Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Did she cross the line when she’d kissed him?
Was he upset about what happened with his brothers when they confronted the man who’d hurt her?
If she hadn’t followed that man with a gun, for God’s sake, would Ty still be here?
All the reasons he could have left seemed to point to her, and it left a pit of unease in her stomach and an ache in her heart, especially because her last question was the one she felt most certain had a yes for an answer.
Was he so disinterested in her that he left so she couldn’t come on to him again?
Ugh.
“No one knows for sure, but Curly said Ty loves Marco Island. He’s guessing Ty rode down the coast to spend a few days there.” Brooke shrugged. “Grab a few more of those. These guys eat like they’re teenagers.”
That had Kelsie smiling as she reached for another package.
“Anyway, he’s only been gone two days. I don’t think anyone’s worried. There’s been… a lot going on.”
Shame washed over her. “Right.”
Brooke winced. “Oh, shit, no, Kelsie, I’m not blaming you for anything.” She pulled Kelsie into a one-armed side hug. “Please don’t take this on yourself. Ty is a thinker. Sometimes, he can get introspective and more introverted than the rest of the guys. He doesn’t recharge by being in a big crowd like, say, Jinx or Tracker.”
Harper snorted. “You calling my man an attention whore?” She stuck her hands on her hips and mock glared.
“No,” Brooke said with a glare. “I would never. He’s so shy and hates the spotlight.”
The group of them broke out in giggles right there in the meat department of their local grocery store.
They were nuts.
Kelsie vowed then that she’d enjoy the day and stop obsessing over Ty and why he left. If it were her fault, solving that mystery wouldn’t make him return faster. She’d come to the store with the ladies, who were quickly becoming her close friends, and they were shopping for an extravagant barbeque at the clubhouse. If there was ever a time to enjoy life, it was now.
Who knew when the next shoe would drop?
So, instead of prolonging the discussion, she turned to Brenna. “Did we think about dessert?”
“Oh, we did not,” Brenna responded. “Good call.” She grabbed Kelsie and Liv’s hands before speaking to the others. “The three of us will run next door to that cookie place and buy them out while you gals get the rest of the stuff.”
“Yesss,” Jo said, rubbing her hands together. “That place is the shit. Get like ten of every flavor.”
“Will do.” Brenna hauled them off, not that Kelsie and Liv needed much encouragement to join her.
“What cookie place is next door?” she asked as they exited the building. They flanked her, each taking a side in an unspoken agreement to keep people—men—from getting too close. Liv shot lasers at any man who so much as glanced in their direction. Kelsie couldn’t say she felt at ease, but there was strength in numbers, and so far, she’d handled the outing well. Later, she’d probably collapse from the exhaustion of being on alert and tense, but she could handle it.
“It’s called Dough My Goodness. Have you had them?” Liv asked.
“I haven’t.”
“Girl, you are in for a treat. They are the best cookies I’ve ever had. Before I met Spec, I’d go so far as to say they were better than sex, but now…” Liv shrugged with a twinkle in her eye.
Barking out a laugh, Brenna said, “I’d have to agree with you. We’ll say they’re better than sex with anyone besides our men. Maybe you’ll get a chance to find out.” She elbowed Kelsie as she winked.
“Me?” Kelsie said with a snort. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, I think she’s talking about a very handsome older man named Ty,” Liv said in a sing-song tone, nearly skipping in her damn fancy heels.
Ty? Did they know she’d kissed him? Her face heated. “What? I, uh, I mean, um—”
The women laughed. “Yeah, that’s what we thought,” Brenna said with a giddy grin.
Kelsie stopped walking, making the other two halt as well. “Look, even if I was interested in him, which I’m not,” she rushed to add, though they both looked at her like they didn’t believe a word out of her mouth. “Pretty sure it’s a bad sign if a man flees a city to escape you.”
“Or, he wants you too much, and it’s fucking with his head.” Liv linked her arm with Kelsie’s and tugged her along.
Wanted her too much?
No way. That was insane. She frowned.
Wasn’t it?
“C’mon.” Liv shook her arm. “No more man talk. Only cookie talk. You need to get the right mindset to pick out which cookies you want. This is important business.”
Kelsie laughed. “I thought we were buying all the cookies.”
“Huh, you’re right.” Liv grinned wide, showing off her perfectly straight and gleaming white teeth. “Doesn’t change anything. For the next ten minutes, all you are allowed to think about is sugar and fat.”