Total pages in book: 190
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“Your bestie?”
“Leonie, of course. I also saw Felicity and Blaise.” I lifted a reassuring hand. “Don’t worry, they didn’t spout any crap. Felicity said hello, said she hopes you and I are well, and then kept on walking. Blaise said not one word to me.”
Dax grunted. “They’re learning.”
“I have the feeling that Felicity knows about our pact. It was just something about the way she looked at me, all smug and superior. My guess is that Grayden blabbed.”
“Vented, more like,” Dax hedged before taking a sip of his coffee. “He wasn’t happy when he left my office after Mimi sent him. It wouldn’t surprise me if he went home and ranted to Felicity about the heated conversation that took place.”
“Yeah, that would make sense. Either way, I’m pretty sure she knows. As yet, she hasn’t done anything with the information, which just goes to show how much she’s reluctant to cross you again—the woman’s a terrible gossip.” I tilted my head. “Anyway, moving right along … how was golfing?”
“Titillating.”
I snickered at his dry response. “I think you like it more than you let on.”
“I like golfing just fine. I simply don’t like spending the entire game with someone who wants to dance around the terms of a business agreement.”
“Understandable.” I frowned when he tried peering into my bags. “No, you’re not allowed to look.”
“Why not?”
“Your Christmas gifts are in there; I want them to be a surprise. Though I should warn you not to expect anything exciting,” I hastened to add. It seemed better to warn him in advance. “It’s difficult to buy for a guy who has everything.”
He gave a small shrug. “I’m sure I’ll like whatever you give me.”
“Don’t. Don’t be sure.”
He snorted.
“Have you bought me something, or do I need to buy presents for you to give me?”
His brow pinched. “You’d buy your own gifts from me?”
“Sure. I don’t mind. I’ll even wrap them for you. All you’d have to do is refund me the money … otherwise all I’ve really done is buy stuff to give to myself gift-wrapped. That would just be weird.”
His frown deepened. “They wouldn’t truly be presents from me if you picked them, would they?”
“Yes. If, as I just covered, you refunded me. It’s no different from me telling you what I might like and you then go ordering it online or whatever. I’d—”
Knuckles wrapped on the front door.
With a surprised blink, I asked, “Are you expecting anyone?”
Pursing his lips, he shook his head.
Huh. I turned and opened the door. My jaw dropped as I found Brooks standing on the other side of it. Feeling my face split into a gigantic smile, I threw my arm around him. “Oh my God, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
Laughing, he hugged me tight. “I wanted to surprise you.”
Well, he’d succeeded. I pulled back, gripped his arm, and then all but dragged him inside. “It’s so great to see you! Wait, how did you even know where Dax and I live?”
“A lot of people do, Addie. It wasn’t hard to find out.” He turned to Dax and held out his hand. “How you doing?”
His mouth curling, Dax shook his hand. “Aside from being annoyed by you having your hands all over my wife, fine,” he playfully replied, wrenching another laugh out of Brooks.
“You came here alone, then?” I asked as he closed the door.
“Yeah, Brittany and Manti couldn’t make it,” he said with a wrinkle of his nose, referring to his partners. “Her family showed up at our home in Africa, so she couldn’t just leave. We decided that Manti would stay with her. I’ll only be in Redwater for a few days, but I had to come see you guys.”
“I’m so psyched you did.” He’d been a friend of mine for over a decade, and I’d missed him something fierce. “Let me go stash these bags and then we’ll order food.”
The next few hours were spent laughing, eating, ribbing, drinking, and catching up as we sat together on the patio area. Though Dax wasn’t quite as open and relaxed with Brooks as he was with his closest friends, the two had a good dynamic. And it was clear to see that he held Brooks in high regard.
At one point, Dax’s phone rang. Grumbling that he needed to take the call, he retreated inside. I stayed outside with Brooks.
Watching me from the seat directly opposite mine, he grinned. “You look happy.”
I felt my mouth curl. “I am.”
“No, I mean you look happy, happy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this chilled and content.” Brooks cast a brief look at the patio door. “If you don’t love him yet,” he added, lowering his voice, “you’re well on your way to it.”
Going very still, I automatically opened my mouth to object, uncomfortable admitting he was right.