Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 89265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
I could see it happening with Ryan and Stella, I truly could. They were perfect together, and the sooner they realized that, the better. I thought the pie would do it, but I could see winning this battle was going to take some heavier artillery.
It was time for meatloaf.
Twenty-Four
Ryan
All morning long, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was happening with me. It wasn’t a bad feeling, necessarily, just different. I was more relaxed in my body, more at ease in my mind. There was a sort of calm inside me I wasn’t used to, but there was a fair amount of anticipation too.
That afternoon, I was helping set up for a wedding reception scheduled for tomorrow night in the barn. All I could think of was Stella and I out back last night, and I kept glancing onto the patio and remembering her mouth on me. (Hopefully, no one noticed the erection I was trying to hide.)
The bride and groom came in to check the progress, holding hands and wearing expressions of pure joy, proclaiming their excitement over every little thing. It was kind of disgusting how happy they were, but also kind of nice. I’d let Brie dictate every detail of our wedding, and I couldn’t tell you one thing about it now. I hadn’t given a fuck about the flowers or the attire or the music or the food. I’d asked her what I should wear and what time I should be there and she told me. In no pictures was I smiling.
These two were head over heels. What would that be like, to be so happy, so secure in your love for another person and their love for you? Could it ever last? Could you really trust someone with your deepest dreams and fears and believe they’d never abuse that? It was hard to imagine.
I was still thinking about it when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the unfamiliar number on the screen. Was it Stella? It was a local number, so maybe she was calling from her grandmother’s house phone.
“Hello?”
“Oh, hello. Is this Mr. Woods?”
It wasn’t Stella, but the voice was familiar. “Yes. Mrs. Gardner?”
“Yes. How are you, dear?”
“I’m fine. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I’m sorry to bother you at work, but I was just wondering if you’d like to join Stella and me for dinner this evening. We’re having meatloaf.”
My stomach rumbled. I loved meatloaf. But I wasn’t sure about having dinner over there. Taking Stella to a restaurant was one thing, but a family dinner felt so … personal. Like it came with expectations. “Uh, I’m not sure.”
“Oh, do you have plans already?”
“No,” I answered before I could stop myself.
“Perfect, then we’ll see you around seven?”
“Um … Okay.”
“Splendid. See you then.”
She hung up before I even knew what hit me.
I stared at my phone in disbelief. Man. That woman was crafty as fuck.
Guess I was going to dinner.
While I had my phone out, I decided to try to reach Bones, but he didn’t answer. I left a message.
“Hey, Bones. It’s Woods. Listen, give me a call, okay?”
After hanging up, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and got back to work. If he didn’t call me back by tonight, I’d try again tomorrow.
Twenty-Five
Stella
Eventually I’d fallen asleep, then I’d woken up from my nap and gone for a run, hoping it would clear my head.
It didn’t.
Drumming through my mind were tons of reasons to get the hell out while I could, but my heart clung like a child to some balloon string of hope. I felt paralyzed.
I came home, cleaned up, and had lunch with Grams in town, although I wasn’t very hungry and barely tasted my food. Emme had called twice, but I didn’t feel like talking and didn’t want to be told what to do.
After we got back, I wandered into the yard and sat on the swing Ryan had hung in the birch tree for me, idly swaying side to side. He hadn’t called, and I wasn’t sure he was going to. Maybe he’d changed his mind about—
“Stella, dear!” Grams called from the back porch. “Come look who just popped in for a visit!”
My heart started to race. He was here! I jumped off the swing and started for the house when someone else joined Grams on the porch. I stopped in my tracks. It wasn’t Ryan—it was Emme.
“Hey, sis,” she called, grinning at me.
“Hi,” I said, shaking my head. I hurried onto the porch to hug her. “What are you doing here?”
“I had the weekend free and I missed you both. I thought I’d shoot up and see what was new.” She gave me an innocent smile that didn’t fool me for one second. She’d come up here to sniff around, that’s what she’d done.