Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“More importantly,” Wes chimed in, leaning out farther, since he was in there as well, “how much shit do you need to put in your hair? And how much lube and condoms does one man need?”
I was dying.
Bodhi looked like he wanted to murder someone.
Later, incongruously, ordering pizza turned out to be the most exhausting part of the day: Eli couldn’t have ham on his, and there were restrictions about what the cheese could go with, so he finally agreed to eat the veggie one with Miro and Bodhi. Ian wanted all the meat on his and absolutely nothing green. Celso was horrified and asked who wanted to share a Havarti and artichokes pie with him. No one jumped on that. Dorsey and Ryan could have sausage, but not the spicy kind, because of heartburn, and no one wanted any pineapple. Sharpe liked cheeseburger pizza, but only a couple of people thought that sounded good, and White didn’t understand why just pepperoni wasn’t a thing. We ended up with way more than we needed, which was fine because everyone took home what they ordered.
After everyone left, Bodhi said, “With the extra money from selling my place, we can put in skylights. And we can start on the landscaping in the backyard. I’m thinking hydrangeas. I like the limelight color. How about you?”
“Will the flowers offset the scary sculpture?”
He shot me a look. “You must become one with the art.”
Whatever he wanted. If flowers made the man happy, I was happy. If sculpture you had to explain to everyone did it for him, that was okay too. He also wanted to renovate the kitchen and add a breakfast nook.
“I like nooks,” I assured him.
I got a hug for that, so really, I was on board.
The following week, Crouse’s hearing date was moved up, which I predicted was good for him, and I was right. They needed him back at work. I could tell that from how many questions they didn’t ask me about that night. All they wanted to talk about was his heroism.
“Does the FBI give out medals?” I teased him.
Normally, he would have flipped me off, but since I’d just spoken on his behalf, I got a hug instead and a promise that he’d always have my back.
But I knew that already.
Bodhi and I did a final walk-through at his place before he handed over the keys, and I asked him if he was sure he wanted to live with me instead of me living with him.
“Your place is home,” he assured me, then squinted. “But it’s our place now, yes? My name is going on the deed, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is,” I promised, smiling at him. “We’re doing that tomorrow morning before work. But you know me. Even if there is no trouble, I have to try and make some.”
“That’s true. You’re better at raising questions that have already been put to bed than anyone I know.”
It was a gift, but I was lucky, and so was he.
Three weeks later, he was sitting at his desk, and he started chuckling.
“What?”
Turning the newspaper around for me, I saw the announcement that Hayden Burdine the Third was marrying Davis Warren. The wedding was scheduled for December fifteenth at the family home on Mercer Island.
“No shit,” I said.
Bodhi waggled his eyebrows at me.
I took a breath. “You feel okay about that?”
“Are you kidding? I feel great. I mean, I knew I didn’t screw Hayden over when I called off the wedding, but now I know for sure that he was no more invested than I was.”
I nodded.
“I didn’t realize I was carrying around any guilt, but seems like I was, so now I’m good.”
I was glad. I didn’t want anything hanging over us.
Angie texted me an hour later, saying that when they made the announcement, no one was surprised. It made perfect sense. More importantly, she, Zach, and the kids were visiting his relatives in Wisconsin in February, and she wanted Bodhi and me to meet them there. I assured her that Chicago to Milwaukee was easy and we would make that happen. I couldn’t wait to see her.
Meredith was bringing Stella to see me and Bodhi the week after Halloween, and we didn’t have to worry about seeing Hayden since he had already moved back to Washington.
Bodhi grinned. “That was fast.”
“You happy for him?” I asked him that night in bed.
“I am. Everything worked out exactly as it was supposed to,” he said, reaching for me.
Two days later, we went to an adoption event sponsored by a rescue in Texas to get a cat. The thing was, though, once we got there, I saw a black-and-white pittie, and I could have sworn he was smiling at me. His name was Gordo—it said so on the sticker on the hanging sign—and he was scared of people after being used as a bait dog and then left for dead on the street.