Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 114211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
“Right after class, you bet,” he calls back enthusiastically, and the pair of us are on our way again, jog uninterrupted, Marybeth waving us off before heading up to the clinic.
“Gossip?” I ask, nudge him with my elbow as we jog on.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “You know her. Every story she or Carla tells is the biggest thing on earth. Last time she said that, it was because she swore that Mayor Strong’s son divorced his husband in secret.”
“Wait, which son??”
“Tanner.”
“No fuckin’ way. Billy and Tanner—?”
“Nah, of course it wasn’t true. Just a rumor. How could it have happened? They literally just renewed their vows this past New Year’s, remember? Eight years strong. Those two are so in love, it’s sickening,” he says with half a laugh.
“Eight years …”
“Hey, you alright?”
I didn’t even notice I had stopped jogging. I gaze at Bridger, at the sweat gathered on his handsome face and how it makes his eyes look even brighter and bluer somehow. I love seeing all the confidence in his face whenever we jog, wearing the pride like a glow on his skin.
“Such a long time to be with someone. Eight years. How’d the pair of ‘em do it? Do you think Nadine pays them to stay together? Y’know, so she don’t look bad?”
Bridger, who I still can’t tell if he catches all my jokes or takes every damned thing I say seriously, slowly comes up to me. I see his face turn tender, like he’s debating kissing me right here.
“Hard work and patience,” he decides to answer.
“Hard work and—?” I blow air through my lips. “That ain’t a relationship. That’s a job. You do hard work and have patience to get promoted by your boss, not to sustain a relationship for eight long-ass years. I think they just have good sex.”
“Do we have good sex?” He takes another step toward me. My back is pressed against the window of whatever lucky store we’re in front of. “I think we have some damned good sex.”
My heart’s galloping. I don’t think it’s because of the jog. “We sure as fuck do.”
“I could see us having sex for eight more years. Don’t you?”
“Better be careful before I go bendin’ my horny self over that mailbox right there.”
Bridger grins as he wraps his arms around my back and pulls me into him for a kiss. There’s no damned way I’m resisting that, as I let myself turn into messy putty in his hands, our lips locked.
Eight more years?
Easy as Patsy’s pies.
Before heading back home, we stop at our spot on the corner to get ourselves a pair of smoothies with extra protein. Cuddled up next to each other at the front window, we watch people walk by, going about their day.
Until my phone buzzes with a video call. “Look sharp,” I warn Bridger before lifting the screen. Juni’s cheery face fills it. “How’s my weary Road Trip Barbie doing this fine mornin’?”
“Can’t talk long,” she says, “but I just wanted to tell you—Oh, hey, Bridge!”
He swallows his mouthful and chokes out: “Hey, June!”
“Did you guys just finish up your jog? I don’t do that anymore. Realized it just isn’t for me. Also …” She inclines the phone down slightly, revealing a smooth round hump in her blouse, where her hand gently rests. “Bun-In-The-Oven Barbie is having a little girl!”
“Look at you!” I shout through the phone, ecstatic. Bridger’s eyes twinkle as he gazes at her belly, grinning, likely proud of his buddy Pete becoming a father soon. “She’s gonna be one spoiled girl between us all, I’m tellin’ you. I’m gonna shower that girl with so many dang gifts …”
“Don’t you dare!” She giggles as she brings the phone back to her face. “Did you get the wedding invite? We picked a date. It was a headache. Pete has so much extended family, it was a nightmare getting everyone lined up.”
“Sure did,” I confirm. “And you ought to feel special, because your wedding falls on the same weekend Spruce Fellowship turns fifty-seven years old.”
“Oh, no!” Juni covers her mouth.
“But don’t worry. Trey’s holding the ceremony a day later just for you.”
“Now I feel guilty.”
“He’s proud to do that. Cody can’t miss his buddy’s wedding! And Kansas isn’t too awful far,” I point out with a playful smirk at Bridger, who returns my look with a contented smile of his own. “So he and Cody and the rest of us will all be up there for it. I can’t wait to see my Juni girl get married.”
Her eyes sink with teary happiness. “After all this time. Who’d have thought?”
“I did,” I assure her, feeling emotional suddenly. “You always deserved a prince by your side.”
“That’s so sweet. I mean, I wouldn’t call him a prince, exactly. But oh, you should meet his family. They are darling. They took me right in without any reservation at all. His mom made me a cake for my birthday! I didn’t have the heart to tell her it wasn’t my birthday. I don’t know what Pete told her. It was confusing. But I ate the whole dang thing out of guilt. Well, we did,” she amends as she pats her belly again. “Didn’t we, sweetheart?”