Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
What was there to say? That I had thought I was in love. That he was the first man to treat me as if I was special. I had moved out of my momma’s house only a month before I met him. My first chance at getting to experience life without her hovering and controlling me, and I’d messed up that horrifically.
I shook my head. “No. I don’t want to talk about him.”
She nodded. “Okay then. We will drink, and you can tell me what my brother did and said from the moment he walked into the bar and found you. That I need details on.”
“There isn’t much to tell,” I explained.
She raised her eyebrows. “Really? Why don’t I believe you? My brother hasn’t seen you since you were a kid. He is a world-class flirt, and you are gorgeous. So, what did my brother say to you?”
My mood sank even lower. Pepper really saw me in a way no one else did. If only I preferred women and Pepper didn’t love sex with men so much, I’d have a wonderful relationship.
I shrugged and forced a smile. “He didn’t flirt with me.”
She frowned before turning and heading to the kitchen. “Either he was being careful, for fear of me, or you didn’t realize you were being flirted with. Either way, it doesn’t matter. He’s not for you. He’s a whore. A lovable whore, but still a whore.” Her voice trailed off as she left the room.
I sighed and sank back onto the sofa, then stared up at the ceiling. Why was I attracted to men who weren’t for me? Maybe Momma was right, and I needed to go on a date with Baker Gilham. He was a nice man. He had a steady job, and he always complimented me. He wasn’t wild or dangerous. He also wasn’t sexy, but then it didn’t seem like I attracted that kind of man.
“I don’t normally like bubbly, but this is pretty damn good,” Pepper said, interrupting my thoughts as she entered the living room again, carrying two wineglasses full of prosecco.
I straightened up from my slouched position and reached out to take a glass from her. “Thank you,” I told her.
She took the seat beside me, then drank from her glass.
“Do you think Micah is actually planning on staying here?” I asked her, hoping he had been exaggerating.
She nodded. “Yes. And you’re going to let him. Canyon is dangerous, Dolly. You need protection. If he decides that you are some sort of leverage, then he could take you. This time, it wouldn’t be the guy you thought you knew. It would be the real man. He’d use you to get what he wanted out of Micah and the rest of The Judgment. Which I assume is revenge for the five years he spent behind bars.”
I looked down at the sofa we were sitting on and couldn’t imagine Micah fitting on this very comfortably. I hadn’t bought it with the idea of guests sleeping on it. I had found it at a consignment store on sale and fallen in love with it. The small size was perfect for my space and me. Not for a man Micah’s size to sleep on.
Before I could voice my opinion, there was a knock on my door. I set my glass down and stood up just as Pepper did the same. She reached out and grabbed my arm.
“It’s a little too soon for Micah to be back,” she whispered.
I looked back at the door. “I can just look through the peephole,” I told her.
She was scowling at the door as if it had personally offended her. There was another knock then.
“Dolly?” the young male voice called out.
I pulled my arm free of Pepper’s grip, and she released me.
“It’s Jeremy,” I told her.
She nodded, recognizing the voice. Glad she wasn’t going to argue with me over this, I went to the door and opened it up. Although Jeremy was only eleven years old, he was still eye level with me. He’d had a growth spurt this summer and grown three inches.
“Dolly.” He beamed at me. “I came by earlier with my art stuff, and you weren’t here. I got worried.”
I stepped back to let him inside. “I’m sorry. I ran a little late. Pepper is here, visiting,” I told him. “Come on in, and I’ll get you a chocolate milk. When’s that assignment due again?”
He walked inside and nodded at Pepper before turning his attention back to me. “Not until next Wednesday. It’s okay. We can work on it tomorrow.”
The hopefulness in his voice tugged at my heart. He was needy for attention, and I seemed to be the only person who gave him any.
“Of course,” I told him. “I don’t have classes tomorrow, but I do work from nine until five. I got to fill in for someone. But I can make my homemade pizza for dinner.” I knew that was his favorite, and unless he ate with me or Mrs. Mildred, he didn’t get a hot meal.