Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68074 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68074 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
She laughed, a beautiful sound that warmed me to my core.
“When can I see you again?”
She paused, considering. “We’re having a cookout at Macy’s this weekend. I’d really like it if you came.”
“I’m there,” I promised. “Just text me the time.”
“Okay,” she agreed.
We made pleasant conversation for another few minutes, until Tammy had to go. It was so easy talking to her, and everything I said came naturally. In so many situations I had to be on guard, paying attention to the words I was using, making sure nothing sounded too rough or too critical. But with Tammy, I was free to be myself. She liked me for who I was, and I was beginning to think I loved her.
Now I had the cabin in the woods or hoped I would soon. I could invite her up there and cook her dinner, and we could make love on the basement bar. She was so beautiful, I couldn’t wait to get her undressed again. That single phone call with Tammy had given me the strength and focus I needed to complete my day. I worked without incident until my shift ended at seven and then drove into town for some beers.
14
TAMMY
It was the day of the cookout, and I stood in Macy’s kitchen, wringing my hands. I had invited Mike to meet Macy and all of her friends. It had been such a comfortable situation last time we had grilled with Lindsey and Jason, I hoped to witness a repeat of the same chill vibe. I told myself that Mike would fit in.
“Relax.” Macy took one look at me and guessed what I was up to. “If you like him, I’m sure we’ll all like him.”
“I don’t know why I feel nervous,” I admitted.
“Sure you do.” She dismissed my anxiety. “He’s meeting the closest thing you have to parents. And that’s not to say I’m that old, just that we’re your family.”
I laughed. It was true. Macy and Dillon had become so close, they were more like my brother and sister now than my cousins. I needed them to like my new boyfriend. Could I even call him that? We hadn’t had “the relationship talk.” All I knew was that he was important to me, and it was important that my family like him.
Just then, we heard the sound of tires on the driveway. I went outside to see who had arrived so early. It was Mike, in his big pickup truck. I couldn’t help myself; I jogged down the porch steps and flew into his arms as soon as he opened the door. He laughed and caught me up, planting a kiss firmly on my lips. Whatever was between us made it hard to be apart. My soul yearned for him, and the three days I had spent without him had been agony. I didn’t care if he knew that I was head over heels. He would never hurt me; I had earned the right to be vulnerable, and I was going to follow my heart.
I pulled out of the embrace, licking my lips. “Good to see you.”
“Good to see you too,” he said. “I brought some beer and chips.”
“Great.” I held out my hands, offering to take them.
He gave me two bags of chips but kept the beer for himself. Typical man, carrying the heavier stuff. Dillon was already at the grill, cleaning it off and getting it prepped. I led Mike up the slope of the driveway to the side of the house.
“Dillon?” I interrupted.
Dillon turned, setting down his grilling implements.
“This is Mike. Mike, this is Dillon.”
The two men shook hands.
“I brought some beer,” Mike said, holding up the twelve-pack.
“We appreciate it.” Dillon pointed to the cooler.
“I’ll get it.” I grabbed the cardboard beer box from Mike without giving him time to resist. In two hands, I carried it over to the cooler, opened the top, and began fitting individual cans in among the ice. Behind me, I could hear Dillon and Mike getting warmed up.
“Mike…?” Dillon asked.
“Newbury,” Mike supplied.
“Sounds familiar,” Dillon mused.
“My parents own the lumberyard. The only one in town.”
“Oh yeah, that’s it.” Dillon nodded. “I’ve been there.”
“Yeah, I think I’ve seen you.” Mike smiled. “So, you lived here long?”
“Almost ten years.” Dillon went back to scraping the grill.
“I love how isolated it is up here,” Mike said.
I grabbed two beers out of the cooler and walked them back to my guys. Each one accepted the offer with a smile of thanks.
Dillon set the tool down again and popped the tab. “Yeah, you know when I first moved up here, all I wanted to do was get away. I had a bad experience in Nashville. My partner was killed.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Mike empathized.
I felt my jaw drop. I had never heard Dillon say so many words at one time, and something of so much emotional weight at the same time. I had no idea that his partner had been killed or that he’d moved to the cabin to get away from the world. In my mind, he was Macy’s husband, a solid, if quiet, man who worked on the computer and took care of the kids. I didn’t realize he had a whole other side to him. After just five minutes, he and Mike were talking like old friends.