Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Placing my palm on the small of her back, I guide her through the people brave enough to hang out on the Boardwalk when it’s drizzling and cold as fuck.
Finally, we make it over to The Lobster Roll and push inside the door. Once settled, and we each have a frothy beer in hand, I give her a resigned smile.
“Listen,” I start, but she cuts me off.
“I get it. You’re not interested in dating me.”
Guilt and shame war within me, heating my cheeks. “It’s not you—”
“Spare me the line, Sheriff.” She laughs, shaking her head. “It’s okay. I’m a tough girl. Just give it to me straight. I’m not your type.”
No, because you don’t have the right body parts.
“No,” I admit. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” She reaches across the table and takes my hand. “We can still be friends, right? It’s surprisingly hard to meet people in this small town. Not everyone is as sweet as you.”
“They’ll come around,” I promise. “And yeah, friends sounds really nice.”
The waitress brings us back our piping hot bowls of lobster chowder and some cheese biscuits. Now that we’ve addressed the elephant in the room, Shelly and I easily converse back and forth, mostly about our younger brothers. After our meal, I walk her back to her car in the Boardwalk parking lot.
“Thanks for a nice dinner, friend,” Shelly says with a silly grin. “I’ll have to have you over for dinner one night at the B&B. I have a few good recipes up my sleeve that I remember from culinary school. Eventually, I’ll need to hire a cook, but I can make enough to get us by in the interim.” She gives me a quick hug. “And bring Zak. Callan would love to have a friend over.”
We part ways and I climb into my SUV, my hand on my phone before I even get the heat going.
Me: I did it. I told her I just wanted to be friends.
Dante: No shit? And she didn’t put up a fight?
Me: She invited me and Zak over for dinner as friends.
Dante: Of course she did.
Me: You still want to come over?
He doesn’t reply right away, which makes my anxiety spike. Maybe he’s rethinking this thing with me. Before I can panic, he replies.
Dante: I do. But I’m locked in an intense conversation with a beautiful blond cop.
Fucking Brie.
Me: Did she pull you over?
Dante: No. We’re having a drink together at Focus. We just ran into each other. I wonder who else I might run into tonight…
Of all places, they’d have to be at Focus. The chances of Kian tending bar tonight are high. It’s not like I’ve never gone to Focus before with Cato. But everything feels different now. Exposed and raw. I’m not sure how I’ll handle seeing Kian’s cute ass and adorable smile.
It’ll hurt.
But seeing Dante won’t hurt at all. Sharing a secretive look with him, just knowing the two of us will get together later, is worth any unease I encounter with Kian.
It will be awkward. It always is.
Starting the SUV, I then wind my way out of the parking lot and hang a right onto Main Street. I make it to First and find a spot in front of Belle’s Boutique. After sucking in a calming breath, I trot across First to Focus. As soon as I open the door, I lock eyes with him.
Kian Abrams.
His hazel eyes widen, surprise evident in them. I ache to see his smile, but he turns to talk to one of the patrons, giving me the cold shoulder. Swallowing down the melancholy of what could have been, I scan the wine bar for Dante and Brie. I find them at a high-top table, both of them laughing.
Fuck, he’s hot.
So unbelievably gorgeous that I stop mid-step, caught staring at him. Tonight, Dante has on a dark gray dress shirt sans tie, black slacks, and his dark hair is mussed up in a way that looks like I’ve been running my fingers through it while I attack his mouth with mine. My dick twitches at that image, making me thankful my coat is covering me.
“Sheriff Bell,” Dante greets, his sexy, villainous smile wide. “Funny running into you here.”
Brie’s smile falls as her brows knit in confusion. “What are you doing here, Jax?”
I stride over to them and shrug. “Was passing by when I saw your car,” I lie to Brie. “Thought I’d come say hi. If I’m interrupting your date…”
“Heavens no,” she says with a laugh. “Dante already told me he’s seeing someone. He’s just new around here, so I thought we’d get to know each other a little better.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask, my brow hiking up as I sit on the stool beside Dante. “Who’s the lucky girl?”
Dante chuckles, deep and throaty, as his knee brushes mine. “Not a lady, Jax. A fella.”