Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“Yeah, remember what happened when you said it would be fun to completely deface the school gymnasium, and that you had watched and the principal didn’t have any kind of sensor or security on the school?” Reese asked.
“First of all, who puts security cameras and alarms around a school? That could have been anyone’s mistake. I was just unlucky. Second, we got off with a warning.” They had always held that little incident against her, even though it didn’t technically go on their permanent record.
“That’s not all the trouble you got us into. Should we even talk about the time in the supermarket?” Dalton asked.
“Then of course, there was the chicken you convinced us was cooked through and that pink was a normal color,” Mitch said.
She glared at them. “I was young, and we all make mistakes.”
“But your track record isn’t exactly flattering,” Reese said.
She growled. “This is not about doing anything stupid or childish. This is about helping our two best friends. I get it, I’ve made a lot of mistakes and suggested things that are not great. I do take full responsibility for all of it, but this isn’t about that. This is about us helping our friends come together.”
Sarah watched as Dalton, Reese, and Mitch shared a look.
“What?” she asked, stamping her foot.
“Why don’t you let them figure this out?” Mitch said.
She shook her head.
Reese got to his feet. “If we meddle, we could mess this up.”
“Do you really think they will do the right thing? This is Nate, he is going to mess it up.”
Mitch blew out a breath. “Nate has never messed anything up and you know how protective he gets of Carly. They seem to be … getting closer. You’ve already told us what you overheard in the kitchen. Why can’t you just let them figure this out on their own?”
She put her hands on her hips and glared at each of the men in the room. “You’re cowards.”
Mitch threw his hands up in the air.
“We’re not cowards, Sarah,” Reese said. “But those two … they’ve been dancing around each other for years. Only they know if they’re going to … you now, figure out that they’ve been in love with each other forever.”
“Why can’t you guys just help me nudge them in the right direction?” Sarah asked. “I want what’s best for them. They will be so good together, and make gorgeous little babies.” She couldn’t help but smile thinking about it. “Come on, it’s like keeping Mom and Dad together.”
She knew the others felt the same way. Carly and Nate were the parents of the group. They did make the best decisions. The only reason she and the guys got off on the whole gymnasium debacle was because Nate and Carly had bailed them out. She also knew it had cost Carly a lot of spare time, helping to tutor the football team for their final exams. Carly never yelled at her, or held it against her. Unlike the three men in front of her.
None of them could argue with her assessment of Carly and Nate. They were the parents they all never had.
“It wouldn’t hurt to see what she has to say,” Mitch said.
Reese looked ready to cave, but Dalton moaned.
“And what if this plan costs us and them some?” Dalton asked.
“It won’t,” Sarah said. “I want them to realize they love one another, and that they have for a long time. Please, just hear me out.”
Chapter Six
Carly didn’t want to leave, but the bar would be opening within the hour, and she really needed to head home to her apartment, change, and then go to work.
“I’ll call in sick for you,” Nate said.
“You can’t do that.”
He pulled her in close, and suddenly she was pressed against the wall and his rock-hard body, which was not a bad place to be. He took hold of her hands and pressed them above her head.
“But I’m not ready to let you go,” he said.
Carly knew she had to be strong, she needed to go to work. She earned a pretty good living, and the tips were also good. The boss wasn’t a creep, and she knew she had hit the jackpot in terms of a job while also working on her writing.
“I’m never late,” Carly said.
“Which is why I could call ahead and deal with it.” His lips went to her neck.
She was fighting him, because this wasn’t right, but it was so hard. It would be so easy to just give in and let him have his way. Not only that, she wanted this as well. His lips felt so good on her neck.
Carly pulled away. “No, I can’t. If I’m going to be a parent, and we’re going to do this properly, then we have to have some ground rules.”
“You do know rules are meant to broken.”