Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Never settle down, split when you want to. Yeah, that sounds like you.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. “That’s gettin’ old. I have heaps of explanations for everything that went down this summer—you just don’t wanna hear them. It’s like you need me to be the bad guy. But I got news for you, buddy. You’re not so fuckin’ innocent.” With those words, I shut the door and stalked toward the RV.
Asshole.
He was the last person I saw before bed, the last one on my mind. And the first one I thought about when I woke up, then the first I saw too.
Newly showered, moderately hungover, and with a carrier full of two lazy fur balls, I yawned and left the RV and—fuck. I had to go back. I almost forgot Teddy’s gift.
Take two.
“You’re not makin’ a move to change seats,” I noted, opening the door to the back where I could strap in the carrier.
“Correct. It’s possible you still have alcohol in your blood.”
“Or you like my truck more than you like me.”
He laughed through a yawn. “That too—definitely.”
Nice.
I rounded the truck and got in, and I was glad I’d brought a bottle of water. Despite having guzzled half a gallon of water and two cups of coffee already, my mouth felt desert dry.
I noticed we were equally ambitious about this morning’s wardrobe choices. I didn’t know where his sweats and hoodie came from, but mine were all about the Bulldogs, including my ball cap.
“What the hell is in that box?” He checked the rearview as he turned the truck around. “It’s huge.”
“Thanks, darlin’, I get that a lot. And you’ll find out soon enough.”
Soph always dreaded my gifts for Teddy, who did the opposite. My birthday presents and Christmas gifts were, in his eyes, epic. And he was right.
I chugged some water and got comfortable. It wasn’t often I got to be the passenger.
Sebastian drove us toward Cedar Valley, and the ride was quiet. I knew we’d left things unsaid last night, but the ball was in his court. If he wanted to talk shit out, he knew where to find me. Today wasn’t the day I pushed for anything.
He kept going, so I figured he was heading for the big-box stores south of town. It was where I did my shopping too. I hadn’t had the time or death wish to consider checking out the malls and shopping streets.
“Oh, so this is Cedar Point.” I peered out the window. This was where Dylan had picked up the RV somewhere. He’d mentioned a showroom. But in between Target, Staples, Old Navy, and a bunch of other big players, it was hard to spot the little ones. “All you need now is a Costco.”
“We have one closer to the border.” He made a turn and reached the parking lot of the grocery store. “Something’s been bugging me since last night.”
“Only since then?”
He sighed, clearly not in the mood for me. “You said I needed you to be the bad guy. Why the fuck would I do that?”
How should I know?
Lord.
“Fuck if I know. Maybe it’s easier for you?” I unbuckled my belt once he’d pulled into a parking space, and I reached between the seats to open the carrier. “You’re the one who was neurotic about lines not being crossed. You kept your distance and got weird if I did anything that might be considered sweet.” I had a feeling the boys would stay in the carrier, but they had the travel pen to tumble around in now. “Oppy, Percy, be good, ya hear? Daddy will be back in a bit.”
Oppy’s ear twitched. That was the only reaction I got.
I suppressed a sigh of my own and climbed out of the truck. God knew I loved those two pups with all my heart, but I missed having a partner. Rosie had been a partner. We’d worked side by side for years.
While Sebastian stewed silently to himself, we headed into the store, and I grabbed a cart.
“Check us out, buying breakfast like an old married couple,” I joked.
He side-eyed me with a slight twist of his lips. “You’d be more like a little brother.”
“Screw you, I’m older.” By a whole year.
“I didn’t say younger.” The fucker patted me on the head.
I elbowed his side and then aimed for the in-store bakery.
The drive to his house was silent too, to the point where I nearly jumped in my seat when he did speak up, about five minutes before we reached his house.
“Last night, you said I wasn’t so innocent either,” he said. “What did I do to you?”
I scratched my jaw.
I’d said that? Christ almighty, I needed to learn how to shut my trap when I was drunk. With the way things were between us, there wasn’t a chance in hell I could be honest with him. The man barely tolerated me. Admitting to him he’d had that kind of power over me…fuck no. The two people I trusted the most in the world were so dang certain that my anxiousness and all those absurd reactions and emotions I’d had this summer were due to feelings. I’d supposedly developed feelings for Sebastian, and while I was a pro at living in denial, the evidence was pretty damning.