Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
But he could also say that it was only a few tiny truths, and he was left feeling completely depleted afterward. So drained, in fact, that he was tempted to let Ren drive them back into town just so he could close his eyes and not think for half an hour.
Edward wished brains had power-down mode. He wished life had an edit feature. He wished time had a pause button. He would hit it and close the door of their room in Nashville behind them and give them each another week in which they didn’t have to think about everything still coming their way.
He looked up when Ren clapped her sneakers together beside Max’s passenger door, trying to shake out all the mud they’d accumulated over the last bit of their hike. She leaned against the side of the car, her hair damp and loose, and looked up at him in playful despair. “We might need to go back to the secondhand shop and get me some new shoes.”
He nodded in agreement. “Based on your thrifting skills, you’ll go in for Keds and walk out with Prada.”
Ren pointed over his shoulder. “Look.”
It had started to rain on their way back—just a drizzle—and now he turned to find a rainbow arcing brightly overhead, not even trying to be coy. In fact, he’d never seen a rainbow like that, so thick and vivid it looked drawn onto the sky. He could clearly make out each individual color; it felt so sharp, so real, he’d swear that if he walked up the hill behind them, he could reach out and touch it. He briefly wondered if seeing it would make him lucky. Wasn’t that what people said? He’d never thought about luck or wishes before—what was the use, really—but the appearance of Ren in his life had changed a lot of things, he guessed. “That’s insane.”
“Isn’t it?” She dropped her shoes and looked down at them before seeming to give up, peeling off her socks and walking over to him barefoot. “Sometimes I can’t believe that two different people can see the exact same thing.” Her fingers found his and threaded between them. “Of course, maybe your red looks different from my red, and your green different from my green, but I don’t think so.”
“I don’t think so, either.”
“Sensation has to be universal.” She looked at him so squarely, like there wasn’t a thing in the world she needed to hide. God, he wanted to know what that felt like more than anything. “Like when you gave me my first kiss?” He nodded. “It wasn’t your first, but I swear you knew what I was feeling.”
He couldn’t help but watch her mouth while she spoke. “I did.”
She stretched, sliding that mouth over his. He pressed her to the side of the car, kissing her deeply, and fell into the sensation of melting from the inside.
“How’s the birthday so far?” he asked when they finally came up for air.
“Easily in the top three of all time.”
“Top three?” He walked around to the driver’s side. “Okay, that’s it, I’m taking you to my favorite local place for dinner. I’m getting that number one spot before the day is over.”
Ren clapped happily, climbing into the passenger seat. But when Edward turned the key, nothing happened.
He groaned. “Come on, Max. Don’t be jealous.” He tried again. Nothing. “Shit.”
While he pulled his phone out and began searching for Triple A, Ren got back out of the car and walked to the front. He rolled down the window. “What’re you doing, Sunshine?”
“Pop the hood.”
He pulled the latch, and Ren propped it open. He started to climb out. “No, wait,” she said. “Stay there. Put it in neutral and turn the key.”
“Ren, I have Triple A. They’ll come handle it.” And his dad would find out that he was in Nashville, but there wasn’t much he could do about that. He could call Mary for a ride back into town, but she would want to help with whatever repairs Max needed, and Edward would not ask her for a penny, not ever.
“Let me look first.” Ren reached up, tying her hair into a bun atop her head. “It might be something super easy.”
Reluctantly, he sat back and did what she said. The engine remained silent, but he could hear her voice, soft and gentle. “Okay, Max, what’s going on with you, buddy?”
Edward leaned out the window. “He’s pouting, that’s what. I told you not to call him old. Though right now, I might have to agree with you.”
“He didn’t mean that,” she murmured to the engine, and then looked over at Edward. “Do you have a toolbox in the trunk? Maybe a screwdriver?”
Meeting her at the back of the car, he pushed some things aside and pulled out a black emergency tool kit. Inside were a pair of jumper cables, some pliers, an adjustable wrench, a jack, a tire pressure gauge, emergency reflectors, and—he pulled them free—a set of screwdrivers.