Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
That statement was a game changer. Lea needs someone to be strong for her, to hold her hand and show her the way. I know it won’t be easy, but I know that if we come out of this together, it would all be worth it. I will just have to deal with the fall out head-on when it happens, and pray this shit doesn’t blow up in my face.
“You okay to go back out there?” I ask after a long moment, rubbing my hands down her back.
“Yeah.” She nods, taking a step away from me and wiping her eyes again, then her head tilts back and our gazes connect. “Thanks for…” She swallows then more tears fill her eyes. “Thanks for being my friend,” she mumbles then ducks her head without giving me a chance to reply, and leaves the room.
“He’s still sitting in his car out front. Should we call Zach and tell him he’s trespassing?” Ben asks, referring to one of our friends, who also happens to be the town’s sheriff.
“Why don’t you and I go and have a talk with him?” I tell my best friend, watching as a grin forms on his face.
“I’ll talk to him,” Lea says, walking past me toward the front door. I swing my arm out and wrap it around her waist, pulling her back to my front, then drop my mouth towards her ear.
“You’re not going to talk to him.”
“This has nothing to do with you, Austin,” she gripes.
“I beg to differ, Little Lamb.” I set her behind me and open the front door, making it down the three steps to the gravel as Ken’s head lifts and his gaze meets mine through the windshield.
“Austin!” Lea cries from behind me, and I turn, look over my shoulder, and tell Ben, “Hold her.” He lifts his chin and wraps an arm around her shoulders keeping her in place while Rhonda smiles at me.
“Swear to God, Austin, I’m going to kick your ass!” she shrieks, making me laugh as I walk to the driver’s side door of Ken’s rental and tap the window.
“There a reason you’re still here?” I ask once he has the window down a couple of inches.
His jaw clenches and his hands wring the steering wheel. “There are no rooms available at any of the hotels in this fucking town.”
I don’t doubt him. This town has two hotels, and every year, from the beginning of fishing season until the end, every single one of them gets booked. People reserve rooms a year in advance, if not more.
“Don’t know what to tell you. Guess you should have thought about that before you flew your ass all the way out here.” I shrug, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Fuck,” he groans, leaning his head back.
“Exactly what did you think was going to happen when you got here? You gave her up, fucked around on her, and then you come here when her mom dies, and expect what?” I growl, wanting to put my hands around his neck. His teeth grind and he pulls his eyes from me to look through the windshield. That’s when I catch the look in his eyes, one I’m all too familiar with. Longing.
“Think whatever you want, but you can’t even begin to comprehend how it feels loving someone, when they’re in love with someone else, when you’re there just to fill a void that is so gaping that you never even stood a chance. Don’t think I didn’t love her.”
“The difference between me and you, man, is I wouldn’t have stepped out on her. I would have fought for us, even if that meant loving her enough for the both of us.”
“You have no idea what I tried,” he snaps.
“Doesn’t matter now.” I shrug and take a step back. “She’s home and she’s mine. Another difference between me and you, even if she wanted to get away from me, I would never let her.” And with that, I step back and tap the roof of his car. “You need to get off the property or I’m calling the sheriff.”
He glares at me, but the car starts up and he backs out of the driveway. I stand there with my arms crossed over my chest, watching until he’s gone.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Lea says as I step back on the front porch.
“Did you want him to stay here?” I ask, raising a brow, and her lips turn downward.
“Well, no, but I could have told him myself to get lost.”
“Yeah, you could have, but I did it for you.” A fire I haven’t seen in a while lights her eyes and her hands ball into fists.
“Well don’t,” she growls then stomps back into the house, letting the screen door bang hard behind her.
“Get your seatbelt on, babe. Looks like shit’s about to get real,” Ben says, wrapping his arms around Rhonda’s waist, resting his hand on her stomach.