Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“What are you smiling about?” Zach asks.
My face freezes, and I think fast. “I’m thinking about the first time you say ‘fuck’ in front of Alexis. Abby is going to have your ass.”
He slaps me in the arm. “Fuck you, man. I can handle my sister.”
No, I can handle your sister.
The thought fills my head before I can filter it, and I start to cough to cover it up. Thank God I didn’t say it out loud.
We turn onto her block, and the nerves hit me. I should have probably given her a heads-up, but I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.
When we get to her house, I knock on the door. I try to move to the side so Zach is the first person they’ll see, but he’s standing off behind a column trying to hide. Shit is about to get bad.
Abby opens the door, and the smile she gives me literally lights me up. “Abby,” I say, my voice strained. Her smile drops, and she shakes her head. “What? What’s wrong?”
Before I can answer, Zach jumps out. “Surprise!”
It takes her a minute, but she recovers quickly. “Zach! You’re home!” she says just as Alexis comes running out the door. “Uncle Zach!”
They run to him, and he gathers both of them in his arms. They’re laughing and smiling, and I lean against the column, enjoying the way both Abby and Alexis are carefree and happy in this moment.
When they’re done with the hugs, Alexis is pulling Zach inside. I grab on to the waistband at the back of Abby’s pants and lean down to whisper into her ear, “I haven’t told him yet.”
She gives me an irritated look. “Yeah, I gathered that.”
“I just wanted to wait—”
She shakes her head. “Whatever, I get it.”
Before I can say anything else, she’s inside and heading straight to the kitchen. “You guys are in luck; I fixed my big pan of lasagna.”
Zach is going through Alexis’ papers. “Did Mom tell you I was here?”
Abby shakes her head. “Nope, you’re just lucky, I guess.”
He gives Alexis a high-five. “Hell—I mean heck—yeah, I’m lucky!”
We all gather around the dinner table, and conversation is flowing. I can’t keep my eyes off Abby, but she’s doing her best to ignore me. Eventually, when dinner is over and Alexis is sent to take a bath, Abby starts to clean up the kitchen. I stand up to help her, and she tries to stop me, but there’s no way I’m going to sit here and let her do all the work. I start rinsing plates and loading the dishwasher while Zach leans back in his chair.
I do my own thing while brother and sister talk. I try to give them space until I hear Abby ask him, “So what are your plans while you’re in town?”
Zach laughs. “Well, first things first. I’m going to get some strange tonight and thank God, I got my wingman to help me out.”
I watch Abby, and her back stiffens. “You’re going out?”
Zach laughs. “Yeah, Mom. We’re going out, but don’t worry; we won’t drink and drive, and we’ll make sure to wrap it up.”
Abby’s face turns a bright red, and she grabs a towel to start cleaning the top of the stove. She’s scrubbing it like it’s dirty, and there’s not a speck of food on it as it is. I scrunch my nose, yawn, and tell Zach, “I’m actually pretty tired and I’m not interested in anonymous sex with some woman. Let’s stay in. We can watch a movie or something.”
“Fuck that!” Zach says and then holds his hands up when Abby gives him a look. “Sorry, I mean, heck with that. I haven’t been laid in at least four months. I’m due. And hell, what about you? I know it’s been a while. We’re both due.”
Abby drops the towel on the counter. “I better go check on Alexis in the bathtub. You guys have fun tonight. Lock the door on the way out.”
Zach calls after her, “You haven’t changed your locks, have you? I may come here instead of going to Mom and Dad’s tonight.”
Abby smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “You have the key. But please don’t bring your women here. I really don’t want to have to explain that to your niece.”
Zach rolls his eyes. “We won’t. We’ll take them somewhere else before we come here.” He finishes with a wink, but she misses it because she’s stomping out of the room.
Zach jumps out of his seat and claps his hands together. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Seriously, let’s stay in. We can go out another night.”
But Zach is not listening. He grabs my keys I laid on the counter and starts walking out the door. I have no choice but to follow him. “Zach, brother, come on. Chill out for a minute.”