Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“You good?” he asked me.
I clenched my teeth. Were they all going to ask me that? No, I wasn’t good. Stop asking me.
I nodded, then took the list and held it out to him. “I need these things for tonight. Are you planning on opening up the pool area? If so, we need to check the liquor cabinet. You might need to pick some more up along with beer for the bar out there.”
Gage took the list and tucked it into his pocket. “Yeah, we’ll have the lights on out back. Might as well use the pool. It’s time to start enjoying it. I’ll just grab everything, and if we don’t need it, then it’ll get used eventually.”
“Okay. Great,” I replied with a false smile and turned to head for the cleaning closet to get out what I needed to start.
“He’s my friend, and I’d kill for him. But you’re family now too. If you need anything, let me know.”
Gage’s words should have warmed me, but they only drove home the point that last night had been a onetime thing.
“Thanks,” I said, glancing back for only a moment before leaving the kitchen.
The day went by quickly. Cleaning had taken me several hours, and then preparing the pool area had taken another two hours. Once that was finished, I had the groceries I needed, thanks to Gage, and I threw myself into preparing food.
Levi and Gage both stopped by the kitchen to taste something I’d finished. Huck never came back, but then he had told me he probably wouldn’t. I didn’t think about it too much. Just every other five seconds. I was going to torture myself if I didn’t stop it.
“This looks fucking incredible,” Gage said, coming back in to look things over before people started to arrive.
I smiled, happy he was pleased. I’d needed a distraction today, and thankfully, this had provided it.
“Go get ready. Put on a swimsuit. You don’t like watching the fight, but you’ve worked all day. You need to enjoy the pool,” he told me.
My first thought was no. Huck had said I couldn’t wear a bikini in front of anyone. But that had been before. Before we’d had sex. Before he’d gotten it out of his system. Not to mention, he wasn’t even going to be here.
“You’re frowning,” Gage pointed out.
I shrugged. “Not sure if I am supposed to wear a swimsuit.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Because of Huck?”
I didn’t reply, but I knew the look on my face said it all.
“He’s not your keeper. Wear what the fuck you want.”
He was right. I wasn’t Huck’s. He wasn’t here.
“Okay,” I agreed.
Gage grinned and popped one of my homemade tortilla chips into his mouth. “Thatta girl,” he said.
Walking up to the bedroom, I hoped I was doing the right thing.
Twenty-Three
Huck
Breaking this damn mustang in ninety-degree weather was fucking hell. I wiped my forehead with my arm and cursed, walking back toward the stables. Why the fuck did Blaise want a freaking mustang anyway? We were in the thoroughbred business.
Maddy was walking out of the stables when I reached the entrance. She shielded her eyes from the sun and looked up at me.
“You look like you’ve had fun,” she said sarcastically.
“Fucking blast,” I replied.
She laughed. “I saw a little of it. There is no way I’d get on a horse like that.”
She was getting better on the back of a horse, but she had her favorites that she trusted. Blaise had given up on trying to get her to ride any of the others.
“I enjoyed having Trinity at the house. Anytime she wants a change of scenery, send her my way,” Maddy said. “Cree has asked for her twice today.”
I nodded. “Okay.” I didn’t want to talk about Trinity. I was currently coming up with shit to do just to stay away from her.
“Be nice to her. She didn’t tell me much, but, well, she has gone through some bad stuff. I don’t know details, but I … ” She paused, and I could see her struggling with something. “Please don’t tell her I told you this and don’t mention it to anyone else. But when I went out to the shed to take her a towel, she was curled up in a ball on the floor … rocking … and I don’t think she was there mentally. It was as if she were someplace else. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was heartbreaking. She’s been damaged in the past. Go easy on her.”
What the fuck? I stood there, trying to picture what Maddy had described and I couldn’t.
Maddy patted my arm. “Hayes would have wanted her taken care of. Don’t hold things against her. Whatever she’s done, she probably had to.” She gave me one last smile, then headed for her car.
I didn’t move while I attempted to wrap my head around this. When I finally moved again, I didn’t go into the stables. I headed for the Escalade. Guess I’d be going back for the fight after all.