Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 143842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Keep teasing.
But everything about him intensified.
Became fierce and stark and so tender that I thought I would melt right there.
“Yeah, that’s right, Maddie, because you are really important. And we have to cherish the most important things in our lives.”
Strike that.
I did melt.
Nothing but a puddle on the floor.
“You’re looking a little peaked this morning, Hailey. Did you not get enough rest last night?” This from Lolly who sat there snickering like she could see Cody written all over me.
Discomfort had me shifting on my feet.
Was I that obvious? Did she know that Cody had spent the entire night behind my door?
Lifting my chin, I tried to play it off. “Oh, I’m completely fine. You know I need my coffee to get me going in the morning.”
“I’ll bet something got you going,” she mumbled into her own mug.
Cody chuckled, though his smile was soft. “You sit. I’ll pour you one.”
“You don’t need to—” I started to argue before he cocked his head and ordered, “Sit.”
My teeth clamped down on my bottom lip.
“You might as well listen to the man,” Lolly said as she gestured to the stool beside her. “It seems he’s set on spoiling us this morning. Not that I mind a bit.”
“That’s because he’s looking for all the important things, Mommy,” Maddie told me before she turned her adorable attention on him. “My mommy’s important, too, right, my Mr. Cody?”
Cody didn’t diverge or divert.
He just looked at me as he murmured, “Yeah, Maddie, your mommy is important, too. I hope she realizes just how much.”
I couldn’t speak because he was stealing words and clarity and sound mind, my knees weak, and I forced myself to round the island where I pulled out a stool and sat next to my grandmother.
Cody filled a cup full of coffee and passed it to me from over the top of the island, his big body reaching all the way across. He set the creamer and sugar beside it, that grin pulling at his mouth while he watched me shifting uneasily on the seat. “There you go, Shortcake.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Oh, darlin’, it’s my pleasure.”
A blush flamed at his tone, my cheeks heating with the flash of need that pummeled my body.
I dropped my head to shutter the reaction.
Lolly leaned in close to my ear and muttered under her breath, “Now don’t go tryin’ to hide it, Hailey. That reputation looks really good on you.”
THIRTY-ONE
CODY
I slipped into the booth opposite Ryder at Time & Tap Tavern.
It was just off the main drag in Time River, and the small bar was a place he and I had come to for years whenever we felt like catching up by ourselves.
The vibe was mellow, country music playing from the jukebox and patrons tucked up to the horseshoe bar that took up the entire middle of the place. The two side walls were lined with elevated booths, seven on each side, and a few tables sat on either side of the door up front.
The lights were dull, swinging from the ceiling over each table.
Ryder was slung back in the booth, already sipping from a tumbler of whiskey when I arrived.
Five minutes late because I’d spent extra time kissing Hailey outside her house before I’d finally pried myself away.
He canted me a smirk when I plopped into the seat. “About damned time. You texted to meet up and here I’ve been sitting by myself like a poor fucker who was about to get stood up.” His expression darkened. “I was worried something was wrong when you texted me.”
I cracked a grin. “What, I can’t want to hang out with my bestie on a Tuesday night?”
Ryder’s sharp brow arched. “Bestie?”
The guy might act like a hard-ass, but I knew he loved it, so I took it upon myself to rub it in.
“That’s right. You’re my BFF. My bosom buddy. My ride or die.” I drew them out, making each more ridiculous than the last, going for whatever nonsense Dakota and Paisley always spewed about each other.
He balled up a napkin and threw it at me. I tried to dodge it, but it hit me in the temple. I feigned outrage. “How dare you, Ryder? Why always so violent?”
Amusement crawled over his face. “Not sure I can be considered the violent one. Not after what you pulled on Saturday night.” His tone turned emphatic, head tipping to the side. “You want to tell me about it?”
God, Saturday felt like a lifetime ago. Like the world had been flipped. Every-fucking-thing I knew changed.
I shrugged like it wasn’t a big thing while the violence threatened to work its way back to the surface, escaping from where I was barely managing to keep it tapped. “Asshole got sloppy and hurt some girl. I was simply reminding him of his manners.”
Ryder let go of an incredulous chuckle. “Poor fucker got the message delivered to him in blows. Think he pissed his pants. Ezra had to call his wife to come and pick him up to take him to the ER.”