Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 49239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49239 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Zane nods. “Just tell me what I need to do.”
I can’t believe this is the same kid who was hostile to me just a couple of weeks ago. It’s kind of heartbreaking that he wants supportive male figures in this life so much, and he doesn’t seem to have any. Already, I want to tell him that the end of the hours he has to work for me won’t be the end of me wanting to do stuff with him.
His bedroom isn’t a separate room down in the unfinished basement; it’s just a full-size bed on a carpet remnant with a dresser off to the side. It does the job—he has a space of his own. I admire the hell out of Tess for her tenacity as a single mom. She busts her ass, making the best life she can for her kids, but who takes care of her?
“I’ve got a question for you,” Zane says, clearing his throat.
I pass him my drill. “Set that down for me. And sure, what’s up?”
“So...I’m not asking for me or anything, but I have a friend who wants to ask someone out. What’s a good way to do that?”
Ah, he has a friend. I don’t think he’d respond well to me calling him out, so I play along.
“Did your friend say whether this is someone who has shown interest in him?”
“Yeah, definitely. She smiles at him all the time and compliments him. Tells him he’s smart and stuff like that.”
“Cool. So tell him it’s best to do it when he’s alone with her, and it’s best to ask her in person. Not with a text. And a lot of women like a guy who makes them laugh. I’ve had lots of women say yes when I broke out a cheesy pickup line, as long as I make sure she knows I’m being tongue in cheek, you know?”
“Yeah.” He drops his brows, looking confused. “I mean, kind of.”
I stand up, giving him my full attention. “Okay, so you have to be smiling when you use this tactic. It has to be clear you’re not being serious. But you just walk up to her, with your chin up, nice and confident, and say something like, ‘Hey girl, is your name Wi-Fi? Because I think we have a connection.’”
He cringes and laughs. “Really?”
“Yeah, women love a man who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Who makes them laugh. You just give her your most confident smile and say, ‘Hey, is your daddy a beaver? Cause damn.’ And then when she’s laughing and relaxed, you say, ‘When can I take you out?’”
“Okay.”
“Hey, dinner’s ready!” a female voice calls down the stairs.
It’s not Tess’s voice, so it must be her sister Cam. Zane and I head up and I’m relieved to see Tess clearing stuff off the small kitchen table when we get there.
“Hey, how are you?”
“Fine,” she says tightly.
Fuck. She’s still pissed. Hannah’s over at the stove and I approach her.
“Hannah, I’m really sorry I didn’t make it to your performance.”
“It’s okay. I know you can’t help it that your teammate got sick. Is he doing better now?”
“Yeah, he’s getting a little bit better every day. They think he’s fighting some sort of infection.”
Cam passes me a plate. “From what I saw on the news, it sounds like he was in really bad shape. It’s good that you guys stopped when you did.”
“Yeah, it was looking bad there for a little while.”
One of Cam’s twins looks over at me as he puts a hot dog into a bun. “Have you ever punched anyone in the nads?”
“Tate,” Cam scolds.
“What? Hockey players get into fights where they punch each other.”
Tess walks over. “Let’s not discuss nads at dinner, okay?”
“After dinner?”
I ruffle his hair, not letting on how amusing I find him. “I’ve been in all kinds of fights.”
“During games,” Tess says emphatically.
I arch a brow at her, an unspoken moment passing between us. I’ve been in other fights, too, but I get her not wanting me to encourage her nephews to fight.
“Are you going to make a plate?” she asks me.
“I’m just waiting for you guys.”
She waves a hand. “No, go ahead.”
I shake my head. “No, you guys go first.”
She puts a hot dog on her plate and then scoops some tots onto it with a spatula. Once everyone has made a plate, the kids and Cam crowd around the tiny kitchen table, Tess standing.
I stand next to her. “Thanks for dinner.”
“It’s just hot dogs and tots. We’re not very fancy in this house.”
“I love hot dogs and tots.”
Things are awkward as fuck between us. I can feel how pissed off she is at me, but I don’t want to say anything with everyone else in earshot.
I want to make up for not making it to Hannah’s performance and show Tess I’m not the asshole she thinks I am. An idea pops into my head and I immediately put it out there.