Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“You do the same. See you tomorrow.” He jogs over to his Jeep as I climb behind the wheel of the car. Traffic is a little backed up, so it takes me about ten minutes longer than usual to get back to Metropolis, but I’ll be back before Evan gets home.
I consider going to the coffeehouse to wait for him but decide to just head upstairs. Once I’m in our unit, I take a quick shower. With my towel wrapped around my waist, I head to my dresser, pull out a pair of trunks and slip them on, then the jeans I’d laid over the dresser, leaving them unbuttoned. Just as the drawer is almost closed, I see the cover of the envelope that’s been taunting me ever since it came in the mail.
Tim Johnson, Tim Johnson, Tim Johnson.
Honestly, I don’t know why in the fuck I haven’t tossed it. Whatever he has to say, I don’t want to hear it, but still, it’s there, resting beneath my underwear.
My fingers tremble as I push the clothes aside and pull it out. I hear it then, the sound of his fist connecting with her face. Her cries, the echo as she hits the floor.
His eyes pop into my head—brown like mine.
His pale, white skin that made my tone shades lighter than hers.
His height which is so much like mine. His build, his smile. His…what else do I have of his?
“Fuck.” My hand tightens around the envelope, crumpling it. He represents my failures, my fears, and it’s been too damn long for me to continue to let him have that power over me, but I’m not quite sure how to change it. There’s a strange push and pull inside me that I don’t quite understand and before I can let myself think about it too much, I begin ripping the envelope into as many pieces as I can, then throwing them all into the trash.
The sound of the door closing jolts me out of my thoughts. Turning, I head toward the living room, trying to push aside the strange mood the letter put me in. I don’t want to give him any more space inside my life.
“Hey, you.” I smile as I come into the living room and see Evan plucking his collar from the counter drawer and fastening it around his neck. As we talked about, he wears it all the time when we’re home alone now, and I admit to the surge of pride and possessiveness that bursts inside me to see it.
“Hey.” His eyes meet with mine and asks, “What’s wrong?”
Damn it. I should have known he would see it.
“Nothing. Come,” I tell him, and he walks over and wraps his arms around my neck.
“Something’s wrong. Tell me. This is a two-way street.”
He’s right, and I fucking know he is, so I lock my hands under his ass and lift him. Evan laughs, twining his legs around my waist as I walk over to the couch and sit down with him still on my lap. “I saw the letter from my dad, and it got me thinking, is all.”
He brushes his thumb against the stubble on my cheek. “Thinking what? Did you read it?”
“Thinking everything and no. I ripped it up and threw it away.”
Evan sighs, then leans in and rubs his smooth cheek against my scruffy one. “I’m sorry, Frankie. I wish I knew what to say, what was best. I don’t really know what I would have done…if I would have read it or not.”
“Have your parents ever tried to reach out to you?” I ask.
“Nope. Not once, but even if they did, our situations are different. He physically hurt your mom.”
“And they hurt your heart.”
“Yeah, but it’s not the same.”
I put my hand against his chest. “It’s safe now,” I say and then…then I fucking laugh. “Oh my God. That was the cheesiest-ass shit I’ve ever said. Can we forget it?”
Evan joins me, his happy giggle making his chest vibrate against mine. “It wasn’t cheesy. It was sweet.”
“Maybe it was some fucked-up kind of sweet cheese, but I assure you, there’s some cheese in there.”
“Eh. I guess I like cheese.” The curve of his mouth straightens and without him saying anything, I know he’s going to get serious again. “Did you tell your mom? That he wrote?”
“No. I probably should have, but I know she’d want to read it and I just…want to protect her, I guess.” Protect her from my dad’s letter or my inability to read it, I’m not sure.
“You can’t protect everyone you love from everything.”
“I can try.” Those three words are like a small jolt to my heart, and I realize that’s truly what this is. I always want to protect Evan because I love him. I’m in love with him. I tighten my hold on Evan. “Distract me, Pup.”