Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“I need to learn to do it,” I insist stubbornly. Reed gets down on his knees and frowns at me. “I’m serious. I want to learn how to do stuff on my own.”
“Can’t you call a plumber? There’s Gary’s or Wiz’s right here in town—”
“Gary’s is booked solid, and Wiz offered to come by—”
“That’s great. Then—”
“And for the price of a date, he’ll come by anytime night or day to fix my plumbing—especially night.”
“Oh my,” Callie says, covering her mouth to try and hide the way she’s dying to giggle.
Reed doesn’t seem to think it’s funny, though. He looks pissed. “He seriously said that shit to you?”
“Said what shit? What’s going on?” I look around the counter to find Jake standing at the open door with Lennon—proving he still has terrific timing even after all these years.
“Don’t say that word in front of Lennon,” I gripe and blush for some unknown reason. “Hey, little man, you’re home early,” I add, forcing my voice to be happy and cheerful when mostly I want to scream at everyone to leave.
“Mommy! We came to see if you wanted to eat with us!”
“You did? That’s so sweet, but I can’t. Me and Mom—”
“You should go. I’ll be fine alone,” Mom interjects.
“You’re not alone. Callie and I are here, and while you’re gone, I can fix your sink.”
“I told you, I want to learn how to fix the sink.”
“I want to know what you were talking about when we came in,” Jake says, showing he’s stubborn as ever.
“It’s nothing,” I say with a wave, dismissing it.
“It didn’t sound like nothing,” Jake insists.
“Katie was telling us that Wiz offered to help her with any of her plumbing needs day or night—especially night—as long as she agreed to go out with him.”
“You’re so helpful, Reed.”
“I try,” he laughs, not one bit sorry.
“Have you been talking to him a lot?” Jake asks and I blink. For some reason, that simple question feels like a slap in the face.
“My Katie would rather chew nails and spit out staples.”
“He is rich,” Jake says, his eyes practically boring into me.
“Shame on you, Jake Ryan. There’s more to life than money. My Katie knows that.”
“Sorry, Miss Hazel,” he responds, but he doesn’t exactly sound contrite.
I smile at her—despite being pissed at Jake for assuming I’d even try to talk to Wiz or go out with him. He’s a thirty-year-old-man who acts like he’s still a teenager and is constantly cracking jokes—very few that are funny. He’s always flirting with any woman he comes across and usually uses the same lines on all of them. His laugh is annoying. It’s like fingernails being dragged down a chalkboard.
“I’ll fix your sink,” Jake volunteers, but I’m already shaking my head no.
“She wants to know how to fix it herself,” Reed answers before I get the chance to.
“Then, what are you doing down there?”
“I was offering to help—”
“By suggesting I hire a creep,” I interject, lips twitching when Reed scowls at me.
“To be fair, I didn’t know he was a creep,” Reed mutters.
“I’ll help Katie.”
“Katie doesn’t need help. I’m going to learn to do this on my own.”
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, how are you going to fix it?” Jake asks, trying to be logical but mostly irritating me.
“She’s been watching videos,” Mom provides helpfully.
Jake grins, and I have a moment where I’m left wondering how I ever thought that grin was sexy. Right now, it’s damn annoying.
“What if I teach you how to do it?”
“You and Lennon need to go out and have dinner,” I remind him stubbornly.
“Hey, Lennon?”
“Yeah, Jake?”
“What do you think about having pizza here with everyone instead of going out?”
“Cool!”
Jake looks at me and grins.
“Smooth,” I grumble.
“I try. Reed? You and Callie want to order pizza for everyone?”
“You got it,” Reed says, getting up and walking away.
I can hear him and Callie getting a pizza order together with Mom and Lennon, and I shake my head at Jake. “You think you’re smooth, don’t you?”
“Sometimes. You ready to learn how to fix a water leak?”
I sigh. “Wouldn’t you rather go out with Lennon alone?”
“Oddly enough, no. I’m right where I want to be, and Lennon is, too. He missed you.”
“I missed him, too. Though, he seems happy enough. I didn’t even get a hug.”
“You will. Now, how about we get started on the leak?”
I pick up my forgotten wrench. “I’m ready.”
Jake grins.
“That’s a big wrench you got there, sweetheart.”
“Size matters,” I quip without thinking, and he laughs.
“I seem to recall you mentioning that to me a time or two.”
I can feel the heat rise in my face, but I refuse to look away. “That was a lifetime ago.”
“Yeah, but it was fun,” he says, and I should let it go, but I can’t.
“It was,” I agree. “Until it wasn’t.”
His jaw tenses, and for some weird reason, I almost feel guilty. Before I can do something stupid—like apologize like an idiot—he turns his attention under the sink.