Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Hey,” I replied.
Law turned and nodded at me. He was muscular too, though more sinewy than Knox, his body more slender, but equally gorgeous with those blond curls of his.
“How was your day fighting crime in Havenwood?” Law asked, and we all laughed as I stood beside him.
“This is for you.” Knox grabbed the stool I’d seen and slid it over to me.
“Thanks. And to answer your question, someone stole a garden gnome out of Old Lady Benson’s yard, and she doesn’t want me to rest until I find it. Curtis Webb called to make sure the rumors were true and I really was a police officer in Havenwood. And I got a call about someone drunk in Cherry Hill Park.” Thank fuck it hadn’t been my father. I’d been worried it was. We hadn’t crossed paths yet, and I didn’t look forward to when we did, especially if I had to go out on a call and it was him.
Lawson laughed. “Sounds like you could use a beer.”
“You can say that again.”
Griff made his way down to us and brought a bottle of Corona with him, which was what I typically drank. “Hey, man. Glad you could make it down.” He handed it over.
“Feels good to be out.” Good to be out in Havenwood. “This place is great.” This was the first time I’d been to Griff’s on a weekend. He’d made a good life for himself. I watched a couple of people come up to him to chat, and it was obvious everyone still loved him.
It had always been that way for Griff, but not for Kellan, which pissed me off. People could be such assholes sometimes. But then, what did I know? I was comparing eighteen-year-old Kell to the twenty-eight-year-old he was now.
As soon as they left, Griff turned to reply to me but was caught up with someone else who wanted his advice. People respected the hell out of Griff, they listened to him, valued his opinion, which I understood because I was the same way with him.
“Sorry, what were we saying?” he asked when he had a moment, and I waved him off. He took an order and began mixing a drink but looked at me. “You happy being back home?”
“Still getting used to shit, but yeah.” What I didn’t mention was the fact that I’d had Kellan over for dinner and stuck my tongue down his throat. Griff wouldn’t want to hear about that.
“Jesus fuck, who is that?” Law said.
“Jesus fuck?” Knox laughed and playfully shoved him.
Still, all our eyes went toward the door as a leggy blonde with a huge rack walked in. She definitely wasn’t from around here. I hadn’t been home long, but I sure as shit would have known if she was a local.
“Dibs!” Law called, and I rolled my eyes.
“You can’t call dibs on her, asshole. She’s a person.” But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being attracted to her too. She walked with this sultry sort of swagger and had a smile that could knock you on your ass.
“You’re jealous I said it before you.”
I shrugged because he was right, which made a small twinge of guilt pinch at me. There was no reason I should feel guilt over thinking someone was beautiful, but damned if a pair of expressive green eyes didn’t pop into my head.
Imaginary Kellan Caine…go away. I don’t want you!
How long would I have to tell myself that before I believed it?
Behind blondie, another woman came in who was just as gorgeous, but her, her I recognized. “Becca’s still here?” I said even though she was obviously standing across the room from me.
“You mean, people other than you and me leave Havenwood?” Law asked, and Griff chuckled.
“Yeah. Did I forget to mention that?” Griff waggled his eyebrows at me.
I’d never been serious about anyone in my life, but there was a time when I’d wondered if I could have been with Becca. I’d lost my virginity to her, and we’d fucked on and off through high school. Griff took her best friend to prom, and I’d taken Becca. She wanted something serious then, but I turned her down, and she started dating…fuck, I couldn’t even remember who. It lasted a couple of years, but when they broke up, she and I became fuck buddies again.
“I always said if Chase ever settled down, it would be with Becca, but then I remembered I was talking about Chase and there was no way that asshole was settling down,” Griff joked.
I flipped my friend off playfully as Knox and Law laughed with him.
“Says the group of equally single guys?” I threw back at them. I wasn’t in this shit alone. Hell, Law had called dibs on the woman.
“Hey, I’ve been married before,” Knox replied. “Sure as shit not going there again.”