Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“What would they be up to? I don’t see what game this could be.”
“I wonder if Mom and Dad asked them to watch out for us. I swear if there are men showing us any attention, they pop up and ruin it. Party killers.”
Briar is right. Last spring break, we were on the beach lying out and two guys came up to talk to us. Out of nowhere, one was hit in the back of the head with a football, and the guy’s drink spilled all over me and Briar. I’m not sure which Monroe brother threw it, but they gave a half-assed apology to the two guys, who all but ran away from us afterwards.
Briar managed to invite them to a party we were having before one got hit, but they didn’t show. Not that it mattered, because Heath and Mace busted it up. As soon as they entered the house, all the girls tried to get their attention, and I got pissed and went to my room.
Briar ended up screaming at them, but the twins shrugged it off as if they’d done nothing wrong. Maybe they didn’t and it was my fault for being in a shitty mood because women go after Heath. It’s not like he can help it, and he doesn’t exactly encourage it either.
“It doesn’t matter.” I close my laptop and put it into my bag. “I have to go to work either way.” I also need to move past these feelings. Maybe time with Heath might help that since it can’t possibly make it worse. Right?
“Maybe I’ll pop in for lunch.” Briar smirks. Oh, this is not good.
“You packed my lunch.” I pick it up off the kitchen island, and she snatches it out of my hand before tossing it in the trash.
“Hey,” I laugh. “That was a perfectly good lunch.” Not to mention it’s a reusable lunch container.
“I’ll get it out and put the food away. It was more about the point.”
“I have to be professional,” I remind her.
“I don’t have to be shit.” Briar scoops a kitten up from off the ground and pets it with an evil smile on her face. As evil as she can manage with dimples.
“I’ll text you. Retract the claws.”
“Never,” she hisses as I walk out the door and wonder if I should have changed my outfit.
I shake the silly thought away. If Heath hasn’t wanted me before now, nothing will ever change that. Even if he did want me, it would never be right between us.
At one time he didn’t want me, and that’s not the forever kind of love I’m looking for.
FOUR
HEATH
“You’re here early,” Mace says to me, and I raise an eyebrow at him. “Okay, so I’m here early too.”
“Unless that extra coffee in your hand is for me, you can go.”
He smirks as he places it on my desk. “It’s for you.” He takes a sip of his own and then gives me another knowing smile. “Excited to see Meadow?”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure Briar will show up at some point today,” I say, and his smile drops as he becomes serious.
“Do you really think she will?”
“You know as well as I do that the two of them can’t be apart for more than a few hours.”
“Unlike some people we know,” he deadpans.
I know he’s talking about the two of us being just as bad, but I choose to ignore his statement. “I’ll page you the moment she arrives,” I offer, and he nods.
“See you then.” Mace turns toward his office, and I grab the coffee he left behind.
With my drink and my laptop in my hand, I go to the boardroom where we’re having our meeting today. After letting our staff know what to set up, I pace back and forth for what feels like eternity. Then at exactly nine on the dot, the door to the boardroom opens.
Meadow walks through the door, and it’s like the rest of the world melts away. It’s always been this way no matter how long I force myself to stay away from her. Lately it’s becoming impossible, so seeing her here today soothes an anxious presence inside of me. The more I’m around her, the less I want to be away from her.
I might be a little cocky as I walk over to greet her, but that’s to be expected. It’s kind of our thing at this point, and knowing I’ve got her all to myself for as long as this project goes on is making me very happy.
“Looks like it’s just the two of—” My words are cut off as someone else comes through the door carrying a laptop bag and holding a portfolio.
“Is there a restroom close by? I’ve got IBS,” the man says as he places his items on the table and begins to unpack.