Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87181 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87181 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Matthew paid when they were wrapping things up, and then I overheard him inviting her to a rooftop movie that evening. “I know you’re into romances, and I believe they are playing You’ve Got Mail tonight at The Abbey. They have food there, too, if you want a late dinner. If we leave right now, we could make it,” he offered Holly.
I saw her eyes light up.
I bet she had butterflies, too.
I didn’t know why that made me uneasy. I was having trouble decoding the emotions hitting me that night.
“I’d love that. The rest of my night is free,” Holly said.
No, Holly. Don’t let him know you aren’t a busy woman.
Matthew grinned. “Perfect. Let me run to the bathroom, and I’ll grab a taxi.”
Smooth, Matthew. Smooth.
As he went to the bathroom, I walked over to Holly and raised an eyebrow. “How are you feeling?”
She was grinning ear to ear. “He’s a good one, huh? You picked a good one.”
I didn’t answer her question. “You sure you’re good to go with him tonight?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve had three vodka waters. I don’t want anyone taking advantage of you.”
She cupped her face in her hands and grinned. “Are you worried about me, Coach?”
Maybe a little.
Maybe a lot.
I brushed the back of my neck. “That was a lot of drinks when you normally only have one. I want you to be safe.”
“I will be. Don’t worry.”
I grimaced.
She smiled.
Kind of our normal routine.
She tossed on her jacket. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’ll even text you later if that makes you feel better.”
“You don’t have my number.”
She reached into her purse, pulled out an old receipt and a pen, then held them out to me. I scribbled down my digits and handed them to her. “I’ll text you,” she repeated.
“Please do.”
Her smile softened, and she stared at me with a slight tilt of her head. There was a momentary pause to her, and for a second, it looked as if she could read my soul. I bet there were a lot of tangled-up thoughts she was trying to decipher. It’d been a while since I felt as if someone was able to read me. I wasn’t certain if I liked it, but I was curious enough to want her to speak it out loud.
What is it, Holly?
What do you see?
And do you like it?
Matthew returned to the bar right as she parted her lips to give me her thoughts.
Stupid Matthew and his stupid timing.
I wanted to know what Holly was about to say to me. Instead, she smiled and said good night. I almost told her not to forget to text me, but I figured having a guy tell her that in front of her date would be a bad look. A part of me wanted to do that. I wanted to be a bad look that evening.
I gave her a half grin and said good night.
Later that night, I watched a scary movie with Mano in my living room. More so, he was watching the movie, and I was reading a book as I checked my phone repeatedly to see if Holly had texted or called.
“Why are you setting her up on dates if you’re the one so obsessed with her?” Mano asked as he shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth with his eyes still glued to the television.
I looked up from checking my phone for the fifteenth time and cocked an eyebrow. “What?”
“Holly,” he said casually. “It’s clear you like her. So why have you been so determined to set her up with other men?”
“I don’t like her.”
Mano looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at me. “Yeah, okay, Kai.”
“I don’t. I’m just helping her find a decent guy to date.”
“You’re decent.”
“I’m not interested in dating.”
“Or you’re just traumatized from your last situation that you are too afraid to put yourself out there in the dating world because you are afraid to be hurt again.”
This kid and his trauma talk.
I picked up the remote and turned off the television.
“Hey!” he shouted, tossing his hands up in annoyance. “It was just getting good!”
“Good night, Mano. Get some sleep. You have an early practice.”
He grumbled and stood, still shoving popcorn into his mouth. He placed his bowl into the kitchen, walked over to me, and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Kai. I need you to hear me, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Holly is a nice woman. Dorky, but in a good way. The adorkable way. She’s smart and successful and beautiful.”
“What’s your point?”
“My point is you like her.”
“I don’t know her.”
“What you do know, you like.”
I grumbled and shook his arms off my shoulders. “I’m not interested, Mano. Let it go.”
“How long does what happened to you get to fuck you up?”
“Language,” I scolded, knowing he was talking about Penelope.
“I’m just saying. It’s not fair that she keeps you locked away from the world even when she's gone.”