Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“I know you do. Why do you think I’m meddling? And I promised not to meddle. I’m breaking some serious friendship code—twice now for you. But I can’t take any more of this. I love her too much. She needs you. So you need to prove to her that you need her too.”
“I do need her. More than anything.” God, I miss her. I was allowing Cal the time she needed to do her thinking. Even if Tory hadn’t called, the self-imposed time limit I gave her was almost up. I promised I would let her be. But knowing this gives me confidence that what I planned—what I’m about to do—is the right move. The only move.
“Then come fix our girl.”
“On it. Just stick to the plan.”
“Again, never heard from me—”
I hang up. I look down at my packed bags and Jake, who’s wagging his tail. I think he can sense what we’re about to do. Probably because I’ve told him my plans nonstop over the past three weeks. “You ready to get our girl back?”
Jake butts his head against my palm and barks. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s get out of here.” Sammy brought me to the doctor yesterday, and I swapped out my cast for a walking boot. I get the truck packed and start the trek home. Home. A place I haven’t considered that to be in almost two years.
But I know it’s not about the place. It’s about who you’re with. And wherever she is is where I want to be.
***
The drive goes by too slowly. I’m anxious. Worried. My girl’s always been a wild card. This could go in my favor. Or not. I gotta take the lead on this one because this only ends one way.
I pull into an apartment complex and park. “Gotta take a little detour, buddy. Sit tight.” I climb out and jog up the building stairs just as the doors open.
“Oh, hell no. You here to break my nose, too?” I stall as Russ steps out of his building.
“Say again?”
“Yeah, your girl came here a few weeks back, avenging your honor. Had some choice words, stated her case with you, and then broke my nose. Well, she broke my nose first.”
“She was here?” Getting a better look, I notice his still swollen nose and the bruising under his eyes.
“Listen. I get it. I fucked up. But that was a long time ago. I’m over it. You should be—”
My fist to his jaw tells him I’m not over it. His head shoots back when I split his lip, and he howls. “The fuck!”
“That’s for fucking up the best thing I ever had.”
Damn, that felt good. I turn around, jog back to the truck, and hop in. I’m sweating with nerves by the time I park in front of Callie’s building. “Okay, boy. Sit tight. You know what to do if I need ya. Wish me luck.” Jake barks.
The door to her building is propped open, thanks to her “non-meddling friend,” and I head inside. When I reach her apartment, I take a long breath and knock.
From the other side, I hear Tory. “I’ll get it. Don’t get up. Not that you’re going to.” She whips the door open. Seeing me, she winks. “Oh shit. How did you get in here?”
I roll my eyes.
“Who is it?” Callie asks in the distance.
“Um, I think you need to see for yourself.” Tory leans forward and whispers, “Never spoke to me, remember.” She quickly pulls back when Callie steps up to the door. She looks just as beat down as I feel, and it pisses me off that I gave her this much time. I should have come sooner. Her eyes widen when she sees me, and I want to snake my arm around her and do what I’ve been aching to do for weeks.
“Wh—what are you doing here, Easton?”
“It’s time to talk.”
“I told you—”
“Yeah, and I gave you time to think. Time’s up.” I walk into her apartment, forcing her to take a few steps back. “You asked me before where I thought we’d be if shit didn’t get in our way, and I gave you a bullshit answer. I’m gonna give you an honest one now. The real answer is you’d be my wife. You’d be wearing my ring and be mine.” I step closer, ignoring her sharp gasp. “I let this bullshit between us ruin that because I didn’t fight for you. I wasted two years. Two years, Callie. Time I could’ve been making you happy, making you smile. Basking in your sweet taste. I lost that time once, but I’m done with that shit.”
“Easton.” She says my name as her eyes shimmer with tears, but I can’t stop until I get it all out.
“I should’ve made you listen to me that day. Made you see the truth. All that time we lost because I didn’t step up.” She tries to speak, but I cut her off. “Back at the cabin, I never should have let you leave. I should’ve locked you up until you listened to reason. Tied you to the bed if I had to. And before you even start going off about how I lied, I’d do everything all over the same way. I may have lied to you, but I don’t regret keeping you there. Because every single second with you back in my arms was like breathing again. So, go ahead and be mad about that, but I refuse to apologize for going after something I want.”