Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Dad laughed.
“Well, you are. You know more about this shit than anyone else I know.”
“I think it’s a good plan, Charlie,” he said, nodding. “You bring me over any paperwork before you sign it though. I’ll take a look.”
“Absolutely,” I replied.
“Well, this was a relief,” my mom said cheerfully. “When you said you wanted to talk to us I figured you were pregnant or something.”
“Mother!”
“Sorry,” she said, laughing. “When one of my children ask to talk to me and dad together, it always sounds ominous.”
“I’m not pregnant,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “And I won’t be at any point in the near future.”
My dad reached out to knock on a piece of wood, but all they had inside was fake paneling. “Eh, it’ll do,” he said, knocking anyway.
I laughed.
“I gotta get over to the garage,” my dad said, getting to his feet.
“I’m gonna go, too,” I announced. “I need to do a bunch of laundry and take a nap.”
“A nap?” my mom asked, frowning.
“I know,” I groaned. “Today is full of surprises.”
“You haven’t napped since you were two years old. Are you getting sick?”
“No,” I replied, standing. I reached my arms over my head and stretched. “I’m having a hard time sleeping at the new place still.”
“Do you want to take a nap here?” she asked. “I need to grocery shop and stop by Callie’s, so you’ll have the place to yourself.”
“That’s okay,” I said with a smile. “Laundry, remember? Plus, I doubt I’d be able to sleep with that racket.”
We were quiet for a minute, listening to the sound of power tools and hammering going on outside.
“I’ll walk you out,” my dad said, gesturing for me to go out ahead of him. He leaned down and kissed my mom goodbye, murmuring something quietly in her ear before he followed me.
“Bye ma,” I called, waving over my shoulder.
“You’re about due for an oil change,” my dad reminded me as we walked toward my car.
“I know,” I said with a sigh. “I’ll come in as soon as I have some time.”
“Don’t wait too long.”
“I won’t.”
“I’ll have Cam do it,” he said. “Since he was conveniently out of town when we moved you guys into the new place. He owes me one.”
“So lazy,” I joked. “The worst.”
We paused by the driver’s door.
“This coffee cart thing is a good plan,” he said, nodding. “I’m proud of you.”
“Be proud after I actually execute the plan,” I replied with a laugh. “I’m scared shitless.”
“Nothin’ is worth havin’ unless it scares you a bit,” he said, grinning.
I spent most of the day doing laundry in the quiet house. It was kind of a pain in the ass lugging piles of clothes up and down the stairs, but I didn’t really mind it. I’d been so busy lately that I hadn’t had a chance to work out and I was starting to feel the effects. A few runs up and down the staircase at least made me feel like I was moving my body. As soon as the last piece of clothing was folded and put in my dresser, I stripped, leaving a trail of clothing on the floor to my bed. Even with the afternoon light shining into my windows, as soon as I’d crawled into the blankets, I passed right out.
When I woke up it was dark outside and I had no idea what time it was. Hell, for a minute I wasn’t even sure what day it was. I stumbled out of bed and threw on a t-shirt and some old running shorts and made my way downstairs.
I was still so groggy from the nap that I didn’t think to check who was home as I zombie walked to the kitchen for a glass of water.
“Good evening, sunshine,” Draco greeted from the kitchen table. “Nice of you to join us.”
“Water,” I croaked, waving lazily at him, Bishop and Kara.
“We got Chinese food for dinner,” Kara said as I shuffled toward the sink. “If you want some.”
It wasn’t until after I’d grabbed a glass, filled it at the sink, and drank the entire thing that it finally clicked that I’d just come downstairs in my rattiest pajamas, with my hair doing God knows what, drool probably dried onto my face, and Bishop was sitting at our kitchen table.
“I could eat,” I said, deciding in a split second to just brazen it out. I mean, he’d already seen me. The damage was done.
“Have a good nap?” he asked as I sat down.
“It was glorious,” I replied, reaching for the plate Kara had set out for me. “As soon as I’m done eating, I’m going right back.” I looked at him. “What are you doing here?”
Bishop laughed. “You’re so nice when you’re tired.”
“I just mean—” I waved the serving spoon in my hand around. “Are you moving in tonight or just hanging out?”