Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 126589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“Along with some kind of admonishment that nobody wants to see that, yes?”
“Definitely. And it would have been a total fucking lie because I definitely wanted to see that. As evidenced by my reprehensible lack of decency in the matter when I selfishly understood that I was the only one getting the show.”
She giggled before draining her glass.
“We’re still on for lunch on Sunday, right?” she asked.
“Of course. Are you looking forward to your date with that creepily perfect guy on Friday?”
“Adam? He is kind of perfect isn’t he?” She sounded pleased about that, rather than suspicious. “I think he and I will get along quite nicely.”
Gideon made a noncommittal sound. Personally, he didn’t think they’d be a good match. Beth would walk all over the guy. She needed to be challenged and he didn’t think Adam Reece was the man to do that.
“Well,” she said while stifling a yawn. “I should probably be getting home.”
“Yes, it’s way past your bedtime,” he agreed with a leer.
“Don’t push it, mister,” she warned half-heartedly. “Or I may yet decide to hold a grudge about this spying business.”
He made a zipping motion across his mouth, locking when he reached the corner and tossing away the invisible key. He then raised his hands in surrender and she laughed again. He regretted all the times they’d argued and disagreed and sniped before, because he’d been missing out on this endearing little snorting laugh in all that time.
“Thanks for the wine and, of course, the spider confiscation,” she said, her voice still bubbling with laughter.
“Does this mean I qualify for those cupcakes too?” he asked eagerly.
“Not even a little bit.” She got up and stretched.
Lazily and luxuriously.
Her head was tossed back, revealing the graceful arch of her neck, arms outstretched, torso elongated. The movement dragged the fuzzy pajama top up to reveal her soft skin to his avid gaze. He dragged his eyes down, because if he looked for much longer, he’d want to touch. And if he touched, he’d want to kiss and lick and…Well, it was best to just look away.
Fortunately, he was diverted by her footwear, which he only just noticed were fluffy pink and white puppy slippers.
Goddamn adorable.
“I’ll walk you home,” he said, getting up as well.
“Don’t be silly. It’s just across the road.”
“It’s dark, there may be spiders in your front yard.”
“And what are you going to do to protect me from them? Squeal in fright?”
He clutched his chest and reeled back in exaggerated horror.
“You cut me deep, Scrappy,” he intoned woefully. “You cut me real deep!”
She laughed at his melodrama, a light, happy sound that made him vow to himself that from here on out he’d strive to make her laugh as often as possible.
“Stay right there, I can manage to cross the street by myself. Feel free to come running if I scream.”
“You’re sure?”
“Goodnight, Gideon.”
“Night, Beth.”
He sat back down and watched her leave. Smiling at the incongruous picture she made in her fuzzy pajamas and slippers.
She made it to her front door without incident and turned to wave at him before going inside. Once she was back indoors, he watched her walk straight to her living room windows. She grabbed hold of one of the drapes, and then lifted her free hand to flip him off before dragging the curtain closed.
Gideon laughed, and continued to watch as the lights in the house across the road were extinguished one by one.
He finished the last of his beer and was about to get up and head inside as well when his phone pinged.
It was a message from Beth: Been meaning to ask, why Scrappy?
He grinned and replied with a gif of Scrappy Doo swinging his arms belligerently.
She sent him an unimpressed emoji in response. Followed by, asshole.
He grinned and sent her another Scrappy Doo gif. This time the cartoon puppy had tears streaming down his face.
Sleep tight, Scrappy.
The only reply he received was a sleepy emoji.
He went inside and settled down to do some work. He had a few assignments to finish and after that he would read the new chapter Calla had sent him for the graphic novel that morning. He had to get the art for that done by Friday so that they could upload on Saturday.
He and Calla tried to create and upload a new chapter every second week, real life permitting. It wasn’t always possible. Calla was a high school teacher, and mom to a couple of small kids. She didn’t often have the time to write. But because they’d developed a million-strong following—a number that still boggled Gideon’s mind—they felt obligated to stick to their schedule.
But things looked set to change. He and Calla had been approached by a well-known publishing house just this week. The offers were a little unbelievable and Gideon still couldn’t quite wrap his brain around it.