Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60418 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60418 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
“The universe dropped an unexpected squirrel into our laps, but I guess you’re right.” He thought about it for a moment, then said, “Actually, there’s one thing I can do. Can I borrow your laptop? I want to check online and see if I can track down that part myself.”
I suppressed a sigh and went to get it for him. Getting him to relax was going to be an uphill battle.
About an hour later, Eden emerged from his bedroom, put my computer on the dining table, and took a bottled water from the fridge. “I didn’t find the axle,” he said. “I looked on every website I could think of. It figures, since parts have always been a problem for that particular make and model. Hopefully the mechanic’s guy is better at sourcing stuff than I am.”
“Yeah, fingers crossed,” I murmured, although I certainly wouldn’t mind being stuck here with Eden for days on end.
When he joined me on the sofa, he indicated the three empty beer bottles on the table and grinned a little. “So, day drinking? Is that the plan?”
“There’s literally no reason not to. We’re on vacation, more or less, and if we go anywhere I can’t drive anyway because you won’t let me get behind the wheel with an expired license.”
“How drunk are you?”
“Not even a little. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m actually enormous. That means it takes a hell of a lot to get me drunk.”
“You may be big, but you’re also a total lightweight when it comes to alcohol. Do me a favor and pace yourself, okay? I don’t want to have to hold your hair while you throw up in the toilet.” Eden smiled at me and pinched my bangs to lift them off my forehead. He was resurrecting a joke from this past weekend, but it felt like a year had passed since then.
“It’s just beer, since that was all I could buy at the market. I think that’s a Utah thing, that they don’t sell hard liquor in grocery stores. You know what, though? I have a bottle of rum stashed in one of my boxes, and it might be in the one I brought inside.”
He raised an eyebrow and teased, “Are you in training to become a pirate?”
“One of Casey’s friends brought it back for me from her trip to Puerto Rico. I moved it from Missouri to California, and it seems silly to move it back again, so we should just drink it,” I explained, as I tumbled off the couch and went in search of the alcohol.
When I returned with it, Eden intercepted me on the way to the kitchen. He plucked the rum out of my hands and chuckled when he took a look at it. The bottle was in the shape of a skull. “Let’s hold off a bit, Captain Morgan,” he said. “If you still feel like drinking after dinner, I’ll join you. But for now, let’s find something else to do.”
“You don’t always have to be so proper, Eden.” I took the bottle back and exclaimed, “Go ahead and break the rules for once! Have a drink before five p.m. I promise not to tell anyone.”
He looked amused. “Are you trying to peer pressure me into day drinking? Because that’s not going to work.”
“No. I’m just trying to give you permission to be less than perfect for once. You’re currently in a cabin in the middle of absolutely nowhere, with no place you need to be and nothing you need to do. Doesn’t any part of you want to cut loose? Maybe do something you think you’re not supposed to?”
He mulled that over for a few moments before saying, “You have a point.” Then he took two glasses from the cabinet. I was grinning as I grabbed a Coke from the fridge.
While I prepared the drinks, he lit the kindling that was already stacked up for us in the fireplace. When he joined me on the couch and I handed him his glass, he asked, “What should we drink to?”
“To unexpected vacations.” He nodded and clinked his glass to mine.
We both took a sip, and then he shot me a look. “This is ninety-five-percent rum.” I picked up the can of Coke and added a splash to his glass. He chuckled at that and said, “I’m sure it’s much better now.”
He drank it though, and then he accepted my offer of a second rum and Coke, which I made just as strong as the first one. Even though he teased me about being a lightweight, Eden’s alcohol tolerance was as low as mine. After polishing off two very potent cocktails, both of us were definitely feeling the effects.
It was surprising when he curled up on his side and put his head on my thigh. That was a lot more intimate than what I was used to from him—not that I was complaining, obviously. I rested my hand on his bicep and just enjoyed it.