Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
I nod several times.
“It felt like …” Anna chuckles. “It felt like you thought I was nice, and we had a few things in common, and you liked my body, but you didn’t really like my personality.” Her nose scrunches when she glances at me. “But over the past three years, as I’ve thought about it—and I’ve thought about it a lot—I imagined discovering that you loved to sing. It was your passion. And you felt like it expressed your soul. But when you sang for me, I thought you sounded awful.”
I don’t know where she’s going with this, but it’s amusing.
“I wouldn’t have liked you any less. But it would have been hard for me to support your quest to become a rock star wholeheartedly. Does that make sense?”
I shove a wad of fries in my mouth and mumble, “You don’t think I’m a good singer?”
She snorts before sipping her Frosty. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard you sing.”
“Such a crime. I’m pretty good. I can slay Josh Kerr’s Backseats and Burnt CDs.”
Anna’s head tips back in laughter. “Oh my gosh … I needed this. And I’m sure you’re a great singer. You haven’t decided what you want to be when you grow up because you can do anything.” Her laughter simmers, but her grin remains.
It feels warm in my chest, a high like climbing the face of a mountain and standing at the top.
When we return to the house, Anna steps out of the car and hops on one foot to retrieve her crutches from the back seat.
“I could have gotten those for you.”
“My Uber driver doesn’t.” She shoots me a goofy grin over the roof of the car.
“Oh, Anna, I hope you don’t give him a second date if he doesn’t show more chivalry.”
She unlocks the front door. “How did your chivalrousness slip my mind?”
“That’s an excellent question.”
As soon as Anna reaches the recliner, she collapses with a long sigh. I peruse the room's perimeter, inspecting everything on the walls and shelves, but I don’t say anything. Words get me into trouble with Anna. And I didn’t make the trip to offend her. I’m not sure why I made the trip, but I’m here, and there’s no place I’d rather be.
“I’m going to finish a project that’s due in the morning. It should take about an hour. If you brought your suit, you can swim.”
Facing her, I slip my hands into my pockets. “No suit.”
“You could borrow one of Shaun’s.”
“I’ll pass. I’m not a fan of swim briefs.”
With a snort, she narrows her eyes. “What makes you think he wears swim briefs?”
“Just a hunch.”
She shakes her head, a blinding smile on her face. We stare at each other. Explanations have been given. Apologies have been exchanged. Yet, there’s something we’re still ignoring.
“I can’t believe you’re here.”
I shrug it off like I was in the neighborhood and just decided to drop by. “What if I raid the fridge and make us something for dinner?”
“Sure. Good luck with that. I’ve been ordering takeout since Shaun left.”
I have no idea what’s in the kitchen, but I’m determined to make a great meal out of something.
Over the next hour, I busy myself in the kitchen while Anna works on her computer, headphones covering her ears. I hand her a bowl when she slips them off her head and closes her computer.
“Where did you get the pasta?” She stares at the plate.
“Not from the pantry.” I fake a frown while sitting on the sofa with my bowl. “There was a jar of pasta sauce but no pasta. How does that happen?”
She eyes the pasta and then glances up at me again. “So … where did you get the pasta?”
“I made it.”
“What?”
I shrug, twirling the pasta around my fork. “I made it.”
“You made it?”
“Of course. It’s three ingredients.”
Anna looks like I told her water isn’t wet. “We don’t have a pasta maker.”
“I’m the pasta maker. I made the pasta. It’s called two hands, a rolling pin, and a knife. Any more questions?”
Taking a bite, she chews it slowly. “It’s … good.”
“It’s okay. The jarred sauce isn’t the most complementary but works in a pinch.”
“You’re full of surprises.” She grins after licking sauce from her lips.
Two things get confirmed by her reply.
One: I like surprising her.
Two: I like it when she licks her lips.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Anna
Everything this man does is a mating dance.
His smile.
His chivalry.
His spontaneity.
His surprising love of Wendy’s Frosties.
And … he made pasta.
I would never think of making my pasta, so his idea of simplicity is my idea of going the extra ten miles.
“Is it too presumptuous of me to sleep on the sofa? I can get a hotel room.” He yawns, glancing at his watch. It’s nearly eleven.
“You can sleep anywhere you want.” I lower the recliner and sit up straight. When I lift my gaze, Eric gives me a raised brow.