Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
But today, I found myself smiling as I walked into the courtroom.
It’d been two weeks since I’d had my unfortunate run-in with a two-by-four. Two weeks since I’d seen her face—despite my attempts to make that not be our reality.
But, each time I’d stopped by to talk to her, she was conveniently either ‘not there’ or ‘out to lunch.’
I wasn’t stupid.
I knew when someone was avoiding me, and June was absolutely avoiding me.
But I wasn’t going to be put off much longer.
I would find her, and when I did, we’d talk this shit out and have a discussion like normal adults.
At least that was what I told myself.
As I walked down the skinny aisle to a seat, I did my best not to look over and stare at June—who was dressed in her usual outfit—tight ass jeans that made my dick harder than stone, a fitted purple t-shirt, and her work boots.
She must be planning on going to work after this.
Yippee.
That meant that I wouldn’t be able to force her to talk to me.
Shit.
Although, I guessed, technically, I had to go back to work, too.
“All rise.”
I did as was requested of me, and then sat back down once the judge took his chair.
The next hour went about as expected. Other people came in and contested this, that, and the other thing. The majority of them were denied.
Then came June’s turn.
I grinned when she had to squeeze past me to get out of the row we were in and didn’t do a goddamn thing to get out of her way.
Meaning her ass was in my face, and the backs of her knees scraped across the tops of mine.
She glared at me over her shoulder and walked up to the podium where the defendants had been standing all morning.
“Do you promise to speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”
June’s soft ‘I do’ had my dick stiffening even further.
Shifting in my seat, my uniform creaked right along with me. My belt felt too tight today—making me realize that I’d probably slacked off too much over the last two weeks and should probably pick up running again soon. My uniform pants were stiff and unyielding, still not broken-in enough yet to be considered comfortable.
Then there was the fucking vest.
It was necessary, yes. But it also wasn’t broken-in like my old one—the one I wore while serving—had been.
That one had been sent back with me in pieces after it was cut off my body while I had been fighting to breathe.
“Can you tell us why you’re contesting your ticket?” the judge asked, sounding bored. As if he would rather be anywhere but where he was at that moment in time, listening to people complain.
Though, I had a feeling June would surprise him, just like she continually surprised me.
Every fucking day.
I was surprised to find that my truck still sat in the exact same spot, despite handing her roommate my keys. Honestly, I thought for sure that she would use it. Her truck had been in the pound because of me, and now it was getting bodywork done because of me.
The least I could do was give up my truck, which I wasn’t even using, but she hadn’t yet driven it.
It was likely that she thought it came with stipulations.
It didn’t.
But she wouldn’t see it that way.
As my mind wandered, I realized that June was a strong woman.
She was also stubborn as hell, and it’d be a goddamn miracle if she ever used the truck.
My guess, she’d rather walk to work than drive it and be seen as taking anything from me.
She was still mad.
That I could tell.
But she shouldn’t really be surprised. She knew how her town was.
Hell, I knew how the town was, and I hadn’t even lived here that long.
But she was pissed that I’d brought even more attention to her, and I could see how that would be upsetting.
But, what the woman didn’t understand was that she didn’t need me to bring attention to her. She got attention all on her freakin’ own. She was captivating.
And, sitting there in the courtroom, watching as she stood proudly up there, telling the judge why she shouldn’t get a ticket? Yeah, I was so proud of her I could cry.
Especially when I could tell when the goddamn judge was going to give her nothing.
The judge, from what I’d heard, had a soft spot for women. Rarely ever did he allow a pretty lady to pay for their tickets in full.
This time, I could tell that wasn’t going to happen.
And honestly, I was pissed.
Why did everyone treat her as such a pariah? She was a good woman. She couldn’t help who her parents were. She also couldn’t change the decisions she made in her youth. Everybody made bad decisions then, it was just that most people didn’t get caught doing them.