Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
I sit and decline the offer. “No, thanks.”
“Well, what can I help you with?”
He’s still smiling, and this kinda worries me. So I ask this question first. “Are you mad at me?”
“Am I mad at you?” He leans forward a little, putting his elbows on the desk. “No. But I’m not gonna lie, I am disappointed that you boys don’t want to continue a tradition that is so important to this town.”
I nod. Because I can see his point. “Well, the fact is, I’m here to ask you if I can participate in the Revival next weekend.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Fourth of July?”
“Oh, wow. I guess I hadn’t realized it was coming up so quick. But… yeah. That’s what I’m asking.”
“Why?” His brow furrows. “Why now? I mean, you boys did basically tell me to go fuck myself.”
“We did.” There’s no point in denying that. “But you see, Rosie Harlow and I are starting up a thing and I would like to surprise her next weekend by showing up at the Revival in costume. So we can have a date. You know, the way Collin got one with Lowyn.”
Jim Bob frowns. “The Revival is not a fantasy dating service, Amon.”
“I know that. I’m not trying to be disrespectful or nothing. I just want to make Rosie happy.”
Jim Bob leans back again, letting out a long sigh. “Well, I like Rosie. She’s Ester’s grandniece, after all so I feel like she’s family. And I want the best for her, of course, so… I will let you participate. On one condition.”
Here it comes. But I was prepared for this, so I’m ready to negotiate. “What is it?”
Jim Bob smiles big. “You stick around for the whole season.”
“As security? Because I will, but I’ll be alone. Collin won’t—”
“No,” Jim Bob interrupts. “Not security, son. As a player.” He smiles big again. “A major player. How about that, Amon Parrish? I’ll rewrite the script for next weekend, putting you in character, giving Rosie a complimentary part, and I’ll even throw in a big ol’ basket on her front porch bright and early on Sunday morning with a costume change inside.”
I picture this. I picture my date with Rosie happening just like it did for Collin and Lowyn. It was a pretty good day. “Can we do the dance?” I ask.
Jim Bob nods, his grin wild now because he knows I’m gonna agree. “Oh, I will make sure there is lots of dancing. I’ll go all out, Amon. We’ll give Rosie the date of a lifetime—which she deserves—and she’ll be smitten with you for the rest of her life.”
Again, I’m picturing this. Never in all my years of man-whoring around the world have I had such an elaborate date with a woman. But Jim Bob is right, Rosie does deserve this. “You got a deal, Jim Bob.”
His eyebrows go up again. “No limits? No questions? I mean, what if I cast you as a Depression-era farmer and her as a downtrodden wife?”
I shrug. “It’s not about the costumes or the role-playing. It’s about Rosie and me. I’m only asking for an opportunity here, Jim Bob. Making it special is up to me.”
He stands up and extends his hand across the desk. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
On Saturday morning, I’m having regrets.
You can go to hell for all I care.
My response to Erol’s renewed interest in me and my son was maybe a little bit reactionary. But in my defense, this man was the love of my life as a teenager and he left me. Pregnant. And for twelve years, I mostly presumed he was dead. Which is worse than actually presuming he was dead because every now and then I’d get the itch to picture he was not dead and then…
I sigh.
Because then I would get sad all over again.
Now I know how Lowyn felt that first day when she learned Collin was back. She denied her love, but it wasn’t the kind of love that allows denial. And it caught back up to them.
But this is different. Oh, I know every woman probably says that. But it is. Because Lowyn and Collin were a thing. Knew each other their whole lives, dated in high school, made plans. In other words, it wasn’t a whirlwind like Erol and I had.
And Collin didn’t abandon a baby.
It’s not gonna end up that way for me. I’m not getting back together with this man because I don’t even know him. It would be like being with a total stranger.
Amon, on the other hand, is not only the safer choice, but the obvious one. Despite his reputation in high school and the ensuing dozen years he was gone doing secret military things, he’s everything I never knew I wanted in a man. Strong, protective, smart, gentle, romantic, and fun. He was gone the same amount of time as Erol, but when Amon came back it was like he never left. Things were easy. And I know that in books and movies and such, women like to swoon over the broody, enigmatic loner, but in real life, that guy is almost certainly just another Scar.