Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 70554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“Because she can’t steal it from the church’s collection plate?”
“-but is also Annabelle’s assistant. She handles a lot of the property day to day bullshit. Bunch of paperwork crap for the weddings too. She sleeps in the office pullout when she doesn’t feel like making the drive back to Crystal Waters, which technically I guess means she sort of lives here too.”
Jealousy isn’t hidden nearly as well as I imagine it is in my tone. “Do I wanna know why you know all that shit off the top of your head?”
He shifts his beautiful blue stare to my brown. “Because he was her boyfriend before he was ours.”
The little fact lands poorly on my shoulders yet acknowledging it isn’t necessary courtesy of the gathering finally wrapping up.
Unfortunately, the nagging sensation still planted at the back of my neck, doesn’t lighten.
It deepens.
Whoever it is…they’re on the move.
But where?!
Which way?!
Is it that woman in the puke yellow shirt trying to avoid eye contact?
Or maybe that guy with the mullet?
Ugh.
Why are mullets back?
Why are they an “in” thing again?
“Woods,” a male voice calls out from a short distance commanding Kipp’s attention to where the sheriff seems to be headed straight for us. “A word?”
“Kid,” Nolan quietly begins, maintaining his sitting position, “remember what Garcia said.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he juvenilely brushes off. “I know. I’m not actually a child. You don’t have to fucking parent me.”
“I don’t have to spank you either, but I do that.”
There’s no resisting the crooked grin that wants to grow on his face.
Garcia will probably be a touchy subject for a bit longer – along with some control issues they both clearly have – however, I’m grateful anytime the topic is met with humor as opposed to hostility.
As much as I don’t love having to endure jealousy shit, I do appreciate the odd relationship normalcy it brings.
We don’t get to put a lot of shit in the normal column on our spreadsheet.
Fuck me for trying to warmly acknowledge what we can.
Post takes up residence at the end of our row split seconds prior to Jolene passing by, hazel glare shot in my direction not appearing to be the direct cause for my uneasiness so much as simply exacerbating it.
Great.
Because one crazy ex isn’t enough for us to fucking deal with already?
Maybe she’ll just take out her aggression in a more standard nature?
Annoying texts.
Drunk phone calls.
Keying profanity into the side of his truck.
Not that I want her to do the last one.
It would just be better than having her physically try to run him off the road or threaten to drive them both off a cliff because one will not live without the other.
Except Brad is wrong.
I will live without him.
I just don’t know for how long.
Kipp politely greets the thinning haired individual, “Post.”
“Woods.” He states in return and then flashes me a cordial expression. “Ripley.”
“Sheriff.”
“Nolan.”
My other boyfriend offers him a small nod of acknowledgment.
“Could we talk for a moment?” One hand slides into his tan pants pocket. “In private?”
“I’ve been advised by my attorney not to speak to anyone regarding this situation or any other law-related ones without him present.”
Post slowly nods his comprehension. “Does that include the desecration of your mother’s grave?”
“What?!” Flying to the edge of his seat is attached to a croaked, “What happened to my mother’s grave?!”
His expression remains unchanged. “Does that include the desecration of your mother’s grave? That’s a felony offence and felonies are-”
“What. Happened. Post?” Nolan coldly punctuates.
The man in charge of the town, releases a heavy, unhappy sigh, “Someone dug it up.”
“What?!” flies out of all three of us.
“Emptied her coffin.”
“Ohmygod!” airily leaves my mouth prior to cupping it.
“Someone stole The Kid’s mother’s fucking corpse?!”
“They did.” His other hand slides inside the empty pocket at the same time he latches his gaze onto Kipp’s once more. “And they also replaced her headstone with yours.”
Chapter 6
Nolan
I’ve been through a lot with The Kid.
A lot of firsts.
But this isn’t one I wanna experience.
He’s never been this distant.
This quiet.
And he’s damn sure never been both of those things this long.
And not at once.
I fold my arms firmly across my chest and continue to watch him stare at the destroyed gravesite – that we’re not allowed anywhere near – from the wooded tree area he’s seated in.
It’s technically a fucking crime scene.
Vandalism.
Fine.
I get it.
It’s juvenile, but still within the realm of responsibly psychotic.
Grave robbing?
That’s next level fucked up.
That’s hang his rich prick ass from the hook of my tow truck before driving all around town for everyone to see what happens when you mess with those I love.
That I’ve always loved.
And I have.
Long before I wanted to be loving The Kid the way I do now, I loved him.
I took care of him.
I protected him.
He was family.
I didn’t have much of it.
He didn’t have much of it.