Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“I always worry about you.” She ran her thumb under his eye as if he were a little boy who needed the support.
Emotion swam through my chest, and I cleared the roughness away with a forced giggle.
“It’s not like it’s that big of a party, anyway. Just our closest friends and family.”
Mine were one and the same.
Not one blood relative to my name.
Bobby’s face flashed through my mind, and my chest felt like it just might cave. What I wouldn’t do for him to be here. For him to experience this.
And it wasn’t even real, so what in the world was I thinking?
I’d gotten it all convoluted.
What this meant.
I did my best to keep the sorrow out of my voice when I spoke to Cheryl. “And you went and made it extravagant, anyway.”
Cheryl’s black hair swished around her shoulders, and she angled her head to the side as she tightly gripped my hand.
“Only the best for the people I love.” She swiveled her attention to Milo. “Besides, it’s Milo who spent years taking care of me. I think it’s time I return the favor.”
My teeth raked my bottom lip.
So many questions.
Why’d I have to go and fall for a man who was so not an open book when I really liked reading between the pages?
“All right, what else needs to be accomplished?” Cheryl asked as she stepped back, shaking herself out of the intensity of the moment.
The party was taking place out back.
Twinkle lights had been strung in the trees. Round tables were set up beneath them, and they were covered by white tablecloths. Each was decorated with white and pink floral bouquets.
A dance floor was off to the side since Cheryl had asked me my favorite thing to do at a party, and there was an open bar to the left for our guests to enjoy.
It would be a blast if it were real.
If Milo wasn’t second-guessing everything.
If this all hadn’t turned into a cluster that I had no idea how to sort.
“I think that’s it. This guy needs to get changed, and we’ll be ready to roll.”
I jostled my hip into his.
He grunted a grumbly sound, then he was breathing out in pained relief when I reached out and took his hand and threaded our fingers together.
I glanced up at him.
We have this. We’re a great team.
He just had to let me off the bench if we were going to win.
Music played softly from the speakers that had been set up around the yard, and a gentle breeze blew through, rustling the trees and making the twinkle lights dance across the lawn. The lake was calm and glittering behind us, and light laughter trickled through the atmosphere, voices soft and carrying, the mood easy and right if it weren’t for the man who was tacked to my side.
All burly and grumpy and intimidating, wearing dress pants and a button-down, the sleeves rolled up his tatted arms.
Need quivered in my belly. I’d never seen the man look so delicious.
He and I had found ourselves in the shadows of the yard, watching as our guests finished eating their dinners.
Cheryl had organized this big buffet that was full of every kind of dish.
The woman was so sweet.
So kind.
So hopeful when I could feel her son losing hope.
Milo’s arm twitched where he had it wrapped around my waist, his nerves as jumbled as they’d been earlier, before his mom had walked in.
“We have this,” I muttered under my breath again.
“Don’t you dare leave my side. Need you, Tessa.” It was a bare grunt from his throat.
And I guessed I was having a really hard time differentiating the counterfeit from the factual.
Delineating his feigned affections from the concrete.
Because his fingers dug into my side as if I’d become his anchor when his spirit kept floating adrift.
The man casually nursed a beer while he tried to hide the uncertainty and doubt.
To camouflage the shadow of shame that hovered around him like a merciless reaper.
“I’m not going anywhere, Milo. I don’t care what you’ve done in your past.”
He shifted until he was towering over me, the man an obliterating fortress that ripped the breath from my lungs. His hand came to my jaw. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“Then tell me.”
I didn’t even realize we’d gotten lost in our own little bubble until a hand clamped down on my forearm.
My attention whipped that way. Eden pinned on the biggest smile that was completely faked.
“You wouldn’t mind if I stole my BFF for a minute, would you, Milo?”
His expression promised he most assuredly did.
“Eh, sure, of course.”
“I’ll be right back. Promise.”
His nod was tight.
Eden began to drag me to a secluded spot on the opposite side of the yard. I couldn’t help but look at Milo fading into the distance as we went.
I whipped back around when she rushed under her breath, “What is going on with you two?”