Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 57043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“You're not going to lose your job if you go bowling.”
“I suggested that he take me to the drive-in movie instead.”
Mags huffs a laugh. “Perfect time for a drive-in movie. You'll have to stay cuddled up in the car, since it'll be freezing the whole time.”
I love Mags, I always have, but she doesn’t really seem to be getting it. Maybe my silence is a clue to her that I’m not convinced this is a good thing.
“I vote take it slow and easy and try not to worry. I think this could be a good thing,” she says with an upbeat tone. “I really do Renee. I think you have a lot on your mind right now and there’s a time and a place to worry, but this could be a good thing. Just…maybe let it happen and see where life takes you,” she suggests, but it doesn’t ease a darn thing for me. I know where life goes the moment I start to think it’s going to be okay. Miss happily ever after forgets what happened the last time I thought I could fall in love…
I sigh out loud. “Listen, I left my car at the bar. Can you drive me over in a little bit so I can get it?”
“Of course. Did Griffin take you home last night?”
“Yeah,” I answer, picking at my nails and then remembering the drive home last night. “He was really nice.”
“Oh my God,” Mags breathes, and there's a quiet thump as she falls back onto her couch or the pillows on her bed. “That is so sweet and romantic.”
I laugh at her, feeling extremely fond of my best friend. But not at all at ease at the idea of letting whatever is going to happen, happen. I thought she would understand but she doesn’t. She starts talking about the two of us falling in love and getting caught kissing behind the bar but making it seem like it would be some love story rather than a town scandal.
“Your pregnancy hormones are showing, Mags.”
Mags laughs, “You're right, but there's nothing I can do about that now. Give me fifteen minutes and I'll come pick you up.”
“Thanks Mags.” I tell her before hanging up, “Love you.”
“Love you too. Try not to worry. It’s okay,” she says in a tone that reminds me she does know what I’m feeling. “I promise you it’s going to be okay.”
I can’t say anything in response to that. Mags should know better than to make promises she can’t keep.
Griffin
With the din of chatter at the bar, I sit restlessly at the booth in the back, not able to focus on anything. I don't want to bother Renee on her days off, so I don't text her the next day, but I keep checking to see if she texts me. We settled on the weekend for our not-date movie night as she put it. If that’s what she wants to call it and she wants a more casual thing, I’m fine with that. Still can’t get her out of my head though.
Brody’s heavy exhale reminds me that we’re both staring at paperwork. He’s actually working on finances and I’m…staring at the same page on this stack that I was ten minutes ago.
I have a blue pen and Brody has a red pen. There are very, very few pages that have been marked with blue.
“Spill it,” he says, his eyes boring into me. With a clean shave and a polo, he seems more like himself.
“Spill what?” I look at him with as close as I can get to a straight face, though my pulse is racing from how blunt he was. I can't exactly look innocent, because I can't get Renee off my mind, and I can't pretend there's nothing going on. Still, it takes me by surprise, and I wasn't ready to spill, as Brody says.
He furrows his forehead. “Whatever you're thinking about. You've been jiggling your foot for twenty minutes and it's driving me fucking insane.”
“It's nothing.” I plant both feet on the floor and look down at the printed-out spreadsheets. “I'll tell you about it later.”
“So it’s not nothing then.” Brody tosses his pen down on the table, clearly ready to ignore the rest of the financials until he has the answers he wants. “Tell me now so we can get back to running our business without me being distracted by you being distracted.”
My best friend sits back in the booth and crosses his arms over his chest, looking me up and down. I don't like that look. “This about Renee?”
Fucking hell. How does he know?
With a quick inhale I readjust in my seat, not saying a word at first.
”Come on. Out with it,” he urges.
I rub my hands over my face, let out a sigh, and say, “Yeah, it's about Renee.”