good night. Sleep tight.”
He winced as he shut the door. Sleep tight? Really?
Thankfully, he hadn’t told her to not let the bedbugs bite. Shaking his head at himself, he walked back through the house, checking the windows.
Just to be sure.
Bebe hugged herself tighter and glanced around the room.
Grabbing her phone, she put on the playlist that she used to try and help her sleep. Most of the playlist consisted of kids’ stories and meditation designed to help them sleep.
But they worked on her too.
Although she had the feeling there was no going back to sleep for her tonight.
Normally, when this happened, she’d work on the house. Well, she wouldn’t use power tools. Her neighbors wouldn’t like that. But there were other things she could do.
However, she couldn’t leave her bedroom if Corbin was wandering around.
He might want her to talk to him.
Bebe grimaced. Talking about her fears, her feelings, and her memories was not something she wanted to do.
So how was she going to get back to sleep?
Glancing around, she stared at the closet doors. She could get out her . . . no!
She’d promised herself that she wasn’t going back there. She wasn’t that girl anymore.
Pulling the covers over her head, she figured she’d just lie here and wait for the sun to come up.
9
“Morning!” she called out with forced cheer as Corbin appeared in the doorway to the living room.
“Good morning. I thought you might sleep in this morning.”
Was that a note of disapproval in his voice?
Her shoulders threatened to hunch up, but she forced herself to remain relaxed. Disapproval was something she was used to . . . her mother had yet to show support for anything she did. Well, unless she was doing what she wanted.
But it still wasn’t something that she could just shrug off.
The asshole had preyed on her need for approval and fucked her up even more.
Her lack of sleep was definitely going to come back to bite her later. But right now, she had a surge of energy and a need to do something.
Keeping herself busy gave her less time to think and brood.
“Could say the same for you,” she replied. “I made coffee if you want some. It’s in the kitchen.”
“Uh, what are you doing?” he asked.
“I thought I’d strip the wallpaper in here. It’s been bugging me for ages. It’s so . . . brown.” She wrinkled her nose as she took in the old, faded wallpaper in her living room.
Well, it would be a living room eventually. Right now, it looked like a construction site. Of course, it didn’t help that she kept stopping and starting jobs all over the house so nothing ever got finished.
“I thought you were doing the baseboards?”
“I was . . . Uh, I just got bored with that.”
“Right.”
His voice sounded tight, and she glanced over to see his gaze flickering around and his fingers tapping against his thigh.
“Everything okay?”
“He’s one of those really organized people,” Hayes said as he walked in behind Corbin. “Likes to put things in color-coded files and shit like that.”
“Color-coded files? No, I don’t,” Corbin grumbled, but his cheeks were red.
Oh, that was cute.
He was so adorable. And she was definitely driving him crazy with her lack of organization.
“You did the dishes in the middle of the night, didn’t you?” she queried. She might be a disorganized mess, but she’d noticed that the dishes were done when she came downstairs this morning. Hayes had already been up and making toast.
Hmm, she might have to increase her grocery budget. She hadn’t factored in feeding two grown men. Although Hayes had paid the bill yesterday.
Maybe he was charging it to her father.
In that case she’d make sure to get beer next time they went shopping.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered. “I need some coffee, then I’ll go work on the security system.”
Yep, definitely cute.
By midafternoon, she’d had enough of house repairs. Fatigue was weighing her down, and her hand was aching from overuse. She just wanted a beer and some fresh air.
Heading upstairs, she showered and changed her clothes before heading down to crack open a beer.
Then she wandered through the house.
She wasn’t looking for Corbin.
Nope. Not her.
She knew Hayes was having a nap because he’d grunted that at her, telling her not to start up any power tools.
So bossy.
She’d been tempted to do exactly that, but then she’d decided that a grouchy, tired Hayes probably wasn’t someone she wanted to push.