Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Like an obsessed little boy with a new toy.” Owen scoffs, and I roll my eyes at his absurdity.
“Look how protective he is over you and Paige. No man would act that way without good intentions,” Flynn adds, and I sigh just thinking about it. I swear in the last six weeks, I’ve had to become a referee between Cam and Heston. If they cross paths, there’s always some kind of physical altercation. Heston says he can’t help it because he can’t stand the way Cam talks to me. That Paige and I deserve better. If it were up to him, Paige would never go to Cam’s, but the fact that Cam’s her father and he does try, even if he’s not the most reliable.
Red finches fly around Owen and Flynn’s birdfeeder, quickly landing, only to take to the air again when a mockingbird decides to land next to them. “How lucky they are to just be able to up and fly away to wherever they please,” I say, my voice thick with envy.
“Yeah, but some landings take you straight into the cat’s den.”
“True,” I mutter. I don’t know what I think about Heston proposing. We burn so hot, moving through the steps of a relationship too fast. I’m happy with him, but I don’t know if I should marry him. I know this is what happy couples do so I shouldn’t be surprised but I’m not ready. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready.
The wind shifts from the south, blowing a hard, hot breeze. I close my eyes and ease back as the smell of cut grass and sweet purple azaleas surrounds me. The birds chirp. The wind rustling the leaves of the big oak trees behind the property line. As the breeze wanes, I open my eyes, feeling calmer. Owen and Flynn have been my neighborly therapists for a while now, so much so that I don’t know what I’d do without them. Standing, I stretch my arms above my head.
“Well, boys, I need to get home and take over playing catch, I forgot Heston is waiting for a call back about work today.” I wave as I walk toward the side of the house to cross the street back to my house.
“Bye!” they say in unison. As I reach my front porch, I’m left wondering how long I’ve been gone because Paige and Heston are no longer where I left them. Opening my front door, Heston is sitting on the couch in khaki shorts and no shirt.
“Where’s Paige?”
“Her room, I think. I threw a ball a little fast and she tried to catch it with the hand that didn’t have a glove.” He winces. “I think it hurt a finger or two, but nothing’s broke.”
“Oh, man, are you sure she’s okay?”
He nods, a weak smile on his face. “Yeah. She punched me in the arm before calling it quits.”
I sense something is wrong. Plopping down next to him, I place my elbow on the back of the couch and rest my head in my hand.
“Babe, what’s wrong? Something’s bothering you.” Sighing, he pushes my legs off of him and heads to the kitchen.
Looking over the couch, I rest one arm on the back and look at him. “Tell me!”
His back rises with a deep breath, then he turns, putting his hands flat on the counter with his head drawn low.
“I just found out before you walked in that the house didn’t close. The buyers backed out. My boss is pissed. He’s putting me back on smaller properties.” Pushing off the counter, he jerks the fridge door open and bends to grab a soda before slamming it shut. I don’t understand real estate. I haven’t even met his boss or any of his clients, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s new to this kind of profession and he’s still learning the ropes.
“Well, that’s not fair. It’s not your fault the owners wanted so much for it.”
“Yeah, maybe. I won’t be making as much, though. Don’t you have an art show coming up or something? How much do you make at those?” His question about my work comes out of the blue. I’m concerned about where he’s going with this.
“A couple hundred.” I shrug. “But you don’t need to worry about money. I have some if we get in a pinch. You should focus—”
“That’s not the way it works, Rain. If I’m going to live here, I should help!” His voice rises, and a chord in his neck strains as he scowls at me. A peak of his dark side lurks behind his charming smile, and romantic gestures. At first a seed but not it’s a full stalk of nothing but thorns.
“I understand, you’re the man of the house and want to support us.” I honestly have never seen a man want to be the one working; men like that don’t exist in my life, so this is both surprising and refreshing.