Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“So,” Keith starts. “What’s on the agenda for tomorrow? Any other lost souls to save? We’re like the Supernatural Avengers and I kinda like it.”
“Hah. I do too, but hopefully I can get a few days off. The footing for the indoor arena is back in stock and I really need to ramp up training with both horses.”
“You mean amp up?” Rene asks.
“I do? I always thought it was ramp.”
Ethan gives my hand a squeeze. “It’s amp, babe.”
We all laugh and Keith nudges my foot under the table. “He’s eating a fry!”
“Not a vampire,” Rene notes. “I’m kinda disappointed.”
I laugh again. “Me too.” Ethan laces his fingers through mine and I smile, feeling so damn lucky to have such good friends.
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Of course.
I roll my eyes, watching my white horse find the muddiest place in the pasture to plop down and roll. “Why do I bother bathing you?”
We had a great ride, and now it’s Sundance’s turn. Nik took care of the animals for us this morning, and Ethan and I both slept in until nearly ten AM and then had a lazy start to our day. It’s nice and warm today and not as humid as I thought after the recent rain. Sundance is a good boy as well, and we both had fun going over a few small jumps.
I go inside to shower and eat lunch, taking my salad onto the front porch. Despite telling myself I wasn’t going to look at any sort of article about Stuart Brown, I cave and open a Google search. News has spread nationwide, and the family of his most recent victim have spoken out as well. Natalie Pérez had a five year old daughter at the time she was murdered, and she also made a video on social media thanking the person who finally lead police to close this case.
A suggested article pops up, titled Who was Stuart Brown? and I shouldn’t care, but dammit, I’m curious. I just skim the article but am surprised to see that Stuart has an estranged daughter who wasn’t available for any comments, but this article makes it seem like her mother had a one-night kinda of relationship with Stuart and he had never been in the picture.
The sound of a car driving down the road makes me snap my attention up. It’s Ethan, and he’s on his way home from work. It’s nice he can pretty much make his own schedule right now, though I know he’s more eager than he’ll admit to start teaching martial arts classes again. And I know he’ll have a full class both because he’s good and he’s very enjoyable to look at.
Someone else might be bothered by that, but I trust Ethan completely and am already envisioning the jealous looks I’ll get when I bring him lunch or something, walking past all the women in tight workout gear trying to show off.
“Hey, babe,” he says, coming around to the front porch. “Did you have a good ride?”
“The best!” I smile when I talk about the horses and never realized it until it was pointed out to me years ago. Grabbing my empty salad bowl, I go inside with Ethan, who goes straight to the fridge for something to eat.
“A couple guys at the gym are having a party tonight,” he says and I don’t mean to cringe, but I do. That’s how antisocial I’ve become. “Don’t worry, it’s not a party like that. It’s a pizza, beer, and playing a new video game that just came out.”
“Nerd.”
“Says the girl who dressed up like a hobbit and had me take pictures of her posed with her horse last month.”
“Hey, that was my most liked picture on Instagram ever,” I shoot back, trying to keep a straight face. Ethan laughs and takes me around the waist.
“You don’t care if I ditch you for the night?”
“Of course not.” I tip my head up to him. “Look at us, really building a life here. You have non-demon hunting friends, a normal job, and a super hot girlfriend.”
He lets out a growl and buries his face against my neck. My arms go around him and he picks me up, carrying me to the living room couch. I think he’s going to lay me down and have his way with me, but instead he tickles me, making me laugh and shriek and push him away at the same time.
He stops and flips us over, laying me on his chest.
“What time’s the party?”
“Five. And I’ll probably be home by nine.”
“Wow. Crazy party.”
“Shawn’s hosting and has to be up early for work the next day.”
I rake my fingers up and down Ethan’s back. “Nik has a date tonight. Looks like I’ll be spending the evening wearing sweatpants and hanging out in the barn. I might get crazy and make a margarita to bring with me.”