Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
I grin at him. “Millie.”
“Do you need a hospital? Has all the stress finally tipped you over into crazyland?”
“Married her yesterday.” I rock back on my heels. It feels fucking fantastic to tell someone, and I hold my hand up, showing him the gold band on my finger.
Bridger blinks at me, then his face goes red, and he makes a fist, and he punches me right in the jaw, but I move, so he only grazes me.
“What in the actual fucking fuck?” he demands. “You can’t just fucking marry her. You weren’t even dating her.”
“I did marry her.” I shrug. “So, you’ll be careful around her.”
“Jesus Christ.” He shakes his head. “She’s my friend, Holden. And you’re telling me to be careful with her? You’re the one who—”
He shakes his head, and I narrow my eyes. “The one who what?”
“Fucked with her head. You fucked with her head and then left everyone else to pick up the goddamn pieces, and now you’ve married her? Fuck!”
“You’re still going to burn my shit down, right?”
“Oh, I’m going to do more than that. How did you…why?” He stares at me. “I’m out of here. I need to talk to her.”
He rushes to his truck, climbs in, and kicks up rocks and dirt as he takes off for town.
I run my hand down my face. Maybe I could have handled that better.
But I didn’t lie. She’s my wife.
And she’s going to stay that way.
CHAPTER SEVEN
MILLIE
Thank all the gods for busy mornings.
I didn’t sleep worth shit last night. I kept thinking about the fact that a very sexy Holden was just mere yards away from me, likely not wearing much, and my body was on fire.
Stupid body.
And then, to make matters so much worse, after spending all freaking day with him yesterday, I actually miss the son of a bitch today. Like, truly, physically and emotionally, miss him.
What kind of fucked-up shit is that? I’m not supposed to like him. But damn it, I’m having a hard time resisting him already. Because he’s been so nice to me. Like, sincerely kind. The way he was before…before. Before he tore my heart out and burned it to ash.
There’s a quick lull between customers, and I yawn as I tie my hair up high on my head.
“You okay?” Candy frowns at me as I yawn again. “Not sleeping well?”
“Like shit,” I confirm with a shrug. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for covering yesterday.”
“It was no problem,” she assures me. “Plus, the friends I was telling you about? They’ll be here next week, and they plan to come in to talk to you.”
“Great.” I grin at her. “I also hired a high school girl who wants some weekend work, and she starts Saturday. Can you help me train her? She’s worked as a barista before.”
“Of course, that’ll be great.”
The door opens, and the bell rings, and I look up to see Bridger striding in, and I smile.
But he doesn’t smile back.
In fact, he looks good and pissed off.
“What’s wrong? Is it Birdie? Oh, shit, do you need me?”
“No, she’s fine,” he says with a shake of his head. He looks around, seeing if anyone’s close by, and then he leans in, and with an angry, low voice says, “Did you marry Holden?”
His eyes jerk down to my hand, but I took the band off this morning before coming to work.
“Who—”
“Yes or no, Mill.”
I feel the blood drain from my cheeks. I know that Candy’s standing nearby, and she can hear everything.
“I’m your fucking best friend, and you’d better tell me the truth.”
“Yes.” It’s a whisper. “I’m not embarrassed or keeping it a secret, but we haven’t told our families, Bridger.”
“For fuck’s sake!” His voice raises, and several heads turn our way, and he swallows and quiets again. “Do I need to remind you that your brothers might very well kill him?”
“No, they won’t. They won’t be happy, but they won’t hurt him.”
“Jesus Christ, Millie.”
I reach for his hand and hold it firmly in both of mine, pleading up at him with my eyes.
“Please. Keep this quiet for now so I have time to tell them myself. Please, Bridger.”
“Do you love him?” he asks, his voice still low. “Or did he force you?”
“Jesus, how would he force me?” I roll my eyes. “No, and no. And that’s all I can say for now. I’m sorry you didn’t hear it from me. Where did you—?”
I break off when the door opens again, and this time, it’s Holden striding through. His eyes drop to where I’m holding Bridger’s hand, and they darken; his jaw clenches.
And I’m suddenly breathless.
“I’ll talk to you later,” Bridger mutters, pulling away. “I can’t do this here and make a scene in your shop.”
“Later,” I reply as he turns and stalks out, shoulder-checking Holden on his way. I huff out a breath. “Why are men so dumb?”