Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 146034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 730(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 730(@200wpm)___ 584(@250wpm)___ 487(@300wpm)
“That’s right,” Beth agreed. “Which means you’re coming out with us Saturday night.”
Dakota tipped her face toward the ceiling. Excitement rolled up her throat. “Oh my God, yes, I cannot wait. I haven’t had a night without my little tornado in months. Not that I mind being at home with Kayden, but every once in a while, this girl likes to cut loose.”
She knocked her hip into mine. “And you’ll get to meet Paisley. Chloe will be there, too.”
Chloe worked the cashiers out front, and I’d already heard about ten different stories of Dakota’s wild best friend, Paisley.
“Oh, I’m not—”
“Oh, you definitely are.” Beth pointed at me. “Believe me, Savannah, you’re going to need it after us running you ragged for the rest of the week.”
This was the worst idea in all of bad ideas.
Of course, I needed to get out as much as I could.
Watch.
Listen.
See if I could pick up on any innuendo or trace. I had so little I was going on.
It was just that—I was worried I was starting to like these people. Starting to like being here. Starting to wonder what it might be like to have friends and people that I cared about.
And the only thing caring had ever gotten me was a broken heart.
Worst was the knot of regret that laid siege to my stomach after what had happened with Ezra last night.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should have gone after him.
I should have told him I was there to listen if he needed someone to talk to, and I definitely owed him a giant thank you for everything he had done for me.
I’d contemplated the thousand different ways I would have done it as I’d tossed last night, the restless hours spent warring with the emotions that had conflicted and raved.
I needed to block it off.
Stop this before I wound up in a position that would only hurt me in the end.
Getting close was dangerous.
History had promised me that.
Dakota’s expression softened, and she reached out and squeezed my hand. “Don’t feel obligated, Savannah, but honestly, we’d really like you to come.”
The sincerity in her voice had me speaking before I could stop it. “I’ll think about it…that is if I can still walk by the end of the week.”
“The only valid reason for you not to be walking is if a fine-ass man made you that way,” Beth said with a laugh. “And if you don’t have one of those, we’ll be happy to help you find one on Saturday.”
Then she disappeared out the swinging door, as if the two of them hadn’t just given me emotional whiplash.
Amusement shook Dakota’s head, and she gave me a shrug. “Like I said yesterday, we’re a lot to handle.”
“I think we’ve well established that.” The tease was thick, close to soggy.
Beth suddenly popped her head back through the door. “Speaking of fine-ass men, you have one waiting for you at booth eleven, Savannah,” she hollered.
My stomach bottomed out.
I didn’t need to ask her who it was. I already knew it could only be one person as I pushed out into the dining room. I did my best to keep my cool but my reckless spirit flailed when I saw Ezra Patterson sitting on the far side of the dining room beneath a window.
His big body took up the entirety of the booth, and he was back in uniform which was an unfortunate turn of events considering how delicious he looked in it.
Who knew I could like a man in uniform? My past experiences should have left me repelled.
His long legs were stretched underneath the table, and he had a boot plunked out to the side as if he were too massive to completely fit within the boundaries.
Sunlight poured in through the window, lighting strikes of gold in his brown hair and making his skin glow gold.
Even from across the room, I could see he was bouncing in agitation.
My heart squeezed, and I grabbed a carafe of coffee from the station before I carefully edged forward, unsure of what to say. How in the world was I supposed to apologize? Thank him? All while wanting to tell him he’d been a complete jerk for walking out on me the way he’d done last night, and still completely understanding it at the same time.
He looked at me when I approached, as if he felt me coming, that strange stir in the air vibrating between us. I lifted my chin as I came up to his table, deciding to go professional.
We weren’t friends, after all. We were just acquaintances. Two people who’d been randomly tossed together. One person who’d helped another for God knew why, but it was probably best it ended at that.
“Welcome to Time River Market & Café. Would you like to start with coffee?” I lifted the pot.