Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
And just like that, Raelyn’s face flashed through my mind, soft and warm in a way I hadn’t seen in years. I poured another shot and tossed it back before quietly muttering to myself, “Damn. Damn. Damn.”
Preacher topped off our glasses one last time, then pushed back from the counter with a groan. “I better get out of here, or Tabitha’s gonna have my ass on a platter.”
“Can’t be having that.” When he brought her up earlier, I could tell Tabitha and her three boys meant a great deal to him, and I didn’t know a man better suited for them. “Hope I get to meet this ol’ lady of yours.”
“That can be arranged.”
“You good to drive?”
“Hell, no,” Preacher scoffed. “That’s what prospects are for.”
Right on cue, Smitty came rushing over with keys in his hands, eager as a damn puppy. “You ready to roll?”
Preach nodded, then stood and said, “We’ll talk more in the morning.”
“Sounds good.”
After a word with the guys in the back, Preacher and Smitty slipped out the door. The bar seemed even more empty without his presence. I sat for a moment, just staring at the half-empty bottle sitting on the counter in front of me and mulling over everything Preach had said. It was a lot, and it wasn’t easy to hear. But it was true.
I poured myself one last drink, just enough to settle the thoughts running through my head, and I’d barely set the bottle down when I inhaled the soft scent of perfume.
I glanced over to my left and found a young woman sitting next to me with a wanton look in her eye. She was all legs and was scantily dressed, and she was eyeing me like she’d already decided how the night was gonna end. “Hi there, stranger. You up for some company?”
There was no mistaking the invitation. I knew what she was offering and how easy it would be to take her up on it. Maybe it was because of the bourbon, or maybe it was because loneliness was a mean bastard, especially when you’ve grown tired of sleeping in an empty bed, but I was actually tempted.
But then, I remembered Raelyn and the way she looked at me.
Of all the women, it had to be one who was divorced with two kids who caught my attention, and she wasn’t letting go.
And just like that, I shook my head and said, “Appreciate it, darlin’, but not tonight.”
She blinked with surprise. “You sure?”
“Afraid so.”
She gave me a little shrug before scanning the room for her next target. She hopped off the stool and walked off, leaving me with nothing but a burn in my throat and an odd tightness in my chest. It was time for me to call it a night, so I finished off my shot and made my way down the hall.
I walked into the dark, empty room, and the silence wrapped around me like a familiar blanket. But tonight, it didn’t feel the same. Tonight, it felt like I made a mountainous mistake. I dropped down on the bed and muttered, “Damn. What’s she doing to me?”
I didn’t have an answer.
And I wasn’t sure I wanted one.
10
RAELYN
The final bell had barely stopped ringing when I grabbed my empty tumbler and backpack, along with my keys and purse, and I started for the door. I hadn’t even made it out of the library when Liv appeared with a scowl on her face. “What’s wrong?”
“These kids are going to make me lose my mind.”
“Bad day?”
“That’s putting it lightly.” We started into the hall as she told me, “I’m telling you. I was close to losing my job today.”
“Oh, so it was a really bad day.”
“I’m so over it,” Liv grumbled. “We were reviewing for the test, and I know the kids are getting tired of it all. So, I decided to break out my little basketball goal. You know, the one that hangs on the back of the door?”
“Yeah, I know what you’re talking about.” I grimaced.
“I know. It was a mistake even trying, especially with this group.” She shook her head. “But they were doing so good. They were actually trying to get the right answer so they could make a shot. And then, Jeremy had to go and ruin it all.”
“Oh, no. What did he do?”
“The little jack-nut decided he wanted to be the next NBA superstar and went for a full-on slam dunk.” Her hands shot up in the air like she was reenacting the crime. “He ripped the entire thing off the door! Hinges, net, everything! Just ripped right off. It was ruined. I had to throw the whole thing away.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I wish I was,” she snapped as we headed out the back door. “And he just stood there looking at all the pieces scattered on the floor like he had no idea how it happened.”