Total pages in book: 10
Estimated words: 9444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 47(@200wpm)___ 38(@250wpm)___ 31(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 9444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 47(@200wpm)___ 38(@250wpm)___ 31(@300wpm)
I am working on my master’s in Library Sciences with a specialty in public libraries. In the end, I’ll get to be around books all day and that is what I’ve always wanted. I have less than a year left in my studies then I graduate. I am trying to take as many classes as possible per semester to get it over with.
A good book can cure what ails you. And there is so much variety to choose from, it’s like Heaven on Earth to me.
At five minutes until seven, my doorbell rings. My apartment is tiny, but it works for me. I have a bed, a couch, a TV, and everything else to my name is books. Just books. They line bookcases and the floor. My dream is to one day have a library like in Beauty and The Beast, but I’d settle for a bedroom turned into one. When I open the door, he’s standing there in khaki shorts and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His feet are in leather sandals. I’ve learned that this is typical wear for those in southern Georgia. He swallows thickly as he stares at me.
“You look beautiful,” he says, grinning at me.
“Thank you,” I say, believing him. No one could look at me like that and not mean it.
“Ready to go?” he asks.
“I am. Let me just lock up,” I say, following him out the door. As soon as I lock the door, I put the keys into my purse. He grabs my hand and leads me down the stairs to his truck. It’s jacked up off the ground. It looks daunting, but he surprises me by pulling a small step stool out of the backseat. Between that and the rail on the truck, I get in easily.
“My sister is about your height. She has trouble getting into the truck too,” he says as effortlessly climbs into the driver's seat. I raise an eyebrow at him. “I swear, only my sister has ever been in this truck. I raised her.” That has me pausing.
“You did?”
“Parents died. I got custody of her. I was in the Army at the time.” I place my small hand over his larger one on the center console.
“That must have been so difficult for you.”
“It wasn’t. I did what needed to be done for my family,” he says, shrugging. “Any man would have done the same.”
“No, they wouldn’t have,” I say softly.
“Then they aren’t men, plain, and simple.” I have a feeling Isaac’s all man. I clear my throat because I don’t know what else to do.
“Where are we going?” I ask, changing the subject.
“To dinner and a movie.”
“That sounds fun,” I say disappointed. For some reason, I thought he was going to take me back to his place.
“Believe me, that’s what I wanted to do,” he says.
“What?” I ask, confused.
“You just said I thought he was going to take me back to his place,” he says, chuckling.
“Oh shit, I didn’t realize I said that out loud.”
“You did, Abigail. Is that what you really want?” he asks, squeezing my hand.
“Yes,” I reply without hesitation.
Instead of heading into Brunswick, he gets on the interstate towards Savannah.
“So, where are you from?” he asks.
“Iowa, originally.”
“Any siblings?”
“Nope. You just have your sister?”
“Yep. Cora. She’s in college right now in New Jersey, but she’s moving back home tomorrow. Transferred, without telling me.”
“I did the same thing. Transferred without telling my parents. I just had to get out of there. Go easy on her. There may be more to it then she’s telling you. I’m sorry. It’s none of my business, forget I said anything.”
“No, it’s fine. Thank you. I realize she’s an adult, but it’s going to take some getting used to. Was there more than you are saying about why you left Iowa.”
“Yes,” I say simply. I don’t think now is the time to tell him about my seemingly perfect but fucked up childhood.
“Alright. New topic. Favorite band?” he asks randomly.
“Black Sabbath,” I answer.
“No way,” he says turning on the radio. The song playing is Evil Woman.
“Totally cool,” I say singing along with Ozzy.
We listen to the rest of the album before pulling up to a medium-sized house in a subdivision. The street he lives on is Alice Way. All the other streets I saw were named after things in Alice and Wonderland. How cool is that?
As soon as we walk into the house, I set my purse on the table by the door. He steps out of his shoes, so I do the same thing. It’s the polite thing to do, after all.
“Should I order a pizza?” he asks, coming closer to me.
Why does everything feel so intense when I am around him? I barely know him, but I am a thousand percent sure that I love him and that he’d never hurt me. How can that be?