Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 80176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
I smiled, my lips spreading so wide that my face nearly hurt.
“I can only buy so much honey,” I told him. “But I do like him. I’ll have to make a point to stop by there more, though.”
His grin was sweet.
“He’s a lonely old man, and I’ve missed him these last four years. I think he’d like that.” Then he sighed. “I have to go back to work, pretty girl. Otherwise, I won’t get to go all chicken mad with you.”
I grinned. “I think I can deal with that.”
He winked, then stood up.
Before I could say another word, he left, stopping only at Phyllis’ side so he could hand her a fifty.
Then he was gone and I was left staring after him with my heart on my sleeve.
Chapter 11
It’s too hot in Texas for titties.
-Kennedy’s secret thoughts
Kennedy
I felt like shit.
Complete and utter shit.
Today was the day of Trixie’s first chemo treatment, and I didn’t even know how the hell I was getting to the hospital.
My truck wouldn’t start, and my father’s car was in the shop for routine maintenance.
Stupidly, I’d taken it in yesterday for him and had started to walk home.
I was only about halfway home when I was discovered by Evander, who’d been on his way to my house to go with me to get the chickens.
He’d then yelled at me for not calling him.
When I’d explained, rather meekly, that I didn’t have his number, he’d given me his card and told me to program in his numbers.
I had kept the card in my hand for half the night, looking at it, wondering if I should or not.
If I had that number…if I used it…then I wouldn’t stop using it.
He would have me calling him at all hours of the day, and I would send him memes. I wouldn’t be able to help myself.
But now I had to.
I looked down at the card for the fourth time.
I shouldn’t call him.
But he’d said anything.
A ride wouldn’t be too much to ask, and since we didn’t have taxis where we lived, he was sure to understand, right?
I started dialing the numbers.
It rang twice.
“Van.”
“Uhh,” I hesitated. “This is Kennedy.”
Everything about his abrupt demeanor changed. “Hey, pretty girl. What’s wrong?”
The worry in his voice filled me with hope.
Hope that he may someday feel the same way about me that I knew I felt about him.
“My truck won’t start, and my sister’s treatment is today.”
“I can be there in thirty minutes. Is that enough time?”
I looked at my watch.
If I had a thirty-minute drive to the hospital, and thirty minutes to wait, that was an hour. I had to be there in an hour and fifteen minutes. That would be plenty of time, right?
“Yes, that’s perfect,” I said, even though it was cutting it kind of close.
But they’d deal.
I really thought that Trixie likely didn’t want me there anyway.
But I’d be there and wait for her to finish and, hopefully, show her that I would support her no matter what.
“Okay, I’ll be there in a few.”
Evander arrived in twenty-two minutes, and he was sweaty as hell when he got out and walked around to the passenger side of the truck and opened it.
I smiled at him, then smiled wider when I saw Gertie in the front seat.
“Hey, boys,” I smiled, or tried to anyway. “Y’all look kind of dirty.”
That was an understatement.
Evander was filthy. He was covered in grease and what looked like mud—but not red mud. Gray.
The dog wasn’t in much better condition.
“We were in the middle of a fuckin’ mud pit trying to get a monster truck unstuck. It took three tow trucks to do it.”
I blinked. “I took you away from a job?”
He shrugged. “You wouldn’t call me unless it was important. And Travis already had it mostly under control. It wasn’t a big deal.”
I decided not to argue, but I did get in the truck and question him about it the moment his ass touched the opposite seat.
“Why were you in the middle of a mud pit?” I asked.
His grin was wicked.
“The guy put his monster truck—and when I say monster truck, I literally mean a monster truck—up for collateral on the bond for his brother. It was a five hundred-thousand-dollar bail and the only thing he had in equity was his truck that he used for shows. When his brother didn’t show for court, he knew the truck was going to be taken…so, in a fit of anger, he took it to the middle of the biggest mud pit he could find and parked it. He didn’t think we could get it.”
He sounded like he was having a grand old time, and the smile on his face was enough to put me in a remotely better mood.
“That’s exciting,” I said softly.
He nodded. “One of the more fun ones, for sure. Where do I need to go?”