Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 20595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 103(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“Oh, it’s you,” I say flatly. What the hell is he doing here? Doesn’t he have a game on Tuesday?
“Is that anyway to greet your favorite brother who flew out of his way to visit you?” Nick, my baby brother, asks, laughing.
“Nick, you do know that you’re my only brother right?” I ask, pulling him into a bro hug. I laugh as well because it’s Nick.
“Quantity has nothing to do with favoritism, brother. Were you expecting someone else?”
“No. Yes. No. Come in.” I move out of the doorway so he can step through.
“Thanks,” he says, dropping his bag on the floor. “What’s there to do in this tiny ass town?”
We’re from Chicago. Cupid’s Cove is vastly different from the hustle and danger of Chicago. Nick plays basketball professionally for the Chicago Calves. He’s a year younger than I am, thirty-six to my thirty-seven, but we might as well be twins for how close we are. Our sister, Nora, is much younger than us. At twenty-two, she was a late in life surprise baby for my parents. I’m close with her as well. We’re a pretty tight-knit family actually. I lived right down the street from my parents until I went into full stalker mode and moved across the country for Cheryl.
“Nothing, but don’t knock it. It’s not terrible here. I keep busy.”
“So, who did you want to be on the other side of that door?”
“Cheryl.”
“The voice on the phone? The voice that made you so fucking crazy you drove across the country to move down the street from her?”
“It’s not quite down the street,” I growl.
“It sure as hell isn’t Chicago. It’s her, no?”
“Of course it’s her. There’s only her.”
“Bro, you’ve got it bad. You’ve got to do something about that.
“You think I don’t know that?” I know that I do. I think everyone in the state of Maine knows I’ve got it bad, except Cheryl.
“What are you going to do about it?” he says, making his way to the fridge. He pulls out two beers, handing me one. We simultaneously open the bottles by leveraging the cap on the countertop before taking a long pull.
“I’m gonna get my girl,” I say, more determined than ever. I drain the rest of my beer in two gulps.
“Damn right.”
Before I can say anything else, my phone vibrates across the countertop. Picking it up I see that it’s a text from Cheryl. Finally.
Want to meet me and Rose for dinner?
Can I bring my brother?
Brother? Is he hot?
Is he hot? What the fuck? Oh, hell no.
He’s not for you. Where do you want to eat?
Pizzaholic
Be there in ten minutes or less.
“Let’s go. We’re going out for pizza with Cheryl and Rose,” I say, grabbing my keys and wallet off of the counter and slipping both into my pockets.
“Who the hell is Rose?”
“Cheryl’s friend. Never met her.”
“Alright,” he says, checking his breath after finishing his beer.
“You are such an asshole,” I tell him, pulling on my coat. I lock my door and take the steps down to the street two at a time. “Let’s go. We’re walking. It’s just down the street.” I pick up the pace.
“Do you want to run there?” Nick asks, rushing to catch up to me, but he’s easily able to match my speed.
“Just about,” I say, chuckling. Tonight is the motherfucking night. I can feel it.
“What is it about this girl? How did you know?” he asks, suddenly serious. He’s a bit of a player. I believe it goes with the territory of a professional athlete.
“I can’t explain it, not really anyway. For me, it was instant, like being struck by lightning. I didn’t know what she looked like. I only heard her voice. God, her voice did things to me. I fell in love with her the second she said hello.”
“Instantly? Surely that doesn’t exist,” he says as we walk into the restaurant. “I mean, that’s fairytale bullsh…” His voice trails off, so I follow his line of sight and immediately find Cheryl. I’m instantly on edge, but quickly realize he’s not looking at my girl but the one sitting next to her.
In a blur, the other girl stands up, almost knocking her chair over in the process. Cheryl throws her arm out to catch it.
“Holy shit,” she whisper-squeals. It’s not quiet at all.
“What?” Cheryl asks. “Do you know Nolan?” I hear the jealousy in her voice and my cock loves that.
“Nolan?” Rose asks, but I can tell she doesn’t give a flying fuck about me.
We make it to the table and Nick still hasn’t taken his off of who I assume is Rose.
“Nolan. Hey. This is Rose,” Cheryl says introducing us. I reach over to shake her hand, but drop it the second I hear Nick growl. I know that growl.
“Hey Rose. This is my brother…”
“Nick Pike. Nick “McNasty” Pike,” Rose says, her eyes never leaving Nick’s.