Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
She has me there. Though, I feel she means an STI rather than feelings.
“I was just fine, Mom. I’m not stupid.”
Though, I probably am.
“I raised you better than that,” she reminds me, and I roll my eyes.
“You raised me to enjoy life. And believe me, I was enjoying myself immensely last night,” I say, and her gaze is dark when it meets mine.
“That toes the line of vulgar, Tennessee Lynn. Act like a lady, please.”
If only she knew how much of a lady I did not act like last night with Dart slapping the hell out of my ass.
I sigh as I look away, shaking my head. When I look back, her eyes are glancing around the room, and dread fills me. I watch as her brows knit when she takes in the apartment. “Why is everything in boxes?”
My shoulders fall, but I won’t look away. I respect her too much for that. “That job I got is in Virginia.”
Her eyes widen as her mouth falls open. “Virginia?”
“Yeah,” I say, threading my fingers together. “I leave in two weeks.”
“For Virginia, the state?”
“Yes, Momma,” I say softly. “I need a change.”
“But that’s so far away.”
Not far enough, in my opinion, but I shrug instead of admitting that. “Not too bad. Only ten hours’ drive.”
She looks as if I’ve smacked her upside the head. “But you’ve never left home.”
“I know,” I agree, nodding. “And I’ve got to. I need a new start, Mom. I’ve gotta do this. For myself. To do what I want. To find who I am.”
“Tennie, what are you saying? You’re wonderful.”
“Thank you, Mom. Truly. But I’m not happy here. Haven’t been since I went to college, and I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I can’t be myself. You just told me I was unladylike for a one-night stand—”
“Tennie!”
“It’s true, and maybe I like one-night stands. Maybe that’s what I want to do and not have someone constantly telling me how I should act or have my friends tattling to my mom what I am up to. If I want to get rammed through by the whole Vols baseball team, screaming ‘Yes, Daddy’ the entire time, I should be able to, without fear that my mom will scold me for it!”
“Lord Almighty, Tennessee!”
“I want to live, Mom! I don’t want to stay in the box all y’all have put me in.”
Her frown deepens as she shakes her head. “I can’t believe this.”
After this conversation, I can. I may have been sad earlier, but now, I can’t wait to leave. I look down at my phone, the photo of Dart and me staring back at me. I swallow and ask, “You fell in love with Daddy instantly, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but we met at church and not during a one-night stand.”
I groan loudly, rolling my eyes as I stand up.
“So please don’t try to tell me you’ve fallen for someone who only wanted you for sex. I mean, my God, does he even know your name, Tennessee?”
I look over my shoulder at her, and without hesitation, I say, “Yup, he was screaming it all night.”
Oh, that ruffles her feathers as a flush quickly fills her face. “That is disgusting.”
I shrug. “I beg to differ.” I am completely done with this conversation. “I’ve got things to do. Can you let yourself out?”
“Have you lost every bit of your manners, Tennessee Lynn?”
I whip around. “No, Mom. Will you please leave so I can not deal with you anymore?”
She vibrates with anger, but I ignore it as I reach for my phone and head into the bathroom, praying that when I come out, she’ll be gone. I shut the door and sit on the toilet, opening my phone to look at Dart and me. When a text comes through, I hold my breath since it’s from a number I don’t have saved.
Hey, I landed, and I wanted you to know I haven’t stopped thinking about you.
Oh, the thrill that fills me is overwhelming as I read the text over and over. Tears burn my eyes, and my heart aches. My fingers hover over the words, knowing what I want to say, but also knowing if I do, I’m bound to fall for him completely. My eyes drift shut, and I set my phone to the side before covering my face as the tears start to fall.
I know it would never work with Dart.
Chapter Nine
Dart
A month later…
Man, I love preseason hockey.
My lungs are burning as I head up the ice, puck on my blade, with my eyes on where my wingers are. The ice crunches under my skates, and the crowd is going wild. For the Coyotes, not the IceCats, but still, I love the noise. I carry the puck over the blue line as Adler and Anderson rush the goal. I pass it to Litman at the blue line and head to the net as they set up, everyone doing their part to get the puck into the back of the net. My eyes shift quickly to where Adler is set up in the right circle, and I find Anderson toward the left of the net. The puck moves to Adler, who deflects it into the boards, and it pops onto Anderson’s stick, but it’s knocked away by the defenseman with more force than I think he anticipated.