Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 104766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
I sigh, shoving my sneakers into my black duffel bag before slinging it over my shoulder. My phone pings with a notification as I push through the gym’s front door.
It’s Grady Donahue, my best friend.
Grady and I have known each other since middle school when we played Little League football. He’s not playing anymore. In fact, he isn’t even attending a big university like I am. Instead, he’s working a full-time job, renting his own apartment, and paying his own bills.
My heart squeezes.
I’m looking forward to the same independence.
Grady: Dude, what are you doing this weekend?
He gets straight to the point. No ‘good morning’ or ‘hey man’ or ‘how’s it goin’?’ as foreplay for this conversation, no mincing words the way I do when I’m trying to get information from someone.
Drew: The usual? Hanging out.
Grady: You should come home. I’m having a bachelor party for Lucas. You should be here.
Lucas Jones is another of our buddies from home. He’s working for his dad’s construction company and got engaged to his high school sweetheart last year. Must be getting ready to tie the knot if they’re having a bachelor party.
I heard buzz about it but wasn’t invited to the actual wedding.
Drew: Bro, wouldn’t it be weird to show up when I’m not going to the wedding?
Grady: Dude, they barely invited his grandma to the vows. They’re keeping it small. Told you this a 100 times.
Yeah, he actually has told me this one hundred times, but I’m still not the kind of dude who shows up when I haven’t been invited, bachelor party or not.
Grady: You can afford the flight. Just come home for the weekend. I know you’re burned out, so give yourself a break. There are no classes on Monday.
Correct again, I am burned out—from the new relationship my brother is in, from football, from practice, from the gym, from games, from the weight of my family legacy bearing down on my shoulders.
I do need a fucking break.
I'm not sure going home will be the break I need, not if I’m still surrounded by noise and people.
Drew: How do you know we don’t have classes on Monday?
It’s a holiday, and most universities aren’t holding classes.
Grady: ’Cause Tess is home from school.
Tess is his little sister, and I can almost hear Grady picking at his teeth with a toothpick. Southern boy to the core.
Drew: I have to think about it, I guess.
Grady: What’s there to think about? You already said you weren’t doing nothin’ this weekend.
Drew: That doesn’t mean I want to hop on a plane and fly to Texas, bro.
Grady: So you’d rather be lying on the couch with your hand down your pants instead???
Drew: It’s cheaper.
Grady: Don’t make me laugh. We both know your mama would pay to fly you home. When’s the last time you saw her?
I don’t know.
Christmas?
But that’s not unusual for out-of-state students who live hundreds of miles from their parents while attending school. And it’s not like my schedule is wide open.
Just so happens that right now, it is.
Drew: Yeah, but for one weekend?
Grady: Yes, for one weekend. Don’t act surprised. I told you about this, so you knew it was coming up. Drake RSVP’d already.
Drew: He did?
That surprises me. Normally, my twin is shit at getting back to people unless they’re asking him a question to his face.
Drew: What did he say?
Grady: What do you think he said? He said ‘piss off I have better shit to do.’
Drew: LOL
Grady: Just kiddin’ Drake wasn’t invited - we know he’s loved up with Daisy. I know for a fact YOU do not have better shit to do. LOL
Drew: Screw you, dude…
Grady: You wish.
Drew: LOL
Grady: But for real. Get your ass on a plane. You can stay with me. Most of the guys will be here. It’ll be a blast, and who knows, you might meet someone.
Drew: Uh. I’m not dating someone in Texas.
Grady: Who said anything about DATING?
CHAPTER 2
TESS
SINGLE SEPTEMBER. ONLY ME OCTOBER. NO MAN NOVEMBER. DON’T DATE DECEMBER…YAY ME, I’M NAILING IT.
“You said Drew was coming this weekend?” I regard my brother from across the table at the Mexican restaurant where we’re having lunch—his treat—and the burrito gets stuck in my throat at the news Drew is coming to town.
Drew Colter.
My childhood crush.
Not that my brother knew that. In his opinion, Drew was like a brother to him. It would never occur to him that I might have harbored fantasies about him since we were in middle school.
Fantasies I kept secret from him, but not my best girlfriends. They all knew I had a mad crush on him and never let me forget it.
But that was then, and this was now.
I’m older, wiser.
Taller.
Not the naive little girl who practiced conversations with him in my bedroom mirror. “Hey Drew, how’s it going?” and “Oh me?! I’m so good. Like, totally doing great.”