Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
When Jordan’s done eating, she runs to the kitchen to wash her hands, then to the living room, plopping in front of the television and pressing play on whatever show she’s watching.
“I’m sorry about last night,” I tell Kelsie. Even if that’s not why she’s being distant, I still feel like I should apologize.
“For what?” she says, quickly glancing up at me before turning her attention to her coffee cup.
“Having to leave the party early. Normally, I only work my scheduled shifts, but I was on call so my brother could enjoy Tilly’s birthday weekend.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” she mutters, keeping her eyes trained on the cup. “It’s your job.” She shrugs it off, but her tone doesn’t match her nonchalance. “Besides, it’s not like we made plans. I appreciate you buying the gift. You didn’t have to do that, but you did, and Jordan had a wonderful time.”
With her eyes still trained on that damn cup like it holds the answers to life’s mysteries, I stare at her for a few seconds, wondering if I should just throw in the towel and call it a loss. But there’s something about her that draws me in.
I’ve never had to work for a woman’s attention. My family is wealthy—despite that wealth not directly belonging to my brothers and me, aside from the homes our parents built for us on our family’s ranch—I have a good job, I’ve been told I’m a good-looking guy, and in high school I played football, which was a woman magnet.
When Tanya and I started dating, it was because she pursued me. She was the one who pushed for us to move in together, and the only reason I moved to the city with her when she took the job there was because she guilted me into it. The truth is, I never gave our relationship my all, and maybe that’s why she ended up cheating on me. But as I sit here looking at Kelsie, for the first time, I want to try.
“Hey, Kels…” When she doesn’t look up, I gently tip her chin up, forcing her eyes to meet mine. “Last night, I asked if you’d like to go out with me, but I was forced to leave before you could answer. So, I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me one night on a date.”
Her eyes widen, and she visibly swallows, staring at me for several long seconds like a deer caught in the headlights before she finally speaks.
“I appreciate the offer,” she says, “but I’m not looking to date right now. Between Jordan and work and hoping to take some classes in the spring, I just don’t have the time.”
Something in me prickles at her response. It’s a solid answer. One I can’t argue with, and most guys would take that as their cue to move on, but the sadness in her eyes has me wanting to pull her in closer. If what she’s saying is the truth, then it’s not that she doesn’t want to go out with me, but that she feels like she can’t add something else to her plate. Which leaves me only one choice…
“I understand,” I tell her. “Then friends it is.”
Her brows shoot up, kissing her forehead. “Fr-friends?” she stutters in confusion, obviously not expecting that answer from me. “You want to be friends?”
“Why not?” I say nonchalantly. “I like you and your daughter. I enjoy being around you and would love to get to know you. You said you’re not in a place to date, so that leaves friends.”
I stand and grab the garbage from the table, then walk into her kitchen, throwing it all into the trash can I saw Jordan use a little bit ago. When I walk back to the table, Kelsie is still sitting there, slowly sipping her coffee.
I sit across from her and lean back in my chair. “Are you ready for the storm?”
This has her snapping herself out of whatever thoughts she was lost in. “What storm?”
“The one that’s coming through tonight. They’re predicting about a foot or so of snow.”
“Seriously?” she huffs. “That’s what I get for not watching TV.”
“You don’t watch TV?”
“Not really. I enjoy reading. I used to hear the news while in the car, but…” Her voice trails off, and she shakes her head. “Anyway, I need to head to the store. I had no idea.” She sighs. “That probably means the café will be closed tomorrow, huh?”
When I nod, she frowns. “Great, another day of missed work,” she grumbles, standing. She grabs her phone and checks it, then looks at me. “I got messages from the school and work about the storm. My phone was on silent.” She glances at her daughter, whose eyes are still glued to the screen. “Jordan, pause Beauty and the Beast and go get dressed in something warm. We need to go to the store. Snow’s coming.”