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)
“Yeah, if only I had an ounce of her energy,” I mutter, walking to the kitchen for my morning fuel.
“So, I reached out to some brothers, a couple are going to ride out and stay at the party thing tonight, just to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
“I bet Tenly will love that.” I chuckle, imagining leather-cladded bikers standing like angry statues in the fucking suburbs.
“She’ll get over it,” he clips, sipping his coffee. His sharp tone has me looking up through my lashes at him, his wild anger quite attractive.
“Do you know what Tenly is wanting us to do?” I try to make small talk as I drink my coffee.
“I gotta move the grill and get that set up for the meat I’m cooking, but I said I’d get to it when I got to it.”
“I swear if she’s making me do some papier-mâché centerpiece shit, I’mma run,” I mumble under my breath, looking up at the ceiling, thinking about the crazy shit she would do to one-up the other blocks. In fact, this all feels political in a way, and it’s a competition Tenly is determined to win.
“I thought you liked art?” I freeze, my eyes pinned on him to explain how he knows I like art. “I saw your art room or whatever, you’re good.” He admits to snooping, but all I hear is him telling me I’m good at what I do.
“Thanks, I was going to go to a trade show, but everything happened at once, and I haven’t been up there in what feels like forever.”
He nods, but doesn’t reply. Silence falling onto our shoulders things become awkward. I suddenly remember I haven’t checked my phone this morning. Taking my coffee with me, I go back to my room and sit on the edge of my bed. Putting my cup on the nightstand, I unlock my phone, finding a text from Heston, and a text from Sheriff Reese.
Sheriff Reese: Tried calling. I have a lead. Cam got in a fight at a bar in Charlotte, so I’m going to check that out today and I’ll let you know.
I sigh, feeling a tiny sliver of hope. I wonder if Cam has been crashing somewhere around the bar.
With every good thing that happens, something bad trails closely behind it, to test your strength and mind, because when I open Heston’s text, it’s him yelling at me in all caps.
Heston: THIS IS NOT OVER. YOU NEED ME. PAIGE NEEDS ME. You owe me!
I owe him?
The more this goes on, the more determined I am to stay away from him. I feel so stupid for falling in love with him, for moving so fast. Now that we’re apart, I can admit I didn’t want to be alone, that the thought of being in this new place without my mother or anyone but my daughter was terrifying, but I did care about Heston. We became friends, he made me smile, so much so I overlooked little red flags. But who I was sleeping next to was not who I thought he was.
Dressing in a red strapless top and my favorite pair of blue jeans, I head to the bathroom to look for a hair tie to pull my hair up. Looking in the mirror, I notice dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep. Using my index finger, I swipe as close to my eyelid as I can, curious if what I’m seeing it just me or if it’s really there. I can’t tell and it’s too hot to put concealer on. My eyes fall to my makeup bag, the end of a mascara sticking out. I grab it and apply it, my lashes doubling in thickness and making my eyes bolder. If I had any dark circles, you can’t really tell now.
Somewhat satisfied, I drop the makeup back in the bag and go find Tenly to see what she needs me to do.
35
It’s hot, the mid-summer sun shines down on everyone who’s outside, helping Tenly in the middle of the afternoon. The smell of the BBQ grill makes my stomach growl, and I look to see if Rhodes is over there. He’s messing with the grill, wearing no shirt, and those damn jeans that outline his ass so well. His dirty boots so different than the Hey Dudes, or Ralph Lauren’s, men out here usually wear.
“Rain, I need you to put one of these on your house somewhere?” My attention’s now on Tenly, as she heads my way with her hands full of American flags colored bunter banners.
She shoves one in my hands; she’s out of breath and barely able to hang on to the unorganized mess in she’s holding.
I watch her go to the next person, Owen, who begins to argue with her.
“Mom!” Paige’s voice takes me away from the commotion, Paige walking my way with her arms crossed. She’s wearing jean shorts, a blue top that is airy and flows down her shoulders, with a pair of flip-flops.