Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
My footsteps are heavy. I hope whoever is on my team is ready to carry us because I’m not sure I can get out of my own way right now. I need sleep, but I also don’t want to pass up an opportunity to chill with my friends.
What a pleasant surprise it is when I get downstairs, I find the rich boy gone. In fact, I’m sure I smile at the fact. That is until I see Thea eyeing me. I pretend I don’t see her and go right to the closet to grab my gear and some hockey sticks. I didn’t greet any of my other roommates. Why should she be special?
We get everything set up and teams picked, and half of us take our shirts off. Of course, Jude is on my team, which means it’s my job to score and his job to block this damn yellow ball from crossing the imaginary line. I look behind me and nod toward my goalie, and then face Mike. We tap our sticks three times to start the game. Mike is too slow, and I’ve sent the ball sailing toward Saul, who handles the ball until Mikko frees himself. Saul passes and Mikko sends the ball through the goal. The game goes back and forth, until Jude yells for a break. These guys are overexerting themselves just for bragging rights. I’m content to hang back and let them do all the work.
Thea and Millie are handing out glasses of lemonade. I need to put a wall up between us and decide to stay on the other side of the street. My shoulders are tight and need to be stretched. I put my stick behind my head and hang my wrists over the edge and bend back slightly, to the left, and then to the right. Millie isn’t shy about staring. I know exactly when she says something to Thea about me because her head pops up and she tries to act like she’s not mesmerized by me. It’s comical, honestly. She’s trying to not gawk and keeps looking away. As soon as she does, I dodge behind a car and wait for a second. Through the window of the car, I watch her frantically look for me. With her distracted, I make my way back to the yard and sneak up behind her.
“That for me?” I point to the last glass of lemonade on her tray.
“Sure.” She hands me the glass. I bring it to my lips and drink, never taking my eyes off her. This is probably the best damn glass of lemonade I’ve ever had, and I’m sure it’s because she made it. I really need to put some distance between us because my mind is out of control if I’m judging a fruit drink.
Nope, I’m judging her. Or at least I’m trying not to but each time I glance over, Thea is staring at me. Honestly, I like it. She makes me feel desirable in a way that’s different than when I’m being hit on. Those women are after one thing, which is what I want from Thea and will never have.
Play starts again and after a while the other team scores and I go get the ball from Jude. “I gotta go, man.”
“All right. I’ll call game.”
I walk back to the center and get ready to set the ball down when Jude yells, “Game.” He jumps up and down. We taunt the other guys and give everyone high fives. Devon yells that the house is having a barbeque and I’m instantly pissed. I haven’t seen the douchebag all day, which leads me to believe he’s gone, and while I’d really enjoy the torture of being near Thea, I have to work. I took last night off, and the missing tips will cost me. I head over to where I left my shirt and grab it along with my wallet and keys off the ground.
My car is an older Camry. There isn’t anything fancy about it except the power windows and locks. If I want to listen to music, I have to use an aux cable and if I lock the doors, I have to use a key. No fob for me. I suppose Thea is used to the finer things in life if she’s dating the rich boy. I unlock and open the door, toss my wallet and shirt onto the passenger-side seat.
“Please don’t tell me this means you’re skipping out on mealtime again?”
I glance over the roof and find Thea standing there. I fully expect her to have her hands on her hips in a scolding manner. Even though she looks relaxed, there’s a tightness in her eyes giving me the impression she’s a bit peeved. “I have someplace to be,” I tell her as I slide behind the driver’s seat. “Save me a plate?” I don’t even know why I asked her because I have a feeling she’ll do it regardless, even when I’m being a colossal jerk to her. Everything would be easier if she wrote me off, then I wouldn’t have to try to push her away or keep this concrete wall up between us. Honestly, it’s just for the best.