Total pages in book: 190
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
It would have annoyed me if I thought it was a matter of trust; that he didn’t feel certain I wouldn’t leak any of what he shared with me. But that wasn’t the case at all. He simply liked to keep that sort of business separate from everything else. I could—
Laughs sounded as a bunch of guys poured out of the bar in front of which I stood. As my eyes paused on one of them, I stiffened, feeling like I’d been punched in the solar plexus. So many memories surfaced, making my chest cramp and my belly churn like stale milk.
Catching sight of me, the tall, dark-skinned male froze just the same. We stared at each other for a few seconds, saying nothing. I thought he might simply walk away without a word, but then a nostalgic smile tugged at his mouth and he took a step toward me.
“Addie,” he said with a chuckle as he swept me into a huge bear hug—hence his nickname, “Bear.”
A little numb, I weakly hugged him back, mentally scrambling to get it together.
Pulling back, he studied me, a glint of pain in the depths of his eyes. “Jesus, it’s good to see you. I was just thinking about you the other day. I haven’t seen you since—” He cut off, his smile flickering out like a sparkler gone dud.
“The funeral,” I finished in a low voice.
“The funeral.” He cleared his throat and took a small step back as he gave me a quick onceover. “You look good.”
“Thanks, so do you.” Rocking back and forth on my heels, I flapped a hand his way. “How are things going with you?”
“Great. Couldn’t be better.”
“Do you live here in Oakengrove?”
“No, we just wanted to hit one of the bars here,” he told me as he gestured at his companions, who stood at the curb waiting for him.
“Oh, right.”
Rubbing at the back of his neck, he cleared his throat. “Listen, the shit I said at the funeral? I was out of line, I shouldn’t have—”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it ain’t,” he told me, his eyes sober. “I’m sorry, Addie. So fucking sorry.”
I gave him a faint smile. “Apology accepted. I’m sorry for what I said, too. How—” I stopped talking when his gaze drifted to something behind me. I didn’t wonder what had snatched his attention. I could hear footfalls approaching; knew the rhythm of that stride.
A splayed hand settled on my back as Dax sidled up to me, his body language both protective and possessive.
Noticing his blank expression, I said, “This is—”
“Bear,” finished the guy in front of me, holding out his hand. “And you’re Dax Mercier.”
Unsurprised that he recognized Dax, I watched as they shook hands.
“I’m an old friend of Addie’s.” Bear paused, his nose wrinkling. “Not that kind of old friend—I just realized how that must have sounded. She was my best friend’s girl back when we hung out.”
Dax imperceptibly tensed—I wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t been standing so close that I felt his muscles bunch slightly. “I take it you knew each other in college, then,” he guessed.
Bear nodded. “We did.” He looked at me. “I heard about you two and … I just wanted to say that Lake would be happy for you.” He gave me a wan smile.
I would like to think he was right. I would like to believe that Lake would be pleased I’d found all that I’d found in Dax. Though, in the beginning, Lake would for sure have poked my forehead hard and called me all kinds of stupid for marrying someone to honor a damn pact.
One of the guys standing at the curb called out Bear’s name and signaled for him to make his way over.
He gave his friend a quick nod and then slid his gaze back to me and Dax. “Sorry, gotta go. It was nice to meet you, Dax. Take care, Addie, yeah?”
I forced my lips to curve. “I will.” As he jogged away, I let out a shaky breath and then looked up at Dax. “Shall we head back?”
His gaze pinned me with a probing stare. “Yeah. We can go back.”
As one, we turned and began retracing our footsteps.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
I stuffed my hands in my pockets. “Seeing him just … it took me off-guard. But yeah, I’m okay.” Clearing my throat, I faked a smile. “It’s crazy that he doesn’t look as if he’s aged a day. Some of us get all the luck.”
Dax hummed, long and low. “So he was a friend of Lake’s?”
I nodded and sucked my bottom lip into my mouth. “They were very close. Super tight. You hear of best friends being opposites, but they were pretty much the same person. It was almost freaky.”
Another quiet hum, this one pensive. “You felt awkward around Bear just now. Why?”