Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 129881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 649(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 649(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“Aw, come on!” CJ yells at the TV. The Alabama game is on.
He’s occupying himself too.
I continue laying down strips of pie dough and weave them over and underneath each other for the top crust, only pausing when the front door opens.
“Hey, darlin’,” CJ says, letting me know it’s Riley.
“Hi, babe. Hi, Jake.”
“Hey.” I don’t look up.
Riley eventually strides into the kitchen and steps close to me, leaning around my arm to watch what I’m doing. “Oo. That looks good. What kind of pie is it?”
“Cherry.”
“I love your little lattice work.”
“Thanks.”
She gently squeezes my arm. “I’m sure he’s okay, Jake,” she whispers. “Just try and stay positive.”
I don’t say anything back.
Riley pads down the hallway and CJ follows behind her.
I brush a mixture of egg and milk on the pie crust because the recipe tells me to, then I pop the pie into the oven and set the timer.
Now what.
What the fuck am I going to do for forty minutes?
I take my time cleaning up the mess, hand washing every dish I used and whatever else was left in the sink. I wipe down the counters and sweep flour off the floor. Then I hang up the apron on the hook by the pantry and check the remaining time on the stove.
Twenty-eight minutes.
I want to fucking scream.
Instead, I pull out one of the stools and take a seat at the island.
CJ eventually walks down the hallway wearing his uniform. His shift starts at four o’clock.
“You know I’ll call you if I find out anything,” he says.
“Yeah, I know.” I spin my phone on the granite.
Someone knocks on the door, and CJ and I both look at each other for the briefest second before I’m flying off the stool, knocking it over, and rushing to answer it. I feel my brother at my back. He hurried over too.
Ben and Luke stand on the porch.
“Jesus fuck!” I shout, knocking into my brother as I stomp away.
I take a seat on the arm of the couch and glare at the floor.
“I think that was directed toward you,” Ben jokes.
“Probably,” Luke grunts.
“Don’t take that personal,” CJ says. “We still haven’t heard anything. It’s a little tense in here.”
“Tense?” I lift my eyes. “Understatement.”
Ben and Luke move inside then, and CJ shuts the door behind them.
They’re both dry, so I guess it finally stopped raining. Funny how I haven’t been paying attention to the weather anymore.
I’m betting a fucking tsunami could hit and wash away the house and I wouldn’t even blink.
Luke looks over at me. “We got the other units keeping an eye out. It hasn’t been just us. If anyone spots him, you’ll know.”
I nod once, and maybe I don’t need to beat this guy’s ass after all. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”
Ben sniffs the air. “Damn. What’s that smell?”
“I’m baking a pie.”
Ben and Luke both stare at me.
“What?” I ask.
“He bakes a lot,” CJ shares.
“Really,” Ben says, genuine interest in his voice.
“It’s a sobriety thing. It keeps me busy.”
Luke arches a brow at me. “What kind of pie?”
“Cherry.”
“Nice,” Ben and Luke say in unison.
My gaze bounces between the two of them. CJ chuckles.
“Do you want some when it’s ready?” I slowly ask.
They look at each other, then back at me, both of them nodding together.
“Yep,” Luke says.
“Yeah. I definitely do,” Ben shares.
“You’re both getting dad bods,” CJ cracks.
“The fuck I am.” Luke runs a hand down his flat stomach.
Ben doesn’t seem to give a shit, and claps CJ on the back, grinning. “You’re next, Tully.”
The doorbell rings.
I don’t even fucking flinch this time, and I stay exactly where I am—I don’t get up. Not even when CJ peers back at me before opening the door.
“It’s probably for Riley,” I mumble. “Or one of you dipshits.”
I scrub at my face as Ben says, “Holy shit, man. What’s going on?” (told you) and Luke greets whoever it is with a “Long time no see,” and I’m actually glad I’m not expecting Felix to show up here anymore.
I’m already so fucking low at this point. I don’t know what would happen if I sank any lower.
“Jake,” CJ says.
I drop my hands and look up at Dean.
Holy fuck. It’s Dean.
Breath rushes out of my lungs, and I’m up off the couch and moving toward him, and I say his name, “Felix,” that’s all I can say. I want to say so much more—where is he and have you seen him, is he’s okay, oh god, please tell me he’s okay, but I don’t need to ask Dean anything, because CJ moves aside and then I’m staring right at Felix.
I stop moving.
He looks tired and so sad. His eyes are red and wet and there’s deep dark smudges beneath them. His pale skin is somehow washed out, like he’s been awake for days. He seems smaller than I know he is and nervous. So nervous. And his curls are curlier than usual and messy, but so fucking perfect. I should tell him that.