Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 33998 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33998 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
I sniffed at the drink once I took it from her and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could barely smell the alcohol. She grinned at me as she sat on the end of the couch. “Smells good, right? Taste it. You’ll love it.”
I took a sip of it and hummed in pleasure. I could barely even taste the vodka in it. It was really damn good and made just how I preferred it. I hated the taste of alcohol, and I was a severe lightweight. I wasn’t even supposed to have alcohol while taking the medications I was on, but one time wouldn’t hurt.
“This is delicious. Thank you,” I told her with a smile.
“Good!” She grabbed the remote. “Now, let’s watch some trashy TV since our men gave explicit orders for us to not leave this damn house.”
I snickered. It was mostly Whiler’s orders. He was still nervous about me going anywhere without him, even months after what had happened to me. In fact, he and the guys were camping out in the front yard. There were no tents—just sleeping bags, a bonfire, beer, and I knew one of them had grilled earlier because I’d been able to smell it.
Whiler wasn’t going far from me—refused to, actually—but he still wanted me to have a chill night in with the girls before our wedding tomorrow.
It was still hard to believe that I was getting married again. And this time, I knew I’d made the right choice. Whiler eased all of my fears, and he was one hundred percent devoted to me. When he looked at me, it was like he was looking at the meaning of life. Like I held all his dreams in the palm of my hands.
I knew, down in the very depths of my soul, Whiler would never hurt me. And that was how I knew I was making the right decision to tie myself to him.
“Not some drama-filled shit,” Jessie snapped at her best friend. “You know I can’t stand that shit.”
Adelaide cut her a weird look. “Um, what the hell do you think trashy television is?”
Elaina snickered and sipped her drink. Alejandro was on kid duty at the clubhouse, so she was currently kid-free. Sam, River’s VP, and his wife, Reina, were at the clubhouse with him with their kids. One of them was autistic and didn’t do well with too much going on. I’d been a bit disappointed that Reina wouldn’t join us, but she assured me she’d be more than happy to hang out tomorrow. She was sweet, a little sassy, and together, in the little time we’d known each other, drove our men up the wall.
Adelaide won on choosing the television show, and some show I didn’t even know the name of was turned on. I had to admit though, it was entertaining to watch all the drama unfold on screen.
Before long, Elaina, Adelaide, and Jessie retired to the guest rooms, and I was left alone in the dark with just my empty glass and the quietly playing TV as my company.
I knew I should go upstairs and get ready for bed, too, but I was scared to go to sleep. What if my medicine didn’t work that well, and I woke up screaming from a nightmare? Or what if it was a flashback that I couldn’t wake myself up from? Whiler and I had dealt with our fair share of those, and he had a specific way of coaxing me awake, a way of breaking through the memory haunting my subconscious mind to bring me back to him.
Sighing, I stood to my feet and took my empty glass to the kitchen. I stared out the kitchen window to the front yard as I rinsed my glass out. The guys were still sitting in chairs and on the ground around the fire, beers in their hands. It was clear they were laughing and having a good time, no doubt giving Whiler shit for being the next one to settle down.
Why did I have to want a traditional wedding? Why couldn’t we have just gotten hitched at the courthouse and never have been parted tonight?
Sighing, I set the glass in the dishwasher and shut the door on it before leaning back against the counter and scrubbing my hands down my face.
My scarred hands. Nothing short of skin grafting or laser surgery would make the scars disappear or at least lessen in appearance. Whiler had offered, but I’d declined. Sometimes, they bothered me, but most of the time, it helped me remember how strong I was. That I’d gone through hell and come out on the other side alive. Stronger. Better than ever.
“Why don’t you just call him?” Elaina asked softly from the doorway of the kitchen.
I squeaked in alarm, my hand slapping to my chest all while I reached for the sharpest thing near me—the kitchen scissors. Whiler had made sure I knew how to defend myself after what I’d gone through. Not only was I now licensed to carry concealed, but he also had bought me three guns. One was always on my person when I was out of the house, the other in our bedroom, and the last one in my new car under the seat.