Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“Your wife set it up, with her crazy best friend. I don’t see why this would be something that I have to attend. I don’t have any loyalty to them,” I refuted.
“No, but your face is pretty, and they think it might draw attention. Just know that I had nothing to do with this, and you can’t bitch to me anymore, okay?” Parker sighed.
I groaned and walked into the VFW hall, looking around at all the stupid tables set up with a rose in a vase on every single goddamn table. There was even a red plastic tablecloth that looked out of place in a place like this.
“Great!” Janie cried from the other side of the room. “Just the person I wanted to see.”
I was hoping she was talking to the silent man sneaking in behind us, but I was wrong. She was talking to me.
“I’m so glad that you decided to come,” Janie cried.
I looked over at Parker, who hadn’t given me a goddamn choice in the matter.
All he’d said twenty minutes ago was to get in the truck.
I’d gotten in the truck and hadn’t even changed out of my uniform yet—which I was now regretting.
I really, really hated my uniform pants. They were so tight and restricting that sometimes I wondered if I could burn them and tell them I’d buy my own goddamn pants.
Running in them was even worse. I fucking hated the goddamn material with a passion.
My favorite time of day was when I would walk into my place and shuck the bastards at the door. Oh, how I wished for it to be acceptable to go around in my underwear at all times like I used to do when I was younger.
“Coming is a relative term,” I finally said, letting her draw her own conclusions as I glanced over at Parker.
Parker shrugged and walked away without another word.
I grinned.
“Parker’s really nice once you get to know him,” Janie offered.
I rolled my eyes. “Sure, he is.”
Janie bit her lip and tried not to laugh.
I sighed and eyed the room.
“Which stupid table do you want me at?” I questioned when what I really wanted was to go home at this point.
My fingers automatically went to my neck where the scar was, and I tried to remember why I was here in the first place. Janie and Kayla really were putting on something good. I liked that they were trying to help…I just didn’t see why I had to be a part of it. Some of the other veterans might enjoy this kind of thing…me, not so much.
There was only one woman I wanted at the moment…
“Just go wherever. Whenever they arrive, I’ll send the other men and two women to their own tables as well. First come, first serve,” Janie said.
Then, without waiting to see if I agreed, she flitted off in the opposite direction, chasing after her husband who was busy moving a table.
“No, not there!” Janie said. “I want that one exactly where it’s at. I want that one moved.”
I left them to it and claimed the very corner table, in the deepest shadows, as far away from everyone and everything that I could get.
Then, I stole the tablecloth from the table next to it, knowing that they hadn’t intended to use this one.
Grinning, I spread out the tablecloth, moved the stupid vase with the stupid flower over, and then took a seat with my back against the wall.
I leaned my head to the side, the makings of a headache already pounding in my skull.
It wasn’t until I heard a bell ding that I realized the room had filled around me.
I slowly opened my eyes, wincing slightly when my head pounded like someone had knifed it.
The headaches had been happening on and off after a long shift since I’d got the concussion. Today’s was gnarlier than the rest due to the fact that I didn’t get to go home after my shift. Oh, and my shift had been much longer than the usual eight hours because of the paperwork I had to fill out after a civilian had smashed into my patrol car—with me in it.
Although, the accident probably had more to do with the headache today than anything else.
That, and my neck hurt like a son of a bitch.
I really needed some ibuprofen. Preferably about twelve of them.
But before I could even get out of my seat, Janie clapped her hands and walked toward the door.
Everything else that was going through my head quieted at the sight of her.
She was standing off to the side, Amanda next to her, trying not to get too close to the other women. Amanda had a death grip on her arm as if she was holding her in place, and June didn’t look like she wanted any part of this.