Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Hot damn, Madison McCall in the flesh.” He reaches out for my hand, and once he has it, he bows like I’m a queen. “Let me take a moment to personally welcome you back to our little neck of the woods.” I’m already smiling before he’s done. “I’ll have you know things have changed a lot ’round here since you’ve been gone, so if you need a tour guide or someone to show you around, you know where to find me.” He lets go of my hand and snaps his fingers like he’s just had a bright idea. “Better yet, why don’t you let me take you out tomorrow night. Nothing fancy. Me, you, a bottle of Jack Daniels—”
“Hunter,” a commanding voice cuts in. “Quit stalling and go get that beer you owe me.”
My attention is drawn across the back room to the guy standing in the darkened corner, casually holding a pool cue between his hands, and my stomach dips at the sight of him. Sawyer Garnett is the kind of handsome that takes your breath away the first time you see him. Fortunately, this isn’t my first time, but it has been a while. Eight years hasn’t taken the edge off him in the least. In fact, he’s more good-looking than ever.
There wasn’t a girl at our high school who wouldn’t have bent over backward to get Sawyer to notice her. He was the star of the baseball team and our town’s golden boy. Now, he’s no longer a boy, but he’s no less golden.
A lot of Sawyer’s power comes from his smile. Oh sure, he’s good-looking every minute of every day; there’s no getting around that. But when he aims that dimpled grin at you…when you’re forced to watch it slowly unfurl…you forget the make and model of your car, your mother’s maiden name. Worst of all, you forget to breathe—so that when he finally looks away, you’re left standing there, disoriented and slightly sweaty, wishing for a stiff drink.
Still, it’s unfair to discount the rest of him. His hair is pretty powerful too. Thick and brown, just long enough up top to look artfully tousled. His eyes are almost the same color, so dark and deep you’d better leave a trail of breadcrumbs to avoid getting lost in them.
I swallow and watch as those warm brown eyes land on me. I feel his gaze like a knot’s just cinched itself around my heart.
“Hi, Madison.”
The way he says it, it’s like we’ve got some kind of inside joke together.
“Hi, Sawyer.”
“Aw, see?” Hunter chimes in. “All that time away and you’ve still got your cute accent. Would have been sad if you lost it altogether.”
I chuckle as I nudge Hunter with my elbow. “I was in Alabama, not New York City. People there have a southern drawl too.”
“True. But now you’re back where you belong. Does your brother know?”
“Does her brother know what?” David says, coming up behind me and draping his arm around my shoulder. He’s so heavy I nearly buckle under his weight, but my protests fall on deaf ears. Big brothers…
“Would you get off me, you idiot?”
He pulls me into a hug and takes me clear off my feet. My dress rides up and I’m pretty sure I’m flashing my panties to the entire bar, but David just laughs. It’s always been like this with us. David’s four years older than me and twice my size, and he’s never been shy about throwing his weight around. We used to get into all-out brawls over whose turn it was to use the family computer or the house phone, and I’d always end up losing.
He eventually sets me down, but only when he’s good and ready. I’m straightening my hair and adjusting my dress when he says, “Heard you were doing whiskey shots.”
I roll my eyes. “Fireball. Mom’s idea.”
He grins. “Sounds like Queenie.”
“Where’s your better half?” I look behind him, searching the bar for my sister-in-law Lindsey.
“Back home with Cruz. She was sad to miss you. Wanted me to invite you over for dinner soon.”
“Of course. And Cruz’s first birthday is coming up. I’m excited.”
“You gonna be in town for it?” he asks, his brow cocked with surprise.
I toss my hands up in defeat. “Well hell…looks like it.”
Hunter claps David on the shoulder and shakes him with excitement. “Well now there’s a reason to celebrate! Need a beer, Davie? I’m headed to the bar. Next round’s on me ’cause Sawyer just whooped my ass in pool.”
At the mention of his name, I glance back over at Sawyer to see he’s watching our exchange with a cool expression. This setting is really working for him. Hazy low lighting makes him seem more intimidating than he already is, and when his eyes lock with mine, I look away quickly—too quickly—and then I hate myself for it.