Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 91937 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91937 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Hi,” she says, smiling, “I was hoping to find you before I left.”
“Can you two do that after she delivers those drinks?” Brady urges, and Autumn is the one who turns her head at him.
“What’s gotten into you lately?” she asks, but I don’t stay around to listen to his answer. I think as soon as I walk away that maybe I should have stayed so I know what the hell is up his ass. I mean, I’ve known him just a couple of weeks, but in those couple of weeks, he’s saved me three times, the last one by giving me a job. So whatever was up his ass, I would know and could avoid doing so as not to put a bigger bull’s-eye on my head.
I walk over to the table and introduce myself like I did the last time. That seemed to be a good thing to do. Make small chitchat with them and ask them if they are from around here when I don’t recognize them. I’m thankful there aren’t many regulars in here sitting and staring at me. No doubt taking the gossip to my in-laws. I know one thing for sure—Winston would definitely come to my front door, but under no fucking circumstances would he come into this bar. At least I can be thankful he wouldn’t cause a scene in the place I work. Walking past a couple of tables before making my way back over to Autumn, I ask if everyone is okay. When I finally get back to the bar, Autumn is beside Brady making drinks while he hisses at her to get off her feet.
“Mommy and Daddy are fighting again,” Janelle teases. “My bet is on Autumn.” She stays beside me.
“That would be a good bet,” Autumn agrees as she puts drinks on a tray for Janelle, who takes them and walks away. “Are you okay?” she asks, and I just nod. She looks like she wants to say something else, but Brady places drinks on the tray in front of me. I smile at her as I listen to him tell me where to go. By the time I get a chance to catch a breath, I look over and see that it’s almost nine o’clock. Autumn walks out from behind the bar, putting her hands on her lower back, when her eyes light up as she looks at the door. “Well, well, well,” she says as Charlie walks in toward her. Actually, it looks like he’s prowling to her. The scowl on his face would not have me smiling like she is. “Look at who it is.”
“Let’s go,” he snaps two words, his voice tight. Instead of going with him without asking another question, she puts her hands that were on her back on her hips.
“Did you just walk in here, without even giving me a kiss, and order me to ‘let’s go,’ Charlie Barnes?” My eyes about come out of my sockets. “After I’ve been working all day long and then been on my feet for what feels like a hundred hours.”
“Whose fault is that?” Brady leans on the bar to interject his part of the showdown. Autumn doesn’t even turn back to look at him. Instead, she holds up her hand and flips him the middle finger, her eyes never leaving her husband in front of her.
“Now,” she snips, rubbing her baby bump, “perhaps we should start this again?”
“I have absolutely no problem with putting you over my shoulder and taking you out of here kicking and screaming, Autumn Barnes.”
They have a stare-off, and, I swear, I don’t even think I take a breath as the stare-off happens. Until she turns away from him and walks to the kitchen area, coming back out with a plate filled with french fries and a burger. “I was going to share this with you.” She pulls out a stool. “But you lost that privilege with that dumbass cowboy attitude.” She takes a fry and dips it in ketchup. “Sucks for you”—she moves her head side to side, enjoying the french fries—“because this is so good.”
I look at Charlie, wondering what he’s going to do, only to see him shake his head and look down at his feet, mumbling out words that I think are not good anyway, before walking over and pulling the stool out beside Autumn. He bends and kisses her neck before sitting down. “Too little, too late.” She side-glares at him as she takes a bite of the burger, and I can feel my stomach rumble as I watch her.
I should have eaten before I started my shift, I think to myself, but I was so nervous it completely went out of my head. So now I am going on a turkey sandwich and chips from lunch. “Can you get the case of water out of the closet?” Brady asks. I nod, walking over to the closet at the far end, near the door.