Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“What do you want?” he asks, pulling out his cell phone from his pocket.
“I don’t know. Surprise me.” I grab my suitcase from the living room and roll it into the kitchen, to the cabinet where my stackable washer and dryer are located. As I fill the machine, he places the call for dinner and is done by the time the washer is running. “Do you want to walk with me down to my mailbox?” I ask as I slip on a pair of the sandals I keep next to my door.
“Sure.” He shrugs, and I grab my keys from the table next to the door.
When we get outside, I wish I would have brought my sweater with me. The air has cooled since the sun set, and even if it’s not cold, I still feel the chill against my bare skin. Like he knows what I’m thinking, he wraps his arm around my shoulders and tucks me close to his body.
Since my mailbox is down at the bottom of a long row of stairs, it takes a few minutes to maneuver them, as we’re stuck together like conjoined twins, but there’s no way I’m letting go if he isn’t.
When we reach the bottom, I open my mailbox, and I groan. The small metal slot is stuffed full of fliers, magazines, what I’m guessing are a dozen pieces of junk mail, and a few bills.
Jace takes everything from me once I have it all out of the box, and as we turn to head back to my place, Ben—who lives in the apartment next to mine with his husband Frank and his pup Mini—walks toward us on the sidewalk.
The curious look on his face as he glances between Jace and me has me biting my bottom lip and getting nervous. Since I’ve lived here, I’ve never had a guy over, so I’m sure he’s got a million questions, even if we are only neighbors and not the best of friends.
“Hey, Ben,” I greet, squatting down to give Mini some attention when she starts to dance around on her short back legs.
“Hey, Ben?” he repeats, sounding disbelieving, and I look up at him. “Woman, where the hell have you been?”
“Umm…” I stand and glance up at Jace. “I was away for the week.”
“Obviously,” he huffs, looking Jace over before focusing on me. “Frank was going to call the police tomorrow if you didn’t come home. He convinced himself that you were going to be on an episode of one of the crime podcasts he loves so much.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think about leaving a note or something.”
“A note.” He laughs. “We’ve lived next door to you for two years, and you keep Mini when we’re away. We should have your number.”
“You’re right,” I mumble, then look up at Jace and explain. “Ben and his husband Frank live next door to me.” I wave my hand out to Ben.
“I’m gathering that, cupcake,” he says, then my eyes fly to Ben’s when he gasps.
“You’re getting married?” He grabs my hand and drags me a step toward him. “Holy shit, this rock is huge.”
Oh my God, how did I forget about the stupid ring? For days, it felt foreign on my finger, but now it’s just there like an extension of me.
I tug my hand free from his hold, which is not an easy feat. “Oh no, I—”
“We just got engaged,” Jace cuts me off before I can make up a lie, and I hold my hand against my stomach and look up at him, feeling faint. I still don’t even know what is going on between us, so him saying we are engaged to someone outside the bubble of his family is too much.
Way too much.
“Really?” Ben looks between us, and I shift on my feet. “Frank is going to love this; he’s always talking about how we need to find someone for you, but most of the men we know are…” His head twitches from side to side. “You know.”
“Yeah,” I say quietly, and Jace maneuvers all my mail under one arm so he can pull me into his side like one of the straight men Ben doesn’t know is going to show up, toss me over his shoulder, and run off with me.
“We should have a drink to celebrate,” Ben says, then adds, “I have a bottle of champagne I’ve been saving for the right occasion, and this is it.”
“We’d like that,” Jace inserts before I can politely turn down his offer. “We just got home and ordered dinner, but if you—”
“That’s perfect,” Ben cuts him off before he can finish whatever he was about to say. “Frank will be home at eight. We’ll meet you two in the garden at eight-thirty.” He looks between the two of us. “I’m going to finish taking Mini on her walk, then I’ll send Frank a message to let him know about our plans.”