Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 138588 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138588 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“Not what I said.”
“No, but you felt it,” Wyatt countered.
This. This was why he didn’t talk. Talking always got a man in trouble. When one kept one’s mouth shut, no one asked questions. Oh, sure he’d get the “is anything wrong” question in the beginning, but after a few taciturn nos, people usually stopped asking.
“You think I’m running off with Sabrina and now I’ll steal your dog and you’ll be all alone.” Wyatt somehow managed to make the words sound like an accusation.
“I absolutely did not say anything of the kind.” He hit on the one thing he could hang on to. There had been one disagreement they’d had all weekend long. “I want it known Bella shouldn’t be fed scraps. I don’t want you taking up Sabrina’s bad habits. It’s not good for her belly.”
Bella whined. Like the damn dog knew he was talking about all the treats Sabrina had been sneaking her and they would never come again.
Or she was reacting to his harsh tone.
“Sure,” Wyatt agreed.
They were silent for a moment. A nice moment. A peaceful moment.
“You know I’m not abandoning you, right?” Wyatt asked, his tone soothing.
Why was Roger taking so fucking long? Sure it was a dangerous road and he was in a large, unwieldy vehicle towing another vehicle, but he could pick up the pace. “You seem to be ready to stay forever. You were only supposed to be around a couple of nights, you know.”
If he’d offended Wyatt, he couldn’t tell. Wyatt merely adjusted his seatbelt and relaxed back. “Well, I wouldn’t have stayed if your place wasn’t so nice. I think you might be lonely if I left. It’s almost like you fixed the cabin up for a family.”
Where the hell was that coming from? “I did not. The only thing I renovated was the bathroom. I wanted a proper shower.”
He’d explained his reasons. Childhood trauma. The second bathroom he’d added was also from the childhood trauma of sharing one bathroom with five people at times. Humans weren’t meant to live that way.
“And you redid the kitchen,” Wyatt pointed out.
He forgot so many things. “Because you whined so much.”
“And built the dining room table,” Wyatt continued.
“I like to build things.” He wasn’t sure what the man was going on about. It was a hobby. It wasn’t like longing or shit.
Wyatt wasn’t through. “And the coffee table, and I would be surprised if it was your grandad who bought the plates and glasses.”
“I got a deal at the Restaurant Depot in Colorado Springs.” Why was Wyatt poking at him? Even assholes needed plates. Matching ones. Pretty ones.
Wyatt’s shoulders shrugged. “Well, all I’m saying is the place is nice. Way nicer than anyone would think.”
It had been so much better when they barely talked. He should let this go. Let it go, and Wyatt would stop talking if Sawyer shut his yap. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“All I’m saying is people would be surprised how nice the place is since you seem determined to make them think you’re some kind of hermit with no care for anything except…” Wyatt seemed to think for a moment. “I actually don’t know what they think you care about. The bar. The businesses. Money. They think you only care about money. Holy shit. You’re modeling yourself after Scrooge.”
And they’d ventured into the ridiculous. “I am not.”
“Is it from the one with the Muppets or McDuck?” Wyatt asked, proving he’d skipped high school English.
“I am not Scrooge.” He wasn’t. He didn’t really care about money, but what the hell else was he supposed to do besides work? It was what his grandfather had taught him. The only time he’d been away from work was the year and a half he’d followed his idiot brother around. “And don’t start calling me Grinch either.”
“Why not?” Wyatt asked with a shrug. “According to your reputation around town you hate Christmas.”
Damn it. He ran out of a Christmas party shouting nope one time and this was what he got. “I don’t hate Christmas. I just don’t think about holidays much. For a bunch of years my friends weren’t around during the holidays. After my grandfather died and my brothers left, I depended on my friends, and then they were gone, too. Ty worked two jobs. Lucy dealt with her family, and they were a handful. I used to spend time with River and her dad, but he died and she went on the run with Jax when the CIA was trying to catch him and vivisect him.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
It was good to know Wyatt hadn’t figured out everything, but Sawyer waved him off. “Long story. That dude’s from another universe, and it’s dangerous there. But it’s all good now. They’re all happy and back in Bliss.”
Wyatt just kept going. “But you didn’t spend last Christmas with them. I should know because we split a rotisserie chicken, can of green beans, and a six-pack of beer.”