Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 87911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Alfie sat back down, slamming his chair as he did so.
Looking over at Chloe, he saw her face was red and her mouth open.
“What? Did I upset you?”
“No, I guess I’m in shock. I’ve never seen you do anything like that. Katie’s always been a bitch, but you stood up for me.”
He took her hand again, and had completely forgotten what he was going to say to her before they were rudely interrupted.
Another waitress came over. This one was new. She looked young, and took their orders, promising to bring them out as soon as they were ready.
“Alone again.”
“Yeah. You don’t have to keep holding my hands.”
“I want to tell you something, and for the life of me, I can’t think of what it was.”
She giggled, and he loved the sound.
“Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
“Alfie, this is not a good idea. I don’t want you getting the wrong impression.”
“Hear me out. I remembered what I was going to say, and it is important.”
“Of course it is.” She smiled, and he had that at least.
He loved her smile.
“It wasn’t your fault. Not at all, and I don’t want you taking any of the blame.”
“I knew you were back in town, but I had no idea you’d agree to breakfast with this loser,” Ian said, once again, spoiling the moment as he and Riley dragged the seats to the table.
Chloe pulled her hands away, and he knew there was no point in trying to continue this conversation. Not at the diner where everyone was sitting.
“Hello, Ian. Riley.”
“How is city life treating you, city girl?”
“I’m handling it fine. How’s town life?”
“Slow,” Ian said. “Do you need a roommate out in the big city? You could take Mr. Miserable off our hands.”
“Mr. Miserable?”
“Yep, the one and only. Believe me, I can’t handle his sour face anymore. It stings my eyes every time I look at him.” Riley covered his face and pretended to cry out in pain.
Alfie slapped the backs of his friends’ heads. “They have no manners and don’t have a clue what they’re talking about half of the time.”
“True. You can’t rely on anything we say,” Ian said.
“I was trying to have a quiet breakfast with my woman.”
“So?” Riley asked. “You can’t always get what you want.”
Their waffles and pancakes arrived.
Alfie slapped his friends’ hands away so they didn’t try to steal his food or Chloe’s. She had gone oddly silent, and he hated it. He’d wanted to talk to her, not have breakfast with his friends there.
They distracted the moment asking her about the city. If she was dating anyone, and she happened to mention the guy called Reginald, who sucked, big time. Of course, anyone she dated would suck.
“This guy here hasn’t been on a single date since you left. Not a girl has gotten the chance to sniff around this kid, have they?”
“I can kill you and dispose of your body so no one finds you,” Alfie said.
“Damn, you’re on fire with the insults today,” Riley said.
Chloe finished her food and drank the last of her coffee. “It has been great getting to see you guys again, but I really need to sleep. It has been a long couple of days.” She looked toward him. “I enjoyed breakfast.”
“I’ll walk you home.” He got to the counter and paid for her and his food, leaving Riley and Ian to handle their own bill.
His friends would know how important this was to him to make it work with Chloe. He had a deadline. However long it took for Lily to get back on her feet was the only time he had to make this all work.
Following Chloe outside, he took her hand, but she pulled away. During the last year of high school, wherever they went, he’d hold her hand. That wasn’t going to happen anymore.
You’re not eighteen anymore.
“Sorry, force of habit.”
“You hold Ian and Riley’s hands as well?”
“No. Just you.”
He pressed his lips together, wishing more than anything he could hold her freaking hand. How lame had he become? He couldn’t even form into words what he wanted to say to her.
“There hasn’t been any other woman in my life. Not since you,” he said. “What Ian and Riley said back there, it’s true. All of it.”
“You’re kidding me, right?” Chloe stopped and turned to him. “You’re saying since we were together, it was your last time?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not lying?”
“No. I’ve got no reason to lie.”
“Alfie, it has been five years.”
“As everyone keeps fucking reminding me, don’t you think I know that? You think I don’t wake up remembering the moment that damn video started to play? It was Daniel who took it.”
“My mom told me. She explained what had happened, and he left town. Not long after he went, so did his family.”
“I destroyed the tape.”