Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 70629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
* * *
Opening my laptop, I start entering things, and my head is spinning as I think about how the fuck I’m going to make it out of this debt. Not even sure selling the farm will cover it.
* * *
The sound of a truck door closing has me looking up, and my heart’s starting to beat faster and faster when I hear a soft knock on the door. This is it, I think to myself and look down. My blue jeans fit like a glove, which surprised me since they were from high school, and I have that on with a button-down plaid shirt. If you didn’t know any better, you would think I lived here full-time.
* * *
I take a deep breath and turn the lock on the door and open it. Casey is standing at the bottom of the porch now, and he’s looking down. He looks up when he hears the door open. "Hey," he says, and I swallow and wonder if he can tell I’m nervous.
* * *
Knowing I was coming here was one thing, but seeing Reed’s family was a whole different ball game. "Hi." I smile back at him and walk out of the house, closing the door behind me. “Billy said you would be …" I start to say, and then the world crashes around me. The passenger door opens, and I have to hold the doorframe when I see him. The man who changed my life without so much as a second thought. The man who gave me the best gift I’ve ever received in my life, then broke my heart. I lean back on the door for support as I look at him. I always thought I would see him again one day. This scenario played over and over in my head over the years, but none of them were like this. None of them were here on the same farm that it ended just as soon as it started. No, in my head, I would be dressed up, and he would be sorry, not me in my old high school clothes.
* * *
“Holy shit,” Reed says, smiling, and I take him in. Everything inside me goes stiff as my head screams out. All the images I had in my head were wrong. They were of a different person because the person standing in front of me isn’t him. He’s bigger, much bigger. His hair looks the same, and when he puts his glasses on his head, his eyes are more dangerous than the last time I looked into them. "I didn’t know you would be here." He puts his hands on his hips, which makes his arms even bigger.
* * *
There is so much I want to say to him, and none of it good, but right now, I just need him gone. The thought of Sofia getting up and walking outside is too much for me to handle. My knees are literally one second away from giving out. My mouth is so dry, and the heat from the sun is making me feel like I’m going to have heatstroke. Focus, my head tells me. Yes, just focus. “Here I am,” I say, my tone tight. I look back at Casey, who is standing there looking at me. “Billy said you would be passing by."
* * *
I can feel Reed staring at me and feel the pull to look back at him. "I’m sorry about your grandfather," Casey says, and I just nod at him. “Before I even offer you anything, would it be okay if we took a look around?"
* * *
"That’s fine,” I say. “I don’t know how safe the barn is. We …" I stop myself. “I was going in there yesterday, and a family of raccoons chased me out,” I say, and Casey smiles at me.
* * *
"Since when are you afraid of raccoons?" Reed asks, and I just look over at him.
* * *
"Things change." I look back at Casey, and he looks from me to Reed, then back over at me. I’ve never really had a conversation with him. Usually, it was just a hello in passing or taking his glass from him at the bar when I worked there.
* * *
"I’ll take a look around and come back over tomorrow. We can sit down then and see what we can do."
* * *
"Okay,” I say, turning and opening the door. I step inside without even saying goodbye. My heart hammers in my chest, and I close the door and slowly sink to the floor. "This is not good,” I say, looking over at the window when I hear them walk around. “This is not good at all."
Chapter 9
Reed
The door closes behind her, and I look over at my father, who just shakes his head. “What the hell was that?" I ask, pointing at the door.