Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 83211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Don’t move,” the tech says.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
I turn back to Becca. “His little quirks used to drive me nuts, and I thought he did things to pester me. And the pranks that he does to his family? He actually admitted that he does them so they don’t take life too seriously. So they can laugh and do things together.” My heart warms. “I think it’s just his way of letting you know he’s there. He genuinely wants to be a part of people’s days, of their lives.” Of my life.
“That’s so damn sweet.”
“I know.” My grin turns mischievous. “And then he strips down, and suddenly, it’s not so sweet anymore.”
She shifts in her seat. “Well, on another note so this doesn’t get too R-rated, I decided not to go back to Texas.”
“You did?” I squeal. “Becca! Yay!”
“I’m just not ready to go. I want to be ready—I’m just not there yet.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
She shakes her head. “No. I don’t. Thanks though.”
“I’m always here. Don’t count on me to cry with you or anything, but I’ll listen. And I’m always willing to throw clams in someone’s car or bury a body.”
“Not with these nails,” the tech says. “Let them dry first.”
Becca and I laugh.
Banks
Me: Hey, just checking in.
Me: Did a little investigating. You’ve really piqued my interest.
Me: Did you know that the peacock’s train is what inspired Charles Darwin to think about how “sexual selection” might work?
Me: Really makes sense you chose the peacock for me. Good work.
I wait. No response.
“Come on, Foxx. Get pissed,” I say before sliding my phone back in my pocket. I pick up my fudge fork and take another bite of pistachio fudge.
“What are you doing here?” Mom comes into the kitchen. “I thought you had the gala tonight?”
“I do. But I need a tie.”
“What color?”
“What color do you suggest with your red dress?”
Mom beams. “She’s wearing it?”
“She is. And she looks hot in it.”
Mom rolls her eyes, but she can’t wipe the smile off her face. She loves to mom everyone. Not only her own kids. Sara is right. She really is the sweetest mom.
“I was just telling Paige this morning that I wondered if she would wear it. She has such a cute figure. I bet she fills it out perfectly.”
I smirk.
Mom points at me. “Whatever you’re thinking, I don’t want to know. Hey!” She plucks the fork out of my hand. “I’ve been looking for that. Where did you get it?”
“That’s my fudge fork.”
“Your what?”
I snap it back out of her hand. “I keep this fork over here so I don’t have to go over there every time I want fudge.”
“Get another fudge fork. That’s real silver.”
“Then why is it just hanging out in circulation?” I look at the utensil. “This is like fifty bucks.”
“Because I use it on occasion. I didn’t think my son was going to squirrel it away to eat fudge with it.”
I scoff. “It’s like you don’t even know me.”
She motions for me to follow her toward her bedroom. I slip the fork back in the drawer where I keep it. If she wants it, she can look for it.
I’ve never been excited for an event that required a tie. Actually, I’ve avoided many events that called for me to dress up. It’s just not my thing. But it’s my thing if Sara wants me to.
I’m beginning to feel like a wimp. This is what Jess must feel like. But the more time I spend with Sara, the more I want with her.
Sara laughs at my jokes. She plays along with my antics. She doesn’t always understand what or why I do what I do, but she doesn’t try to change me. She just accepts that a carburetor might be on the table or my boots might be in the sink.
I’m already regretting the day she’ll move out.
“Did you order printer cartridges?” she asks as we go down the hallway.
“They came already? That was fast. My printer at work was on its last shot of ink.”
“Why didn’t you ship them to your office?”
“Because Tasha is on vacation,” I say, snarling at the word I’ve come to hate. “I don’t know where to put them. She’ll just come back and be mad that nothing is where it should be. So I’m trying very hard not to touch a damn thing while she’s gone.”
I’ll take the printer cartridges with me and put them in the printer tomorrow. That way, I won’t get in trouble from Tasha for not knowing where she keeps the office supplies or for messing with her systems. Win-win.
She flips on a light in her bedroom and opens Dad’s closet.
“By the way, your new Amazon password was an easy guess,” I say. “Ryderisacutie4 was one I try every time I’m guessing. Try harder.”
She shakes her head. “Do you want a matte black or something with a little shine?”