Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83777 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83777 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Boones Farm?”
“Yep, strawberry and peach.”
“Well, enough holding out. Time to wine and dine me.” She got up and walked over to my dresser, then pulled out a clean T-shirt like she owned it. “Come on. What are you waiting for?”
“You’re serious?”
“Absolutely. I haven’t eaten since like ten this morning.” She grabbed her panties from the floor and started for the bathroom as she told me, “So, you’re either gonna make this fancy dinner you had planned or I’m going to go make myself a mayo and cheese sandwich.”
“Oh, God. You’re still doing that shit?”
“It’s good.”
“It’s sad.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have to go to such sad measures if someone would fix the dinner he promised.”
With that, she disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door. I loved that, even after everything she’d been through, she still had that sass. Smiling, I pulled myself out of bed, put on my boxers and a pair of old pajama pants, and headed for the kitchen.
I went straight for the fridge and started grabbing everything we’d need for dinner. I was still at it when I heard Devin say, “I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier, but your house is incredible.”
I glanced over my shoulder and found her standing at the counter in my old t-shirt, and I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful sight. I cleared my throat before telling her, “I’m glad you like it.”
“It’s so different than your old place.” She moved through the kitchen like she belonged there. “And I don’t just mean bigger. It’s more than that. It’s sophisticated.”
I huffed out a laugh and leaned against the counter. “I think you’re reaching there.”
“Maybe,” she teased, shooting me a look over her shoulder, “but I’m not exactly wrong.”
She pulled out one of the bar stools and sat, looking too damn good and too damn at ease for my own good. “So, what’s all this?”
“Thought we’d have an old-fashioned cookout.” I motioned my hand towards the hot dogs and brats like they were a five-star spread. “Hot dogs, chips, and maybe some marshmallows toasted over the fire.”
“You went all out,” she laughed.
“Just doing what I can to impress.”
“You’ve definitely done that.” She looked at the food and smirked. “But you’ve got enough here for an army.”
“Yeah, well. I wasn’t sure who was coming.”
I gave her a wink, then headed for the hall closet. I grabbed a couple of wire hangers I’d twisted into skewers years back and made my way to the porch door. “Give me a second to get the fire started, and then we’ll get dinner going.”
“What can I do?”
“Grab us a couple of drinks and pick out the chips you want.”
She nodded and disappeared into the pantry. I stepped outside and got to work. The fire pit was nothing fancy, just something I’d built myself a while back. It was just a low stone circle, stacked wood, and some kindling to get things moving. I had the flames going by the time she came back out with a tray full of food and drinks.
When I saw her walking toward me, I stepped over and grabbed the tray. “I would’ve gotten all that.”
“Now you don’t have to,” she said, glancing down at the fire and the hangers like she wasn’t quite sure whether to laugh or call me crazy. “Wow, you really pulled out all the stops.”
“Nothing but the best for you, babe.”
I opened the pack of hot dogs, slid one onto the hanger, and held it over the fire. She watched me for a second before grabbing her own skewer and following suit. She was watching the flames dance when a smile swept across her lips and she said, “We used to cookout hot dogs like this at the lake…”
“Sounds like a good time,” I said, watching the way her eyes flickered with the memory.
“It was. But it’s been a long time.”
I figured it was something she’d done with the ex, so I didn’t push.
I just kept the fire steady and let the moment settle around us. Truth was, I didn’t want to ruin it. Not when she was sitting next to me, holding a damn hot dog over a flame like we were twenty again. Hell, it wasn’t even ten, and I was already thinking about how much I didn’t want her to leave when the night was over.
12
DEVIN
“Tell me about them.”
I wasn’t sure who he was talking about, so I asked, “Who?”
“Your kids,” I clarified. “You’ve got two, right?”
“Yes, but sometimes it seems like more.” I giggled as I told him, “I have a son named Austin and a daughter named Chrissy, but you already knew that.”
“I got names and ages. That’s about it. Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Austin is your typical teenage boy. He’s moody, talks in grunts, and rolls his eyes like it’s his full-time job.”