Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“I have a backup chute,” I inform Captain Dumbass before sipping my coffee. Will’s a blowhard disguised as a suck-up.
There’s a reason he’s still single. And it has nothing to do with his job, unlike me. I’m happily married to mine.
“Fitz, just stop talking. Go read a book.” Will shoves his feet into his black boots and exits the front door.
“I’m Jaymes Andrews. You can call me Jamie or Wretched Woman Who Parks in the Wrong Spot. Whatever works.” Her hand floats in the air between us along with the hint of something sweet, like a fruity body spray or perfume.
I don’t think I’ve ever shaken hands with Will or Maren. But I’m not the asshole they think I am, so I shake her hand. If only my other roommates were here to witness my cordialness, it might earn me a little reprieve from their whininess about my disregard for human contact.
Jamie has small hands, or maybe that oversize sweater makes everything about her seem dainty.
“I’m Calvin.”
Her eyebrows lift a fraction. “Not Fitz?”
“Calvin Fitzgerald.”
“Do you prefer Calvin or Fitz?”
I shrug, tucking one hand into my back pocket. “Doesn’t matter.”
“Well . . .” She points toward the stairs. “I just came inside to use the bathroom. I’ll try to keep my hydration to a minimum so as not to disturb you.” Her lips twitch.
Is she mocking me? I’m well versed in childish mockery, thanks to those other two.
“I can get you a five-gallon bucket if you tire of trekking through the snow.” I hide my grin behind my YETI mug.
Jamie ascends the stairs. “Before I left Florida five days ago, I’d only seen snow once. It will be a while before I tire of trekking through it.”
Once?
“Did you scare her off already?” Will kicks off his boots and brushes the snow from his hair.
“Scared the piss out of her. She scurried up the stairs to the bathroom. You really should add a toilet and sink in the laundry room.” Suddenly, I’m concerned about the new girl climbing stairs to use the toilet. What is wrong with me?
Will retrieves the remote he threw across the room. “She looks like she’s lived on the beach in a bikini for the past two decades.”
“Yes. She’s tan.” Eyeing Will, I wait for him to look at me. “And young.”
He smirks. “She’s twenty-five.”
I lift my brows.
“What?” He puffs out his chest.
“Don’t fuck the new roommate. House rules.”
It’s the rule that he made because he let his dick ruin a good situation in the past.
“Pfft.” He sips his beer. “Twenty-five. That’s twelve years younger than me and ten younger than you, Fitz. Damn, that makes me feel old.”
“Are you talking about me?” Jamie skips down the stairs with the confidence of someone who’s lived here for years—like Maren.
Great. Just what we need: another spitfire woman.
“We were talking about your tan.” Will smiles. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’m good. I’ll run to the store soon.” Her lips corkscrew while she’s tapping her fingers on the back of the sofa. “Once I search up the nearest store on my map app.”
“Go with Fitz.” Will gestures at me with his beer.
I shake my head. “I’m not going.”
Will tries to call me out with a knowing smirk. My eyes narrow in his direction. He mirrors my expression. He’s dense, with the subtlety of an elephant.
“Fitz, you go every Wednesday at six thirty if you’re home. You’re so predictable it’s nauseating.” Pleasure bleeds from Will’s words. I’m his favorite target.
And he’s mine.
I peek at my watch. “Don’t you have your ballet class soon?”
“Tai chi, asshole,” Will corrects me. “And yeah, I need to get going.” He tosses his empty bottle in the bin. “Maren should be home soon. If I were you, I’d stay in the shed until then. But then again, you’re used to the mentally unstable. Maybe you can fix Fitz for us.” He winks at Jamie before jogging up the stairs.
Jamie leans against the back of the sofa, arms crossed. “Fix Fitz? Are you broken, Calvin Fitzgerald?”
“Do I look broken?”
Her head tilts to the side. “Not the kind of broken I’m used to seeing. So I won’t judge you yet.” She grins.
It’s a pleasant grin, and I berate myself for thinking that the second it pops into my head.
Freckles.
Pleasant grins.
Jesus, I need sleep.
“I’ve lived a sheltered life, so you might be perfectly normal for someone who jumps out of planes to fight wildfires with a big axe.”
“Yes.” I rub my neck. “I gathered that from the snow revelation. And that big axe is called a Pulaski.”
“Oh, the snow.” She sighs. “I’m in love with snow. Who knew? I’m in love with the mountains. I’ve lived in Florida my whole life. And I was homeschooled until I attended college. So, yeah”—her nose scrunches—“sheltered.”
“Homeschooled?” Will’s silvery voice rides my nerves as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. “Holy shit, Fitz. She’s your soulmate.”