Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“Forrest, I’m an adult. Do I drill you on every random girl you take out? Do I ask you who you're sleeping with? We’re both adults. When I’m ready to share him with you, I will.”
“It’s my job to look out for you,” he tells her.
“Not anymore, Forty,” she says softly. “It’s your job to support me. Be there when I need you.”
“I want to meet him.”
She nods. “Fine. I’ll invite him over tomorrow.” She doesn’t dare look my way, but I can feel my mouth lifting in a smile.
She did this on purpose to set up our meeting tomorrow. I just assumed I’d show up, and we’d blurt it out. My girl set him up. She’s just given her brother a heads-up that the conversation is going to happen, and he can stew on it so he’s not caught off guard.
“So no naked lounging?” Lachlan asks, and we all laugh. The tension is officially broken.
The next few hours are filled with lots of laughter, fun, and food. The sun is brutal today, but that hasn’t stopped us from enjoying ourselves. We’re all going into town later to watch the fireworks. I hate that I won’t be able to hold her while we watch them. I feel like any activity that involves staring up at the night sky, even if it’s bright with colorful lights, is ours.
“Anyone need anything from inside?” I call out.
Maddox and Lachlan are in the pool. Forrest and Legend are playing a game of war, and Emerson and Monroe are standing next to the pool. They’ve been in and out all day. Drake and his girlfriend, Lisa, are out of town visiting their family, and Lyra is as well. So we’re missing the newest members of our Everlasting Ink family.
Everyone waves me off, so I head inside to use the restroom and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. I’m not drinking today. I don’t trust myself to stay away from Emerson, even the slightest bit inebriated, and I don’t want a hangover tomorrow. I need to be in top shape when I tell my life-long best friend that his sister is the love of my life.
Opening the patio door to walk outside, it’s barely shut when I hear Monroe yell out Emerson’s name. My eyes scan the yard for where I last saw them. They’re not there. I see them at the edge of the pool. Emerson is lying on the concrete with everyone standing around her.
My heart pounds as I run to her. I skid to a stop and take in the situation. Forrest and Monroe are kneeling next to her, while Lachlan, Maddox, and Legend stare down at them.
“What happened?” I ask. My voice is gruff and shaking, and I don’t give a single fuck if my feelings for her are outed because of it.
“She fainted,” Legend tells me. He places his hand on my shoulder, and I appreciate the effort to keep me calm. He knows what she means to me.
I kneel. Her hair is in her eyes. I push it behind her ear and there’s a cut on her temple. “You’re bleeding, baby girl,” I whisper.
“She hit her head,” Monroe tells me. “We were going to swim, and she just fainted.”
“How do you feel, Em?”
“Okay. Just weak, I guess. I don’t know what happened. I was really hot and got dizzy. That’s all I remember.”
“We need to call an ambulance,” Forrest says. His eyes are wild and full of panic.
I ignore him. “Can you stand?” I ask.
“Yeah, I think so. I’m not dizzy anymore.”
“Let me help you.” I stand and offer her my hands. She’s wobbly but manages to stand. She sways, and I pull her into my arms. “I’ve got you,” I whisper.
“Emerson, I’m going to call the squad,” Forrest says. “We have to get you checked just to be safe.”
“No. I’m fine, just a bump on the head.” She gives me a pleading look, one she knows I can’t say no to. Fine, we can compromise.
“No ambulance,” I concede. “But we’re taking you to get checked out.”
“Rome, I’m fine. Really. I just got too hot. We’ve been out in the sun all day. I overheated, that’s all. I just happened to be on the concrete and bumped my head.”
“Probably, but we’re not risking it. You need that cut looked at too.” I nod at the cut on her temple.
“You guys are overreacting.”
My hand tightens around her. I’m holding her up. She’s weak. I’m glad Forrest isn’t fighting me, trying to take her from my arms, because it’s not happening. “I’ll take you, baby girl. Everyone else can stay here.”
“Fuck that,” Forrest says. “I’m going with you.”
At least he doesn’t call me out for my endearment for her, or that I’m holding her like she might disappear if I let go.