Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 93713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
“Food fight!” A roar sounded from the front of the room, where a bunch of people was gathered. Empty tables and knocked-over chairs littered the space closest to the door, and I jumped over a few obstacles on my way into the fray.
“Food fight?” My eyes flew open as my brain struggled to process that this wasn’t a scene in the movie but rather three grown-ass adults standing near one of the snack tables hurling food at each other, a circle of people around them.
“Security!” I bellowed, not that it did much good to stop the yelling. “What the heck is going on?”
“Dude here looked at my girl wrong.” An insolent young man who could use a whole boot camp’s worth of manners held a large cherry pie. He was dripping with some liquid, maybe lemonade or another beverage. “And then she looked back.”
“As one does, Rodney.” A highly agitated twenty-something woman stomped her high-heeled shoe as she held an empty pitcher. Didn’t take a genius to figure out how Rodney got wet. “Sometimes a smile is simply a smile.”
“Yeah, man. Dial it down. Let your lady make her own choices.” Another guy spoke up, a slick fellow wearing a formerly white dress shirt and a whole lot of pie. “You’ve got issues.”
And with that, he hurled a slice of lemon meringue at the jealous boyfriend. And missed because, of course, he did, hitting an older woman instead.
“Hey now!” I kept my authoritative tone, but the woman was already reaching for an apple pie.
“Don’t you dare,” Avery yelled, which made both pie holders whirl toward us. “Don’t make me restrain your asses.”
“Watch your mouth, young man.” The silver-haired woman adjusted her dripping glasses with one hand.
“Yeah, dude, who made you in charge?” The guy who’d instigated the whole thing sneered at Avery. “I could take you.”
“The hell you could.” Avery was doing a piss-poor job of managing the scene, making me wish I’d left him at our station. “I’d like to see any of you try.”
Oh, Avery. I groaned internally right as Angry Guy unleashed his pie at Avery. Instinctively, I stepped in front of Avery, shoving him out of the way, taking a face full of cherry filling for my efforts.
“What are you doing?” The other guy sent another slice of lemon meringue flying, which made Avery dodge. Smack. The pie hit squarely between my shoulder blades.
“Young men. You need to cut out this nonsense.” The older woman aimed her pie at the first man, but the throw fell short. Like way short. Like right into my chest short.
“Who you throwing pie at, grandma?” Jealous Boyfriend apparently had a death wish.
“All right. I’ve had enough of your mouth.” Moving swiftly, Avery took out the dude with one clean move, getting him on the ground with his arms behind his back, wrists smashed together in Avery’s left hand.
“Remind me never to piss you off.” Despite my layers of pie goop, I smiled at Avery before scowling at the crowd. “Who’d like to be next? Anyone else want escorting out?”
“You can’t throw me out.” The dude on the ground hadn’t lost an ounce of attitude. “I’m gonna press charges. Excessive force. Think you dislocated my shoulder.”
“You asking me to try?” Avery glared at the guy and tightened his grip.
“My dude, you are barking up the wrong tree.” I made a clucking noise. “You’ve just pissed off a SEAL, and I, for one, am not gonna stop him when he tries one of the dozens of ways he can make you cry. In fact, I’d love to tell the cops how you started this whole thing.”
“No fucking way is he a SEAL.” The guy barely got the insult out when Avery did something with one of his knees, making the man go from cocky to high-pitched yelping. “My balls. Fucker. Ow.”
“You ready to leave the premises?” I kept my voice all casual like I was totally bored by what Avery was doing. “Or should I let Petty Officer Haskins practice more moves?”
“Okay, okay, I’ll go. Come on, Shelia.” He squirmed as Avery yanked him to standing, already steering him toward the doorway.
“Fuck no.” The woman at the center of the incident shook her head. “You think I want your toxic ass now? We’re done.”
“Smart choice.” I gave her a stern smile. “Don’t change your mind.”
“Oh, I won’t. Even if I have to have Valentine’s alone.”
From the cafeteria doorway, Avery turned back, expression going from homicidal to sympathetic. “I know the feeling.”
Please, Avery, don’t ask her out. Not that I was desperate to keep our plans, but I knew a fucked-up situation when I saw one. I wiped some pie filling from my face and tried to catch his gaze. However, before I could, the second guy spoke up.
“Beautiful, you definitely don’t have to be alone. I’m single, and I know how to treat a lady.”