Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Feeling someone watching me, I glanced up to see Mandy staring at me. I simply smiled then turned some so that my back was facing her. I suddenly hated the fact that she was there. It tainted the whole experience with Clare.
After plating our pasta, sprinkling fresh parmesan cheese on it, we all sat at our tables and ate a delicious meal while talking to our neighbors.
“Can you believe we made this?” Clare asked before shoving a bite full of pasta into her mouth. She let out a moan of delight and I had to adjust in my seat some.
I nodded. “It’s delicious.”
“Right?” Clare said with a giggle. “By the way, I saw Mandy staring over here a few times. I feel so bad for her fiancé, she treats him like crap.”
I shrugged. “Honestly, I was having so much fun, I forgot she was even here.”
Clare titled her head. “Really?”
“Yeah. I mean, didn’t you have fun?”
A wide smile broke out over her face. “I did have fun. More than I thought I was going to have.”
“Same.”
We finished off our meal and started chatting with the couple at the table next to us. When it was time to wrap things up, I brought Clare’s coat over to her and helped her put it on. She turned and looked up at me, those blue eyes knocked the breath right out of me.
“Do you want to keep the dough or should I take it?”
“I’ll take it and we can plan on making dinner one night.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
After slipping on her coat, Clare glanced around the room. “When did Mandy and Ron leave?”
I looked over at the table and shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Clare looked at the table, then at me. “You didn’t notice them gone?”
With a shake of my head, I said, “No, I was having too much fun talking to Sam and Debbie.”
A brilliant smile grew across her face as I held my arm out for her. “Uber or walk back to my place?”
“Let’s walk,” Clare said.
As I held the door open for her to walk out, I tried like hell to ignore how fucking happy I was she wanted to walk simply because I got to spend more time with her.
Wes
Late-Night Deliveries
The knock on the door caused me to open my eyes and slowly sit up with a moan. My head pounded and my entire body felt like someone had dragged me behind a car for miles.
I swung my legs off the couch and stood. The entire room spun as I tried to make it all stop by squeezing my eyes shut.
Another knock. “Give me a damn second, will you?” I called out, then regretted it when my own words seemed to echo in my head.
With each step I took toward the door, my head ached more. It had to be my mother. The moment she found out I had the flu and wasn’t going to make it for Thanksgiving, she probably started making plans to drive into town to bring me food.
I opened the door, prepared to see my mother, and instead, Clare stood there. She was holding a bag and smiling, and I couldn’t ignore it was the first time in twenty-four hours I felt something other than miserable.
“Clare? What are you doing here?”
“I called Rory to wish her a Happy Thanksgiving and she told me you were home sick with the flu. I figured, why should we both spend the holiday alone, and you could probably use something to eat.”
My stomach took that very moment to agree with her. Clare lifted a brow. “Can I come in?”
“You’ll get sick.”
“I’ve had my flu shot and I’m willing to take the risk.”
I pushed the door open, turned, and shuffled my way back to the sofa. I nearly fell back on it as I laid down, pulled covers over me, and groaned.
“Um, do you think you have enough medicine over here?” Clare asked from the kitchen. “What have you taken?”
“I’m not sure. I ordered it all and they delivered it, but I haven’t taken anything yet. I feel so damn weak.”
The next thing I knew, Clare was standing in front of me, a thermometer in her hand. “Open.”
I did as she said.
Thank God it was one of the fast thermometers and it beeped within seconds. Clare’s eyes went wide.
“You have a hundred- and two-point five temp. Let’s get some medicine in you and some food. You’ll feel so much better.”
All I could do was nod my head.
“Maybe after you take some medicine and eat, you might want to take a lukewarm bath.”
“Only if you join me,” I said before coughing.
Clare laughed as I heard her moving around in the kitchen. I must have dozed off while she was in there because I jolted awake when I heard her sweet voice once again.