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)
And it is okay.
A fair amount of morning sickness is quite normal – according to both Val and Fred.
All of a sudden, a gust of cold air enters the shop from the door opening, shifting our attention over to a sight I damn sure didn’t have on my BINGO card for today.
Jolene warmly greets the woman across from me, “Hey, Posie.”
She politely waves and offers her a cordial grin. “Hey, Jolene.”
Her glare grating itself across my lazily dressed frame precedes a wordless sneer that I don’t give her the satisfaction of returning.
Unlike Kid who gets noticeably tense over a man our boyfriend has never been into, I can’t even be remotely bothered by his actual ex.
What’s there to get my thong in a twist over?
They weren’t actually that into one another.
From what I’ve heard – courtesy of Kid as well as Posie – is the situation was convivence that lasted a little too long, and honestly?
A lot of people go through that.
Hell, Val like just ended shit with the barista that she had been banging simply because of his easy accessibility of working directly across the street from her practice. Apparently, he was barely in college – legal but not go to a bar legal – didn’t have his own car – his dad lent him his work truck – and lived at home with his divorced mother – who still did his laundry.
And what the fuck could make a smart, successful woman like her stick around for almost six months, the jury wonders.
Orgasms.
The boy – evidently – made it rain orgasms and free coffee.
You know most women appreciate free beverages – both acholic and non.
Val claims to be a simple creature outside of the office and sticking around for sex along with caffeine verifies that exponentially.
My point is…I’m not threatened by Jolene because there’s nothing to be threatened by.
What they had was a lot like what Val just gave up.
Suitable for that point in his life.
He’s not there anymore.
He’s somewhere better.
And I’m happy that includes me.
“Let me know if you need help finding anything,” Posie calls out while sliding me another box to wrap across the table. “Or have any questions.”
A grunt of acknowledgement is all she’s offered in response.
Rather than switching over to that “Jingle Bell Thot”, Posie gleefully inquires, “What are we thinking for our meet the ‘rents din with Nolan? Classy? Sassy?” She slams her palms on the counterspace and leans forward. “Sophassy?”
“Is that supposed to be slang for sophisticated?”
“Totes!”
Alright.
Not something I adore about this female.
Her unfortunate language skills tend to lean towards stereotypes I wish weren’t true.
“Casual?” I retort unsurely. “Maybe something that says, ‘pleased to meet you’ but not anything that screams ‘he’s clearly thinking about having sex with me in your bathroom’?”
Posie’s snickers spark my own, yet the scoff of disgust in the background smothers it. “Doubtful that it’s you he’s thinkin’ ‘bout screwin’ in the bathroom, honey…”
The woman across from me shakes her head in hopes I won’t engage; however, I toss an incredulous look over my shoulder at the same time I investigate, “And who are you implying that he is thinking about, Jolene?”
“The same person he was clearly thinkin’ about when we were together.” Additional repulsion spreads across her makeup heavy complexion. “Kipp.”
“That’s true.” I don’t bother batting away a smirk. “He does spend a good amount of time thinking about him too.” Smugness slips into my expression. “And of course all three of us together.”
“So hot,” murmurs Posie under her breath.
“Oh…darlin’…” the red headed headache slowly states. “How are you that dumb?”
“Excuse me?”
“How are you missin’ what is clear as goddamn day?” Her lackadaisical stroll around a rack of sweater dresses suddenly halts. “Those two don’t want you.” She nonchalantly braces her arm against the structure. “They only want each other. You are nothin’ more than a smoke screen to keep the town from talkin’.” Another judgmental glance of my frame is stolen. “And it ain’t workin’ ‘ cause they are talkin’.”
“Let ‘em talk,” is attached to an indifferent shrug. “I know what’s true for us, and that’s all that matters.”
“There is no us, sweetheart. There’s them,” her finger points towards the doors, “and you. And you aren’t needed for there to be a them.”
“Maybe not.” It’s impossible not to sardonically smirk. “However, I am needed for there to be an us, which is what we are, and what you know nothing about.”
An annoyed eyeroll prompts Posie into poking, “Why so bitchy, Jolene? Still pissy that super, mega, rich hot client, called off the wedding with his fiancée, leaving y’all with a gap in the scheduling?”
“Ugh,” she grumbles as she drops her attention back to browsing, “doesn’t help.”
Not her.
But it does further demonstrate Brad is taking my warning seriously.
And he should.
Nothing will stop me from protecting this baby or the men responsible for helping me raise it.