Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
She went straight to the coffeepot and poured herself a large mug. Breathing in the bitter scent made her feel better. All last night and all morning, she had tried not to think.
Eloise refused to think about Beau. The bastard rancher, and stupid asshole wolf. There was no way she was going to spend another minute thinking about him, talking about him, or anything.
“Are you okay, honey?” Wendy asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You’re sure? You’re glaring across the room and I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of fearing for my wall. If looks could kill, you could demolish that wall without even thinking about it.”
“Sorry, I have a lot on my mind.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Wendy asked.
“No.”
“That’s not like you.”
“Sorry, I just … it’s fine. You know.”
“It wouldn’t happen to be guy trouble, would it?” Wendy asked.
She snorted. “No, why do you think it would be guy trouble? I mean, I’ve done nothing.”
“Sweetheart, you’re twenty-five years old, and I know there is going to come a time when you’ll have a boyfriend, and you’re going to want your own life. Trust me, I’m not waiting for that to happen or anything. I know it’s coming. You look a lot like your sister did when she discovered her first boyfriend was cheating on her.”
“I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Is there anyone you like?” Wendy asked.
“No, there is no one in No Wolves Road.”
This time, her mother did laugh. “Oh, honey, you’re so wrong about that.”
“Yeah, right. Trust me, I’m not. Either they’re a wolf—which means they don’t stay long-term, so you’re looking at a brief, a very, very, very brief relationship—or, they’re like the guys who’re not even interested in you when the female wolves come around. There is no one.”
“So, what are you saying to me, that you’re considering leaving No Wolves Road?”
It wasn’t where she was going with her thoughts, but it didn’t sound like a bad idea. “I don’t know what I’m saying.”
“You didn’t go out last night, did you?” Wendy asked.
“No, I didn’t. I stayed home and listened to the sounds of the howling, like the good little girl I am.”
“Morning rebels,” Dorothy said, coming into the kitchen via the back door. She looked like she had just rolled out of bed.
“Morning, honey.”
Eloise watched as her sister walked up to their mom and kissed her on the cheek.
“Did everything go okay last night? Nothing for us to worry about or gossip over?” Dorothy asked.
“Everything was fine.” Eloise took a large gulp of her coffee just as her sister walked in front of her. “What?”
“I don’t know, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but you look different.” Dorothy pursed her lips. “Have you done something different with your hair?”
“No.”
“Maybe it’s your bad attitude.”
“I don’t have a bad attitude.”
Dorothy laughed. “Yeah, you do.” Her sister sighed. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“Are you heading to the grocery store today?” Wendy asked.
“Why?” Eloise asked.
Both her mother and sister looked toward her.
Clearly, the way she’d asked had been different than usual. “Ugh, sorry, I just had a rough night last night. Why do you want to know?”
“Well, it’s Friday and you love going grocery shopping, and you always ask for the kitchen on the weekends.”
“Right, right,” Eloise said, and forced a smile to her lips. “Maybe the whole full moon thing is not just affecting the wolves. I better get going.”
“You’re not going to eat breakfast?” Wendy asked.
“No, I’m not very hungry.”
She poured her coffee into a travel mug. Smiled at her mother and sister, aware they were staring at her with concern.
She needed to get the hell out of the house, and maybe even out of town. Last night had messed with her head, and she didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. They would know what she did last night, and the truth was, she wanted to forget it.
Who wanted to remember the first time with a guy, as he took her virginity, and you screamed in pain, that he growled, yelled at you for not telling him, and then without another word, left?
That was exactly what Beau did to her.
Climbing into her truck, she slammed the door closed, took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled it out.
“It’s fine,” she said.
She started up her truck and pulled out of the driveway. The curtain on the house twitched and she had a feeling her sister or her mother were watching her leave.
Keeping calm, she pulled out of the small driveway and then headed in the direction of the supermarket. Only, when she got to the supermarket, she kept driving, and continued to drive until she found the sign for parking up the road. When she got there, she turned left, and then headed up the small incline, and came out on a dried dirt stop for cars. No one was around, and she put her truck in Park.