Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 81401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
There’s one spot near his house that I take, parking as close as I can to the curb, so Zara doesn’t have too far to step down. “I’ll buy a car,” I say when I open her door.
“Don’t even worry about it. I like the truck.”
“But it’s hard for you to get in and out of.”
She steps to me, placing her hand on my chest. Even in her heels, she’s not even close to my height. “Know what’s not hard?”
“Not me,” I say, winking. I’ve been sporting a semi since we stopped making out in the guest room.
“Hiking my dress up over my hips and riding you in that truck of yours.”
The semi is now a full-fledged stiffy, begging for attention. “Zara. . .” I draw her name out in agony.
She pulls me down to her level and whispers into my ear. “Keep the truck, Levi.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She doesn’t have to tell me twice. We link hands and walk up the driveway and into the house where I’m instantly greeted. As soon as my name is said, all heads turn. I say hi to a few people as we weave our way into the house. I refuse to let go of Zara’s hand, even when people want to shake mine. The last thing I want is for her to get swallowed up in the crowd. This is a grown-up version of a keg party, and I’m already itching to leave.
“Levi, you’re finally here. I have someone. . .” Holly stops in front of me and looks at Zara, and then down to our hands. Buck told me that this girl is hung up on me and that Maylene keeps pushing her to try and take me out.
“Hey, Holly. Do you remember Zara? My girlfriend?”
“Oh. . . I didn’t. . . um. . .” She's clearly flustered, and it’s making me feel like an ass, but I have no interest in dating her. She might have been someone I’d take out if I hadn’t met Zara.
“Austin, you piece of shit bastard,” Buck comes up and slaps me on the back. “And who do we have here?” he asks, pointing to Zara.
I look at him a bit cock-eyed and wonder how much he has had to drink. “Zara Phillips,” I tell him. “You met her at my house not too long ago.” Although it was dark out and she had her hair hiding inside a beanie.
“Buck, you dumbass. This is the chick he stopped screwing Holly for,” Maylene says, stunning us all.
zara
Twenty-Nine
I try to pull my hand away, but Levi’s grip tightens. There’s a part of me screaming that I knew there was more to him and Holly when I met her, and the other part is telling me not to be stupid, that Levi is not Van.
The woman from the other night, I vaguely remember her from the bonfire. Holly I definitely remembered because I’ve seen the way she was staring at Levi before when women would stare at Van. Shit, even thinking about Van right now has me wondering if he was sleeping with those women too.
“Huh,” Levi says as he adjusts his stance. He’s not rigid. He looks confident. When he smiles, my confusion grows. Instead, he cocks his head to the side and rubs his thumb over his lower lip causing my insides to quiver. “So let me get this straight, and maybe you can help me out, Buck. Y’all came over to my house after I got back from California and introduced me to Holly, yet I somehow knew her before I started dating Zara?”
Oh, I like this question. Not only does it tell me if Levi was honest about knowing Holly, not that I doubt him, but it puts his friend in the hot seat. Buck’s mouth opens and closes a few times before he backs away with his hands up. Levi turns his penetrating gaze onto Maylene, who seems smug and ready for battle.
“I know what I know, Levi.”
“You don’t know shit, Maylene, and let me tell you why. You see, since I came back, Zara has been at my house and in my bed. There ain’t no way in hell I’m interested in anyone but her, and you can bet your ass it won’t be your skanky ass cousin.”
Mouths drop open all around us, but it’s the gasp that catches my attention. Holly was standing on the cusp of the crowd. I want to fist pump and show her that I won, but the look on her face keeps my reactions more reserved. She either really wants to date Levi or she genuinely likes him. I’m going with the dating part because according to him, they just met.
“Levi, I don’t know what’s gotten into you,” Maylene says.
“What’s gotten into you, Maylene? I don’t understand why you’re disrespecting my girlfriend.”