Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
“Then why are you still on my block? It’s bad enough I have to see you all week.”
The dumb-shit’s smile widened. Was he really enjoying my insults, because I had plenty to hurl his way if he wanted…
“Josie invited me to stay for coffee.”
I looked over at her. “Better watch it. I hired him for a set of extra hands on a job three years ago. I can’t get him to stop coming back.”
She shook her head with a smile. “Would you like to join us for coffee, too, Fox?”
While I hated the thought of the two of them alone together, I hated myself more for the way I’d been acting this morning. So I begrudgingly declined. “Got shit to do.”
I turned to get back into my car, realizing I still had the mailbox in my hand. Scowling, I held it up without looking back. “I’ll pick up one of these, too.”
The rest of the morning I spent stewing while running errands. I went to get my oil changed, hit the nursery to pick up tomato plants I was late getting into the ground, stopped at the grocery store, and then went to the home-improvement store for a new showerhead to replace my leaky one. While I was there, I ordered Josie a new mailbox and stopped over in the decking section to get some prices for her rotted deck. I was gone more than three hours, so I didn’t expect to see Porter’s truck when I returned. Unfortunately for me, that wasn’t the only thing I saw.
“What the hell are you doing?” I cut across my grass and met a shirtless Porter at the end of Josie’s driveway. He tossed a pile of wood at the curb and wiped sweat from his forehead.
“What’s it look like I’m doing? Getting rid of that rotted deck out back.”
“But why?”
He shrugged. “I saw the ACE bandage around Josie’s ankle, and she told me what happened the other night. I offered to give her a hand.”
I had no right to feel territorial, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to shove Porter into his car and finish the job myself.
“She’s not one of your fuck buddies, Porter. You should leave her alone.”
“I thought you weren’t into her?”
I folded my arms across my chest. “I’m not. But she’s been through a lot. She doesn’t need a Porter Tobey hump-and-dump special right now.”
“It’s not like that. I like her.”
I clenched my jaw so hard, I was surprised I didn’t break a tooth. “Let me unload my truck and I’ll give you a hand.” Translation: The sooner it’s finished, the sooner you’re out of here.
“It’s fine. I’m almost halfway done.”
“I’ll be over in a few.”
I tossed the bags from the trunk in the house and quickly changed into some work clothes. Unlike lover boy, I wasn’t going to be stupid and carry planks of wood wearing shorts, no shirt, and a pair of fucking flip-flops.
Next door, it appeared I was the only one who’d changed to do some work. Josie was still in the skin-tight yoga getup she’d been wearing early this morning. The only thing she’d changed was adding a pair of work gloves. I frowned, not because I didn’t appreciate the outfit, but because I wasn’t the only one doing the appreciating. Josie bent to pull up a plank, and Porter’s eyes followed. I cleared my throat to give him the courtesy of knowing I was coming. He was lucky he got a warning and it wasn’t my fist.
Josie leaned back, holding onto the plank, putting her weight behind it to try to pull the board up. I shook my head and went behind her.
“What do you think is going to happen when this comes up or snaps in half with you leaning like this?”
“I think there’s going to be one less piece of rotted wood.”
I pointed to the Adirondack chairs that sat at the edge of the lake. “Go sit.”
“You can’t tell me what to do like that.”
“You hurt your ankle two days ago. You shouldn’t be leaning on it, and definitely not hauling heavy wood out to the curb.” I lifted my chin to Porter. “We’ll finish it up.”
“No, Fox. It’s not that I don’t appreciate all your help, because I do. You’ve been a lifesaver, if I’m being honest. But I don’t like the tone you just spoke to me with.” She tucked her chin and deepened her voice. “Go sit! I’m not a dog, you know.”
I sighed. Here we go again. “How would you like me to ask, Josie?”
“I don’t know. Just don’t order me to do something. It’s rude.”
I took a deep inhale. “Fine. Why don’t you go sit, and we’ll finish this up so you don’t make your ankle worse?”
She smiled. “That was very nice. But I think I’m good. I don’t need to sit.”