Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“Ha! Yeah, right,” she answers through a snort. “There will be no bars or clubbing tonight. Just Vicodin to help with the pain, a hot shower, and bed… Shut up, Dad, I’m not lame. I’m tired, and the ER doctor told me I had to keep this foot elevated for at least forty-eight hours.”
Without even thinking, I’m already grabbing a Vicodin from her pill bottle and carrying it over to her on the couch.
Her eyes meet mine, and she offers a thankful smile while also whispering, “I think I need two.”
The fact that she’s even willing to take a Vicodin tells me she’s in some serious discomfort, so when she requests two—which is still within the prescribed limit—I don’t hesitate to grab another one for her.
“Thank you,” she mouths and downs both pills like a champ while I head back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.
I wipe down the counters and spray down the sink and even tuck the leftovers away into the fridge. Luckily, just when I’m running out of things to do that’ll keep me in the kitchen where I can hear the soothing lull of Katy’s voice, my phone buzzes in my back jeans pocket with a text message.
Lizzy: Hey, kid. I need a favor. Tom has a work dinner on Friday, April 8, and we don’t have anyone to watch Gracie. I’d just stay home, but Tom says if I don’t go with him, his boss will end up kidnapping him and taking him on a six-day golf trip. I can’t do six days by myself while Tom prisses around the golf course, Mack.
Thirty-one years old, and to my sister, I’m still “kid.” I don’t mind the nickname—she was practically a second mother to me, and I don’t mind watching my adorable five-year-old niece Gracie either. It’s never a chore to hang with her for the night, and to be honest, sometimes children understand me the best. Although, that doesn’t mean I’ll resist giving my dearest sister a hard time before I agree.
Me: Talk about booking out in advance. Did you want to schedule something for Christmas break also?
Lizzy: I know your little bachelor heart doesn’t understand it yet, but this is how it goes when you’re married with kids. So…can you avoid filling that day with one of your one-date bimbos to spend time with your favorite niece?
Me: Hey, sometimes, we go on two dates.
Lizzy: MACK.
I grin and type out a response.
Me: Yes, of course, I can make sure my schedule is cleared for Gracie.
Lizzy: That’s a good uncle. :) We’ll drop her off around seven.
I open up my calendar app to make a note in my phone. Lord knows I’m not going to fucking remember this when the time comes, but before I can enter the information, Katy’s voice grabs my attention.
“Mack.” She holds up a hand, her phone call ended and her crutches tucked under her arms. “Sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to let you know I’m gonna go in the shower.”
I smirk, and she laughs with a roll of her eyes. “That’s not an invitation. I just didn’t want you to panic when you looked up and I wasn’t there.”
“I appreciate the consideration, but you can’t take a shower,” I tell her as I shove my phone back into my pocket. “Only baths.”
“I’ll keep my foot out of the water.”
“Katy.” I stare at her. “You and I both know that’s impossible. You have to take a bath. And even with a bath, you have to make sure your foot is wrapped up.”
“But my bathroom doesn’t have a bath. Just a walk-in shower.”
I shrug. “Looks like you’re going to have to take one in the hallway bathroom, then.”
“Mack, how in the hell am I supposed to get in the bath like this?” she questions and pointedly glances down at her foot. “I’ll fall on my ass.”
“I’ll help you.”
Her eyes practically bug out of her face.
“Relax,” I comment through a laugh. “We can manage it without me seeing you naked again.”
I don’t miss the way her cheeks flush a gorgeous shade of red.
“Not that I minded seeing you naked,” I swiftly add because I can’t stop myself from razzing her a little. “If you’d rather I did see you—”
“No! I definitely minded,” she snaps back. I have to admit, now that her fiery side isn’t laced with an overwhelming amount of loathing, I kind of like when she shows it to me. “So, if you’re helping me, you can bet your butt I’m keeping myself covered with a towel the whole freaking time.”
“Whatever makes you comfortable, babe.”
She blows out an annoyed sigh, but to my surprise, she doesn’t push any further. Instead, she offers a pointed roll of her eyes and starts heading down the hallway toward the bathroom.
“Is that my cue to follow you?” I question, trying my best not to sound like an excited asshole.