Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Sitting down on the sofa, he put his ankle over his knee, smiled, and said, “Yep. I’m out for good, back in town, and ready to pick up where I left off.”
I let out a bark of laughter. “I know you’re not referring to us. If my memory serves me correctly, you told me you were leaving Seaside because there was nothing here for you. That included me. You told me you couldn’t see a future with me, and that you hoped I would grow up by the time you finally moved back home. And correct me if I’m wrong here, but didn’t you cheat on me as well?”
He cringed a bit. “I said all that, huh?”
“Yes, and I like how you completely ignored the cheating part.”
“It was a mistake. The cheating thing.” He sat back and looked at me. “Have you?”
I tilted my head and regarded him with a hard stare. “Have I what?”
“Grown up any? Tell me you’re not still working all those crazy jobs. I hope you took my advice and went to college.”
What in the hell did I ever see in the man sitting in front of me? Wait, I know. I saw a handsome boy whom I thought I’d loved. Stupid, silly girl.
“I’m afraid to disappoint you, Deacon, but I still walk dogs. I still work at the vet clinic if I’m available to help out. I do own my own business though.”
He raised his brows and leaned forward. “That’s great, what is it?”
“I pick up other people’s dog shit.”
It took everything I had not to start laughing at the expression of horror on his face.
“Oh, and I recently added a new job. I’m also a nanny.”
“A nanny?”
Nodding, I folded my arms over my chest and watched his gaze travel to my breasts and then back up. “Yes. Mason Bryan is the new doctor in town. He has a five-year-old little boy, and I take care of him when Mason is at work. He owns this place, as well as the main house.”
“Wait, you work as a nanny? You?”
Anger started to boil up inside of me. I really wanted to junk-punch this asshole, so it was time he left. I turned and headed to the door. “I think it’s time for you to go, Deacon. Clearly, we have nothing to say to each other. Reunion time has ended. And the unpleasant walk down Memory Lane is complete. So goodbye.”
“Wait,” he said as he stood. “Palmer, hold on. I’m being an ass, and I’m sorry. It’s just, it’s hard for me to see you as a nanny. And picking up other people’s dog shit… Honey, you’re better than that.”
For the life of me, I would never know why I blurted out my next sentence. Maybe I needed to validate myself, which pissed me off. I knew I would lie in bed later tonight and kick myself over and over for it.
“I also sold one of my paintings.”
He stared at me in disbelief. “You did? You actually took the leap and sold one?”
For all of Deacon’s faults—and he had a laundry list of them—he was supportive of my art. He always told me I needed to sell my paintings and that people would love them. Turns out he was kind of right.
“I did.”
“Honey, that’s amazing.”
He started to make his way over to hug me, but I put my hand up. “I’m not your honey, Deacon. I’m not your sweetheart, your honeypie, darling, baby… I’m none of those things. To you, I’m simply Palmer.”
He slowly shook his head. “Don’t you remember how explosive we were together?”
“I remember the sex was good. Was it explosive? Maybe the naïve girl I once was thought so, but I’m no longer her.”
His head jerked back as if I’d slapped him. He looked down at the floor and then back at me. “I left in a shitty kind of way, and I get that you’re angry. Once you’ve had some time to cool down and truly think about how right we are for one another, we’ll talk.”
I opened the door and turned toward him before I motioned for him to leave. “That’s never going to happen, Deacon. You see, I did do a lot of growing up while you were gone. I learned a very important lesson. I don’t need men like you in my life. I don’t need a man at all, as a matter of fact. I’m perfectly fine on my own, and the last thing I need is some jackass, stuck-on-himself dick trying to control how I live my life. Now, get the hell out of my house.”
He stood there staring at me, and I could tell he was mulling over his next move.
“Deacon. Leave.”
Clearing his throat, he looked out the doorway over my shoulder, then walked over to me. He stopped and leaned in. “This isn’t over, Palmer. I’ll win you back. You’ll see.”