Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 57897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“Come in,” I said, glad I decided to put clothes on before bed.
“Hey, bud,” Carter said from the top of the stairs. “You decent?”
“Yeah.”
“Hey, so, Lauren had a death in the family this morning.”
“Oh no,” I said.
“Yeah. We’re going to go ahead and go out to North Carolina in an hour or so. We’ll be gone for a couple of days. Are you going to be okay here by yourself?”
“Sure. My key opens the lock upstairs too, right?”
“Yeah, it’s all the same lock. And if you lock yourself out, there’s a hidden one under the porch.”
“Okay,” I said. “Tell Lauren I’m sorry about her family member.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I will. Don’t burn the place down.”
I laughed groggily.
“I’ll do my best.”
“Oh,” he said, opening the door again after almost having it shut. “One more thing. The fridge is stocked. I know I told you already, but I wanted to reiterate it. Anything in the kitchen is yours. Lauren over shops on groceries. Don’t worry about eating any of it. Okay?”
“Got it. Thank you.”
“Get back to sleep,” he said. “See you in a few days. I’ll text when we are heading back.”
With that, he closed the door, and I laid my head back down. I expected that I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep and was shocked when I woke up after drifting off. The sun was much higher in the sky, and my room was bathed in yellow light from the widows up near the ceiling. I sat up and pulled my phone over to me. It was almost eleven.
I hadn’t slept more than seven hours in a long time. I stretched and yawned, feeling refreshed.
Shaking off the cobwebs, I went upstairs into the kitchen and took a look around. I was hungry.
There were a handful of things I knew how to make and make well. Among them were breakfast foods. I took a strong interest in cooking TV shows when I was a kid and knowing how to make breakfast seemed like one of those things a man should know how to do. So as a teenager, I did what any boy would do under the circumstances.
I watched a shit-ton of Alton Brown.
Pulling out some mixing bowls and measuring cups and spoons, I started preparing all the items I would need to make the food before actually going through the pantry and fridge to get it. Thankfully, everything I needed to make pancakes, eggs, and bacon was there, and I started preparing the meal. I was halfway through mixing up the pancake batter when my phone dinged with a notification. Assuming it was Carter with some other instruction, I didn’t rush to get it.
When the batter was fully mixed and the griddle was on the stove heating up, I picked up the phone and swore under my breath when I saw who the message was from.
Hey Jason. I was wondering if you were still available to help with the land stuff?
Sure, I typed back. I would love to. I just can’t make it over there today. I am stuck at my cousin’s house since they had to go out of town unexpectedly. I paused and debated typing the next bit. It was taking a risk, but it would firmly decide whether I really had a chance with this girl or if she had relegated me to “the help” when I turned her down last night. If you’re not doing anything else, would you want to come over here for a bit?
There were a few moments of silence as I stood watching the phone. When it showed she’d read the message, the little bubbles that indicated she was typing something kept showing up and disappearing. I could smell the griddle was ready, but I didn’t want to move.
Sounds great, she said. I can be there in a couple of hours. Might be late afternoon. Finishing up some work first. What’s the address?
“Yes!” I shouted into the air, pumping my fist and nearly knocking over the mixing bowl of batter to the floor.
I typed up the address and gave her a fast and loose version of directions and then stuffed the phone in my pocket. I finished cooking up the breakfast and happily went to sit in the dining room to eat. As I ate, I watched a show on my phone and then cleaned everything up in the kitchen.
An idea struck me. I had at least one other meal in my wheelhouse, and I should use it. I could impress her by making dinner for her when she arrived. Carter had mentioned his standing freezer in the garage had bunches of steaks and burgers in it. I began forming a plan to make a steak for her along with a couple of sides as I went down into the bedroom to get ready.