Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Shit,” Tate mumbles, dropping his phone unceremoniously to the table.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He runs his hand through his hair. “Carys is just dating an asshole she met at a tailgate party last fall, and she wants to complain about him all the time. I told her I’m tired of hearing it.”
I hide a smile. “Well, I’m sure she’ll stop complaining now.”
Tate rolls his eyes. “She won’t stop until they inevitably break up. Then she’ll date someone new and complain about him. It’s a never-ending cycle with that girl.”
Carys has been Tate’s sidekick since college. They’re essentially the same person in different bodies. Both are good-looking, funny, and surprisingly intelligent once you get past the party-loving exterior. I used to think they’d end up together, but not anymore.
“I need a new best friend,” Tate says.
“She tried that once, and you melted down. Remember?”
He grins. “I didn’t melt down.”
“That’s not what she said.”
He glances at his phone screen, then turns it face down on the table. “Are we still going golfing on Saturday?”
“No, Gannon called it off. He has a meeting in Atlanta, and Renn wants to spend all the time he can at home with his family before the Royals acquisition goes through.”
“How’s the baby, anyway? I need to go over and see that little shit before he forgets that I’m his favorite uncle.”
“He can’t forget something he never knew.” I smile. “Arlo is growing like a weed. Every time I see him, he changes. He has huge hands like Renn and his mama’s lips. And he’s lost all his hair.”
“Really? Is that normal?”
I shrug. “I don’t fucking know. They don’t seem too worried about it, and Renn worries about everything. So I guess it’s all right.”
“Do you think you’ll have kids someday?”
I stretch my legs under the table and think about his question. I always expected that I’d have kids. Holding Renn’s son makes me think it would be amazing to have a little guy of my own. But after these past couple of years with our family, I’m not so sure I want to risk it anymore.
“Maybe,” I say, wincing. “What about you?”
“I want ten of them.”
I snort. “Ten? Really?”
“It’s a good even number, and it’s just four more than all of us. Think how cool it would be if there were four more of us after me. That’d be great.”
“Would it, though? You’ve lived your life as the baby of the family. Four more, and you’re suddenly a middle child. That might change your mind about things.”
“Yes, I think it would be great. Phenomenal, really. I’ve been thinking about having kids a lot lately,” Tate says.
“You might want to think in order.” I take a drink, enjoying the cool liquid slide smoothly down my throat. “Better find a good woman first.” Someone extremely patient to deal with my brother and his craziness.
He points at me. “And that’s why I haven’t gotten started yet. I can’t find the right woman.”
“Yeah, well, me either, but I’m also not looking.”
“I could hook you up with one of Carys’s friends,” Tate offers. “She has some hot ones, you know.”
“Yeah, I know.”
His offer hangs in the air between us.
The idea of hooking up with one of Carys’s friends doesn’t really do anything for me. Sure, they’re all gorgeous, and I don’t doubt that I’d have a good time. But every time I’ve hung out with her circle, it’s been … boring. There’s nothing to talk about. No spark. Nothing that keeps me up at night.
I don’t know what it is that’s causing my dry spell, but I’m definitely in one. That’s concerning, but it’s even more concerning that I don’t really care.
“They’re not my type,” I say.
“Since when?”
“Since … now.”
He nods as if he’s deciding whether to worry about me.
“I know that sounds crazy,” I say. “But I just don’t vibe with that group. They’re great girls from what I can tell, but … maybe I’m getting old.”
“You’re thirty,” he deadpans.
I shrug.
“When was the last time you had a date?” he asks.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve seen a few women here and there. It’s not like I’ve vowed celibacy or anything.”
“When was your last steady girlfriend?”
“The end of last year, I think.”
He watches me pointedly.
“Look, I know what you’re thinking,” I say with a sigh. “But I’m just … I’m tired of dating. I’m tired of trying to convince someone that I’m worthy of their time. I’m sick of the entire song and dance of spending time with someone I don’t care about when I could be alone doing something I love.”
“Like what?”
“Hanging out with Waffles, taking him to the pet store for new puppy toys.”
Tate laughs. “I can’t with you.” He glances at his phone again and sighs. “Okay, I need to go. I haven’t even been home yet and am on the verge of crashing.”