Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 68882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I love you, too. Take care, big guy.”
I finish the last of my chores and poke my head into Rhonda’s office before I leave.
“Have a good week, Rhonda.”
“You too, Ike. Thanks for your help.”
I nod and leave the shelter, get in my truck, and head home for a shower. It’s been a weird fucking day.
I know that I don’t want to be alone, and with Sophie at her family thing today, I decide to call a couple of friends over to blow off some steam in the game room.
Rogers and Malloney are always up for hanging out. They’re also both single and usually available on short notice.
“We’re in,” Rogers says when I call him. “We’re just leaving the training center. We’ll head your way.”
“See you soon.”
I hang up as I pull into the garage and immediately head up for a shower to wash off my morning workout and all the dog and cat hair that clings to me every time I’m at the shelter.
By the time I’m done and dressed, the doorbell rings.
“Good timing,” I mutter as I open the front door to see the guys standing there, boxes of pizza in hand.
“We brought sustenance,” Malloney announces. “I’m going to cream you two at air hockey today.”
“You wish,” Rogers says as we walk upstairs to the game room. “You’re horrible at air hockey.”
“Fuck that noise.” Malloney scowls and opens the first box of pizza and takes a bite. “Why does Harrison look like his mother just died?”
“Huh? I do not.”
“You kind of do, man. Did Sophie already dump you?”
“No. Wait, how do you know I’m dating her?”
“Dude, we all know.” Malloney just winks at me, and I let out a sigh.
“Did you get into some shit in Coach’s office?” Rogers asks.
“No, just politics bullshit.” It’s not a lie.
“There’s always some of that,” Malloney agrees. “Not usually in the off-season, but there’s always some shit floating around.”
“Yeah, well, it’s fine.”
We eat and then play, and to our surprise, Malloney does indeed kick our asses at air hockey.
“Have you been practicing?” I ask him.
“I’m a natural,” he says with a cool shrug. “You assholes just underestimate me.”
Rogers rolls his eyes just as my phone rings.
“You guys go ahead and play; I gotta take this.”
I walk out of the playroom and take Sophie’s call.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Hi.” I can hear commotion and laughter in the background. “Hey there.”
I grin. “Are you still at the party?”
“Yeah. ‘Salmost over, though.”
“You’ve been drinking.”
“They have the cutest mimosa bar I’ve ever seen. Might have had a couple.”
She sounds ridiculously adorable when she’s hammered.
“What can I do for you, Soph?”
“Need you to come get me. I can’t drive.”
I frown. “Someone there should be able to give you a ride. Or is everyone drunk as hell?”
“No, they could, but I don’t want them.” She takes a breath. “Want you. And if you pick me up, it’s considered the third date, and then I can jump you.”
I feel my eyes go wide. “Excuse me?”
“Third date,” she repeats. “I’ll text you the address.”
She giggles and then hangs up, and a few seconds later, a text comes through from her.
Sure enough, there’s the address.
I didn’t know that we were waiting for three dates in order for her to jump me, but I’m not about to argue.
I hurry back into the game room and announce, “You have to leave.”
My friends both blink at me. “What?”
“You have to go. Sorry, I have to go get Sophie.”
“Is she okay?” Malloney asks.
“Fine. Drunk. Needs me to get her. You have to go.”
“We don’t mind waiting for you,” Rogers says, but then sees the look on my face, and he laughs. “He’s trying to get laid.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Say no more,” Malloney says as he grabs his jacket. “Have fun. Be safe. Wear a condom.”
“Thanks for the stellar advice.”
They’re both snickering like middle school boys when they leave out the front door, and then I make a beeline for my truck, plug the address into my maps, and head out.
To my surprise, she isn’t too far away from me. Just a few miles. So, it doesn’t take long for me to arrive at a gated home also on the water.
I push the buzzer, and the gate immediately opens for me. I can’t see the house from the gate, but when I turn a corner, it comes into view, and I whistle long and low.
“Nice digs,” I mutter as I pull up in front of the house.
Sophie’s not out front, so I decide to ring the doorbell.
And when I do, the door is flung open, and I find Meg grinning at me. “You came!”
“That’s what he said,” I hear from someone inside, followed by all kinds of laughter.
“I’m not sure if I should have. It sounds like this is a girls-only party.”
Meg just shakes her head and pulls me through the door. Sure enough, there are at least two dozen women inside, in various states of intoxication.