Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 44850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
I’ve embraced that man, but damn if I don’t feel like I’m at rock bottom right now. How this chick is under my skin this easily, I don’t understand. I just know that it means something. I want to explore it. I need to. That’s easier said than done at the moment.
“And here I was going to try and offer an olive branch.”
“A what?” I snap, eyebrow arched as I look at him like he’s insane.
“A peace offering.”
“How do you think you’re going to manage that?”
“I thought I’d share with you what Green told me earlier.”
“Is he going to fire you? That might cheer me up.”
“Very funny. You know that’s not it.”
“He’s firing me, then? Mary probably told him. That’s about my luck.” I let a breath out. I should be thinking about the game about to start, but right now I don’t care about baseball. That’s never happened to me before. It’s true just the same.
“Will you stop. Mary’s not like that. She gets pissed off at you, you’ll know it,” Parker whines—and it does sound like whining. I’m fighting the urge to plant my fist into his mouth. I don’t have to hear him anymore. The rest of the guys are smart enough to stay away from me. They apparently forgot to give Parker the memo.
“He told me he was upset because the family had this birthday party thing planned for Mary tomorrow night at the family restaurant in Mason, and he has some big GM meeting about the team here and wouldn’t be able to make it.”
“Birthday?”
“Yep. Of course, the party is by invite only…”
“I could crash it.” I shrug because it wouldn’t be the first time. Besides, the reason why is much more important now.
“Or you could be my plus one.”
“What?”
“I’m supposed to bring a date. I think we both know why I can’t do that. Plus, if I don’t show up with someone to occupy Ida Sue’s time, she won’t stop until she’s matchmaking me again and I can’t handle that.”
I frown. “Why don’t you just tell Finn to go fuck himself and take Faye?”
Tension immediately appears on his face, and he rubs the back of his neck, releasing a breath.
“I owe Finn. He saved my life, man. He’s my best friend.”
“If he doesn’t trust you to make his kid sister happy, then he’s not much of a friend,” I point out. Parker’s mouth goes tight, and I shrug. It’s not my place to push, I guess. I just know if I was that hung up on a chick I would make her mine—not wait for permission. Parker’s not usually the type either, so I don’t understand what’s going on there. Still, it’s not my fight. I have enough to worry about—namely getting Mary Lucas to forgive me, go out with me, and tie her to my bed until I can fuck her out of my system. At this point, I don’t even care what order it happens in as long as I have her.
“It’s complicated,” he mutters.
“It must be. I guess I’m your date tomorrow.”
“Great. Make sure you look pretty. I have standards.”
“Fuck you,” I grumble, and he laughs as he walks away.
God, I hope this works.
CHAPTER 4
Mary
“Happy Birthday!”
Shit. I hate birthday parties. I loathe them. I despise surprise birthday parties even more. I made the mistake of telling my mother to stop having them because I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday. I knew I screwed up the moment the words left my lips. Now, I have a party every year and sometimes two a year.
You might ask how one can have a birthday party twice year. That’s easy. Your mother throws you a party on your actual birthday and on the day that you were conceived. Today’s birthday? This would be on the day I was conceived and that explains why my mother was able to catch me off guard. Normally, I find reasons to be out of town, but you don’t exactly circle dates on the calendar when your parents did the horizontal tango. It’s just not something you do—but after tonight, damn it all, I’m going to make a point to mark it down.
“Mom, why?” I whine, and God, I am whining. Any sane person would be.
“Because you’re my baby, and I love you, Marigold. Now, don’t be bitchy and give your momma a hug.”
I grumble under my breath, but I hug Mom, because I love her. Even when I want to kill her. When we break apart, I look over at Meadow, giving her the evil eye. “Couldn’t you have warned me?”
“Why would she do that and ruin the surprise? Meddie, come over here and take a look at the cupcakes your mother and I made for the party. I think even you will be surprised.”
I watch them walk away and sigh. If I leave, my mother might stroke out. I can take her anger, but that isn’t what deters me. No, it would be the fact she will work overtime on a way to get even. My mother is scary.