Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Without saying anything more, I started the engine and headed home. I expected Jules to give me a hard time when we got to my place, but she didn’t say a word as she followed me inside. When we got to the living room, she took off her coat, then sighed with relief as she plopped down on the sofa and curled into one of the pillows. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
“Can I get ya anything?”
“I’m good.”
“You sure?” I grabbed the throw from the back of the sofa and laid it across her. “How ‘bout something to drink and a couple of Tylenol?”
“Now that you mention it...”
“You got it.”
I went to the kitchen to grab her a cold drink and some Tylenol, and by the time I’d made it back, she’d already dozed off. Not wanting to wake her, I placed them on the coffee table, then made my way over to my recliner. I turned on the TV and muted the sound as I flipped through the different channels. As soon as I found the game of the week, I tossed the remote on the table and nestled back in my chair.
I watched a couple of plays, and the next thing I knew, I was out.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept, but the game was over, and it was dark. I looked over to the sofa and found Jules staring back at me with a smile. “Hey there, sleepyhead.”
“Hey.” I arched my back, stretching the muscles in my back as I asked, “How long was I out?”
“I don’t know, but it’s been a while.” She motioned her hand over to the clock. “It’s almost seven.”
“Damn.” I sat up and said, “I had no idea it was so late. Are you hungry? You wanna order a pizza or maybe some Chinese?”
“Pizza sounds good.”
“Great.” I grabbed my cell phone and placed the order, then I offered Jules the remote, “Wanna see if you can find a movie or something?”
“You want me to pick?”
“Well, yeah.” I placed the remote in her hand as I asked, “There a problem with that?”
“No,” she smiled nervously. “No problem at all.”
I could tell there was something she wasn’t telling me, but I didn’t push. I simply waited patiently as she searched for a movie. We spent the next couple of hours eating and watching some chick flick she’d found. Jules was searching for a second movie when I asked, “You got plans for tomorrow?”
“Not that I can think of. Why? Did you have something in mind?”
“Thought we might hike out to Marymere Falls. It’s a cool spot, and the weather’s supposed to be nice.”
“Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun.”
“Then, that’s what we’ll do.”
When the movie was over, I took Jules back to her car, and the following day, I picked her up at her place and we headed to the falls. The next day it was dinner down by the water, and then the next, it was another night of watching movies at my place. One night Jules made pasta, and one night I grilled burgers.
In a blink, the week was over, and the fact that we’d spent every night together hadn’t gone unnoticed. “So, what’s going on with you and Smokey’s girl?”
“She works at Smokey’s.” Cotton was a man who knew how to press buttons, and he'd just pressed one of mine. "She's not his girl."
"That good, huh?” A knowing smirk crossed his face as he said, "Guess that means you finally got through to her.”
“Or she got through to me. Either way, things seem to be going in the right direction. We’ve spent a lot of time together this week, and she’s finally started opening up to me.”
“Things as bad as you thought?”
“She didn’t share the full story, but I got the impression that her ex was a grade-A asshole with a short fuse.”
“You think he took things too far?”
“Yeah, he gave her a real time of it. Her ol’ man, too. They’re the reason why she ended up here. She needed a fresh start.”
“And what about you?” Cotton cocked his brow. “She knows what she needs to know?”
“She knows enough.” I’d told her more about the club and how certain things worked. There were some things she struggled with, but I was able to make her understand. I’d also opened up a little more about Lauren and how she’d ended up with Flynn. “I gotta tell ya, Prez. I have a good feeling about this girl.”
Even as I said the words, I knew it was more than just a hunch. There was something about Jules that got to me in a way no other woman had, and I couldn’t get enough of her. Cotton, being Cotton, understood exactly what I meant. “Then, you best do what you can to hold onto her.”