Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 144(@200wpm)___ 115(@250wpm)___ 96(@300wpm)
She’d fainted, hitting the back of her head on the corner of the desk. Everyone was in full panic mode by the time I got there. Head wounds tend to bleed heavily and look worse than they often are. The aftereffects are what can be a lot more worrisome. Concussions are always a worry as well as brain swelling or bleeding.
It didn’t take me but a few seconds to realize why Melody fainted when I’d heard her phone going off with an alarm. I’d pulled up the sleeve of her shirt to see there was a sensor in her arm, alerting me to the fact that she was a diabetic. As Sam and I had gotten her onto the stretcher, I’d ordered someone to get me a soda or something sweet to drink quickly so I could pour it down her throat once we got her loaded into the back of the ambulance.
When she’d come to and noticed it was me, she was still a bit out of it. She started to ramble about my brother and how she worries about him and misses him. It was utterly adorable. After we got to the hospital, she really started to come around. Once the emergency room doctor placed a few stitches in the back of her head and got her blood sugars leveled out, she remembered pouring her heart out to me about my brother.
She was utterly horrified. So I did what I had to. I told her it’s me that keeps fucking with police chief Blake Finley. A series of unfortunate events have been happening to him since his daddy, the mayor, appointed him to the job. Mayor Finley isn’t a terrible person. His son is, though, and the old man has a blind spot for the prick. I’m just the karma Blake deserves. Melody is the only one I’ve ever admitted that to.
After that confession, we of course had to be best friends and have been ever since. She doesn’t answer my call, which is not like her. I’m going to swing by her place after dinner. Mom will kill me if I miss it since it’s Biscuit's first night home and we have a guest. I roll my eyes. A big jerk guest, but that’s beside the point. All I’m saying is Vincent is lucky I have to save my shenanigan ideas for Blake.
“Sweetheart,” my mom calls as I enter the kitchen. “Help me finish up dinner.”
“Not like cooking, right?” From the smell, I think everything is pretty much done. My stomach growls.
“No, I want the food to be edible. How about you set the table and put those sides out.” She motions to the kitchen island that has a basket full of fresh baked rolls, a giant bowl of mash potatoes, and corn. I do as I’m asked.
I turn to go back to the kitchen for another round of food and run into a wall of a chest. I let out a scream of surprise. Vincent grabs my shoulders to keep me from falling backwards.
“Where the hell did you come from?” I gasp.
“Downstairs?” His answer annoys me for some reason.
“Make some noise or something when you move.” How does someone so big not make a dang sound?
“Habit.” His mouth turns up in a half smile.
“Right.” I stare up into his eyes. Eyes I’m sure have seen things that would scar my soul and give me nightmares. It’s a reminder of what he and Biscuit have been through. Maybe I should give him a break. He’s obviously not used to being around regular people. That’s a big maybe, though.
“Everything okay?” Mom pops into the dining room. Vincent drops his hands from my shoulders and steps away from me quickly.
“It smells delicious, ma’am. I haven’t had a home cooked meal in a long time.” Vincent gives her a giant smile. How come he can be all nice to her, but with me he’s short? What the heck did I do to ruffle his feathers?
“None of that ma’am stuff. Eden will do just fine.”
“Eden.” He gives her a nod.
“Damn, woman. It smells good in here!” my dad announces as he enters the house. A second later, he appears behind my mom. He spins her around, planting a kiss on her. I groan when he grabs her ass. A girlish laughter bubbles up from my mom. A laugh that only my dad can get from her. I should be used to this by now. I swear those two grow deeper in love as the years go by.
“Let’s eat while it’s hot.” She pats Dad on his chest so he lets her go.
“You made brisket,” Biscuit moans when he enters the dining room next.
“I did, now sit,” Mom orders. I dart back into the kitchen to grab the last platter of food. When I come back, I notice Vincent is in my chair. It doesn’t have my name on it, but it’s where I always sit. I don’t say anything; instead, I grab the one next to it, sitting down with everyone else.