Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
My throat felt bitter. “I never really knew her.”
“What about now?”
I moved my straw around in the ice. “I think she’s…great, to be honest. We have our moments when we bicker, but I sort of enjoy them. Makes the time go by faster.”
“That’s some crazy shit. You’ve been holding out on me.”
“It’s really not that crazy. It’s just the way things worked out.”
“The way you were smiling when you were texting her… You sure there’s nothing going on there?”
Feeling a rush of nervous energy, I shook my head. “No, of course not. It’s not like that.”
“I wouldn’t judge you if there were something happening, you know.”
“There’s not,” I snapped.
“You’re not attracted to her?”
“That’s irrelevant. I couldn’t do that to Brad even if I were.”
“Brad’s not here anymore, Josh.”
The slap of his statement hurt my chest.
“He is.” I pointed to my heart. “He’s here.” I pointed to my head. “And here. So, no.”
I felt myself sweating. The thoughts I’d had since I caught Carly ogling me had run rampant in my mind over the past few days. So had the guilt. It was bad enough I’d woken up drenched and hard last night after a vivid dream where I was angry-fucking her from behind while pulling on her long, blonde hair. I knew I wouldn’t act on my impulses, but the thoughts were there—a perfect example of why I’d volunteered to come out here, though I technically didn’t have to. I could have gotten out of it. But I needed a breather from the tension.
“I can respect your feelings on Brad,” Jordan said. “But just curious—I mean, if you’re cohabitating with her, and there’s some mutual attraction there, it’s gotta be tough. Living in the middle of the woods with a hot woman? You can’t tell me the line doesn’t blur a little.”
If I knew Jordan, he was going to keep pushing until he got everything out of me. So I decided to make his job easier.
“We had one awkward thing happen that was entirely my fault.” I crunched on some ice.
“What happened?”
I explained the diary incident and what prompted it.
“She must think you’re the biggest dick.” He laughed.
I chuckled. “She’s thought that for a long time. So nothing new. I guess I only confirmed it.”
“She doesn’t want to want you…” He smirked. “But she does.”
“Carly doesn’t want me. Believe me. She just thinks I’m attractive. That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Sure. Tell yourself that.” He snickered. “I can’t imagine how tense things must’ve been after that.”
“It was pretty much right before I came out here. I think we both needed a break, which is why this trip came at the perfect time. Even if it’s only for a few days.”
“Well, then…” He placed his hand on my shoulder. “We should make the most of your time back here. Let’s go to the club.”
Jordan would use any excuse to keep the party going. The Ivy Club was his go-to place for a nightcap. I already felt like I’d had one too many, but...
“Yeah. Sure. Why not? It’s my last night.”
Once we got to the club, I continued to feel out of sorts as I nursed another drink and pretended to be interested in this woman who’d started a conversation with me. But I knew I’d be going home alone tonight. And that was fine.
On the car ride back, I noticed I’d missed another text from Carly.
Carly: Goodnight, Josh.
I felt bad that she probably thought I’d chosen to ignore it. But I didn’t want to wake her by texting back in the middle of the night.
I stared at the phone for several seconds, thinking about the fact that she’d bothered to text me goodnight. Goodnight texts were not something I got from anyone on a regular basis. Sending someone a text before bed implied that you were one of the last things they were thinking about. It made me feel…undeserving. But also good—warm inside in a way I wasn’t used to. I knew we couldn’t be more than friends, yet I basked in that feeling for a moment. As uneasy as this situation made me, I couldn’t wait to get back to Woodsboro.
CHAPTER 10
* * *
JOSH
CARLY PRACTICALLY JUMPED off the couch when I entered the house the following evening.
“Josh!” She ran to greet me. “You’re back early.”
“Yeah.” I dropped my travel bag on the floor. “Things at work wrapped up sooner than anticipated, so I caught an earlier flight.”
She had a huge smile on her face. “I’m not happy you’re here to relieve me or anything.”
“Not at all.” I winked and bent to pet the dog, who’d been circling around me for attention. “Hey, Bubba. Your boytoy is back.”
Then I moved to the couch and sat down, wrapping my arm around Scottie. He hadn’t had much of a reaction when I walked in.
“You miss me, buddy?”