Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“I don’t know why I’m like this.”
“Like what?”
“Terrible.”
“You’re not terrible. You’re just wine-wasted.” He snorts. “I’m not sure I ever saw anyone get so hammered on wine around here, to be honest. You’re a first for a lot of things in my life.”
I try to put my arms around him. “Hold me.” My arms fall. My eyes grow heavy. “Why aren’t … Why aren’t you holding me …?”
“Just rest.” He keeps stroking my hair and gazing down at me. “Close your eyes.”
“I hate you.” My eyes close.
Chapter 16
The Wedding After.
The smell of pine needles.
With a hint of strawberry.
I squint against the sunlight as my eyes open.
I sit up, startled to find myself wrapped like a taco in a thick, brown blanket with a repeating pattern of gray and white bunnies on it. It’s what smells like pine needles and strawberries.
The house is silent.
Wait. What house?
I look around, completely disoriented. I’m on a couch. There’s a coffee table in front of it. A smallish TV is mounted on the wall across from the couch with a little window on either side. Behind me is a narrow kitchen, a round, empty dining table with exactly two chairs, and a hallway that leads … somewhere. It’s a small and cozy living space, this house.
I glance down and realize that underneath this bunny-rabbit taco blanket, I’m in just my underwear.
My eyes land on the arm of the couch, where I see my clothes from last night, stacked and folded neatly, dry.
Was I undressed?
My clothes, cleaned?
Blanket still wrapped around me, I rise from the couch, wince against a pounding headache, and slowly walk to the hallway. One door leads to a bathroom. Another to a coat closet. The last one is a surprisingly tidy bedroom, its door wide open.
On the bed, Samuel sleeps on his back.
Shirtless. Just in his gray sweatpants.
Mouth hanging open slightly.
As adorable as a little puppy, lost in his dream world.
I stand at that doorway and stare at him for the longest time. My thoughts are slow to come. Samuel’s house, I remind myself in a mortified stupor. I came to Samuel’s house last night. He was sensible and caring. I came on to him, strong and rude. He offered to make me food and coffee. I pulled down his pants and blew him. Then I threw a tantrum because he was decent enough not to take advantage of me.
What is wrong with me?
Soon, I’m dressed again and sitting on the front porch staring off into the street, waiting. The morning air whispers sweetly in my ears. The trees dance in the gentle wind. Small puddles remain on the streets, one puddle of which a family of birds are taking a bath in. Everything feels strangely calm and far away after last night’s storm. I wonder if the whole town of Spruce still sleeps.
I could believe I’m the only soul awake right now.
Except for my dad, who’s on his way after I called him to pick me up. His voice was an awful mixture of worry, disappointment, and relief, which was to be expected—especially since he called me many times last night and left many voicemails and texts, none of which I answered for obvious reasons. By the time the big catering truck pulls up to the front of the house, the family of happy birds has long since flown off, and I’ve been left alone. I make the brief walk of shame to the passenger side door, wordlessly slip inside with my aching head bowed, then off we go.
I deserve whatever words he’s got for me.
Instead of words, however, he hands me a cup of coffee with a snowman on its side and a little red lid.
I take it, surprised. “Thanks.”
“Always helped me through the next morning whenever I got into the bottle too deep, back when I was your age.” He clears his throat in his gruff, emotionless way. “I don’t drink as much now.”
I chance a sip of it. It’s too bitter. “Thank you,” I say anyway.
“Not that I’m encouraging this to become a habit. I’m not.” He sighs heavily. “I’ll let you decide when you want to tell me what was going through your mind last night. Other than nothing.”
I stare out the window at the morning countryside. It’s barely seven o’clock. I have no idea how I’m even awake.
“Not yet? Alright.” He huffs, his grip on the wheel tightening. “Then we’ll just ride home in silence. Fine with me.”
Of course it isn’t fine with him. “I’m sorry, Dad.”
“I know you are. Skip the apologies and just give me the gist. Today’s gonna be a long, tough day. I have a lot to do, and I’ll have to do it all on my own thanks to Nadine and her matchmaking. Not that I don’t appreciate the sentiment. I have wanted you to meet guys. But seeing as you’re doing everything in your power to ruin even that …” He sighs abruptly and eyes me. “Is it even working with the Cole fellow? Why’d I pick you up from Samuel’s house?”