Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
All in a day’s work in Havenwood.
I finished my shift, then headed to Get Pumped. It was the new gym in town, which I remembered Griff telling me was owned by Kellan’s friend Josh. That obviously wasn’t why I went. It was the only gym in town, and I needed to join somewhere anyway, but I had to admit, I was curious about Josh.
There was a woman behind the counter when I got there, someone I didn’t recognize, even though she was around my age. She grinned at me, her eyes making their way up and down my body, and mine did the same to her. I’d always loved women, men too. I loved people and sex—not relationships, because I didn’t believe in those for myself, but the rest of it, yeah, I fucking liked that.
“Well, hello there.” She smiled at me, and I gave her one right back.
“Ma’am.”
“Oh, no. My mom is ma’am. I’m too young for that. Officer…”
“Hawthorne. Chase Hawthorne.”
“You’re obviously the new one I’ve been hearing about. Small-town boy makes good? Moved away, then came back to take care of the hometown that raised you?”
Yeah, she was definitely new here. She didn’t know who my father was, that much was clear. “Something like that.”
I told her I was interested in joining, and she started going over prices and classes with me. She flirted the whole time, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t flirt back, but I still found my eyes making their way around the room, trying to figure out who Josh might be. I didn’t know why in the fuck I was so interested in the kid, but I was.
It didn’t take long to get me all signed up—and for Jasmine to slip me her phone number. From there I went to the locker room, changed, and headed back out into the gym.
I was there for ten minutes tops when I heard Kellan laugh and looked over to see him walking in with a guy with dark-brown hair sticking out from under a baseball cap. Kellan playfully pushed the guy, who laughed and wrapped his arm around Kell, kissing the top of his head, the way I’d done a few nights ago.
My gut tightened, and I frowned as I watched them walk up to the counter. They were telling Jasmine something, Kellan animated and talking with his hands the way he did. Josh—I assumed—stood behind him with his hands on Kell’s shoulders, shaking his head at Jasmine where Kellan couldn’t see him.
They were close…fuck, they were close, and it was so fucking weird because I’d never seen Kellan with anyone that way. Of course I hadn’t. But if Griff hadn’t already told me they were only friends, I would have assumed they were a couple.
My pulse kicked up a notch, and I wanted to punch myself, because why in the fuck did it matter if Kellan and that guy were close?
Jasmine began talking, and I noticed her nod toward my area. Just as she did, both Kellan and Josh turned my way. Without giving it a thought, I turned quickly, as though it hadn’t been clear I was watching them. I fumbled the kettlebell weight I’d been ridiculously holding on to.
Fuck…fuck.
Because that hadn’t been awkward. Not at all.
Before I made a bigger fool of myself, I put the weight away, just as he and his buddy approached me.
“Oh, hey. Decided to join the gym?” Kellan asked.
“Yeah.” I shrugged, then looked over at his friend.
“Josh Westbrook.” He held out his hand, and I shook it, his grip tight on my hand. Ah, so that’s how it was. Evidently, he knew I was an asshole who’d hurt Kellan.
“Chase Hawthorne.” I didn’t let go, and Josh didn’t either.
“Oh, hi. I’m Kellan Caine. Did you two forget I’m here?” He shook his bangs out of his face, and Josh and I finally let go.
“You know I could never walk away and forget you,” Josh replied, and my temper immediately spiked.
“Hey, listen—”
“Josh,” Kellan cut me off.
“Sorry. My bad.” Josh held his hands up in surrender, but he’d already done what he’d set out to do—remind me I was an asshole, that I’d bailed on Kellan, and that Kellan had him. “I’m going to get to work. You want to grab some dinner tonight, babe?”
Kellan’s expression didn’t change at all at Josh’s term of endearment, which meant he was used to hearing it, and damned if I didn’t feel a slight twitch in my gut.
“I don’t know. I haven’t decided if I’m pissed at you yet.”
Josh chuckled and kissed Kellan’s temple. “Call me later.” His eyes found me. “You know I’ll always be around.” And then he walked away.
“Your friend is an asshole,” I told Kellan.
“I can see why it might look that way, but no, he’s not. I am a little pissed at him, though, because usually he’s the only person in my life who doesn’t treat me with kid gloves, like I’m helpless or something.”