Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“I could eat,” I said, winking at my guy.
“When can’t you eat?” Dash retorted.
“Wait,” I said with enough urgency that drew both Scott’s and Dash’s attention. “Lauren’s pregnant.”
“What?” Dash said, having the same shocked response as me.
At the same time, Scott said, “Brooks, it’s a fucking secret. You failed.” Scott punched me in the arm when I scooted past him. It wasn’t necessarily a hard hit but added to the happiness of my moment.
“I win,” I said to Scott’s sputtering.
“How was that a win? Loose lips don’t constitute a win of anything,” Scott said, following me out.
“I win.”
Days later
“Where are you now?” Dash asked again for at least the hundredth time. I honestly had no idea. Besides everything looking the same over the whole entire city, and this being one of the first times that I’d ever had to maneuver mass transit, the bus I was now on was packed to the gills. It was hard to judge distance and harder to learn the stops with Dash talking in my ear.
Whatever. I was done trying to figure it out, so I stepped out onto the street when the doors opened again. The cooler air hit immediately, a welcome relief from the sauna I’d been standing in. The phone was stuck to my ear, the people around me on a perpetual power walk, and I stood in the middle of the chaos, trying to catch my bearings.
“I’m not sure. I gotta move closer to the street signs,” I said and started that direction.
“Stop right there. Now turn around.” Although I couldn’t see him, I heard the scraping of a chair against a hard floor. I did turn but uncertain of what I was meant to find. Another challenge of being in Chicago. Every building appeared identical from the street view. “Babe!”
It took a moment more to scan the first-floor restaurants to see Dash’s head poking out of a doorway. Like a magnet, I was drawn to him. So much had changed in my life in such a short amount of time. Birmingham to Dallas had taken a minute to get used to, but Dallas to Chicago was an entirely different level of change. The two major cities were ridiculously different from each other. Even navigating through the crowds to reach Dash felt like a monumental task.
“It’s crazy out here,” I called steps away from my guy. The way he looked at me calmed my slightly ruffled feathers. With all his charm focused on me, he effortlessly drew a smile as he leaned against my chest and lifted. He had no reservations about public displays of affection. He was like a magic balm, turning my souring mood into joy. He kissed me short and sweet.
Like so many other restaurants and bars we had tried, Chicago’s long history hung on the dark interior walls and poorly lit space. Another common feature, the doorknob had a large bell attached, rattling as if the door’s bang wasn’t enough of an indicator that someone had arrived.
“Our booth’s over here,” Dash said, threading our fingers together and guiding us to the seat. I’d recently confessed to him how much I liked U-shaped booths. I could easily slide in next to Dash. Since then, all our dinner spots had that kind of set up. This one was no different. “He’s here,” Dash called to the bartender who raised a single brow as he looked at me.
“Draft?” he asked.
I nodded and took my seat, scooting around to meet Dash in the middle. We’d spent three full days in Chicago, and two of my personality traits firmly established themselves. First, I could pinch a penny. While this habit annoyed Dash, I felt a sense of pride at my thriftiness. Second, this move had brought Dash and me closer than ever. With no familiar faces, every aspect of our lives was a new experience. We loved exploring the city’s layout together.
“Tell me about the job interview. Were the blue jeans a bold choice?” Dash asked, scooting closer to me, his cocktail moving with him. “I’ve been here awhile. I’ve had a few.” The glass lifted as if I might not understand he meant drinks and not interviews. His beautifully masculine face, staring only at me, held no signs of the worry that had plagued him for weeks. Only love and contentment.
From this point forward, he’d focus on my happiness. He was determined to make our lives as comfortable and joyful as possible. Oh man, I loved him.
I backed away long enough to shrug off the suit coat he’d made me wear. “Most of them were wearin’ their uniforms. I did get a couple of under the breath fancies when I was bein’ toured around…”
“Tour, meaning you got a job?” Dash asked excitedly.
“Don’t know yet. I have to go through the process. They processed my transfer request and my application to buy a route. At least, it’s not off the table. The distribution center is about twenty minutes away from here. Maybe in LaGrange? I’d start in Downers Grove, I think. They said the roads change names through every city, did you know that? It’s kind of weird.”