Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 62737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“Fine, I’ll wear you down. Tomorrow.” Jude isn’t giving up, and I’m really going to need to bolster my holdings of telling him no. A word I’m beginning to think he doesn’t know the meaning behind.
“You are aware I have an older brother, right?” We’ve started moving with Jude keeping my hand in his while we navigate away from the main stage.
“Yeah, Ronnie, I know. What does that have anything to do with it?” he fires back. Jude might not have any biological brothers or sisters, but I do know he has friends, a lot of them, and with them come their wives, along with a baby, a toddler, and one he teases is eight going on eighteen. Jude’s friend group seems to be growing by the day seeing as how he told me a couple of them are currently pregnant.
“Then you should know I can spar with the best of them, verbally and physically. Zane is a pain in the dick. I’ve had to deal with him for too many years to count, and now that we kind of work together, it still doesn’t end.” I’ve tried to be quick on my feet with comebacks, and I’m never as witty as him. What I can do is hold my own when he tries to negotiate a favor for him, only letting up when it works out better for me and shittier for him. Then there’s the wrestling he’s always tried to convince me was for my own good. Self-defense, my ass. Tell me why I’d walk down the hallway, and he’d put his arm out at the last minute and knife-hand strike me or, you know, stick his foot out and trip me. Those two instances had me running to our dad and made Zane a dish bitch for a month.
“Foxy, I negotiate contracts daily. I’m going to put it to the test.” We make it out of the gates and to the parking lot entirely too fast for my liking.
“You can definitely try. I’m parked over there.” I use our combined hands to point in the right direction. The traffic leading toward the exit is at a standstill, my absolute worst nightmare to deal with, that and parking. I need a clear path for both, or I’ll either sit back to wait or won’t go to an event, especially if finding a place to park is a shit show. The groan I try to keep from uttering doesn’t go undetected by the sharp ears beside me.
“Ronnie, I know you’ll say no, but if the thought of driving home is too much and you’re tired, please, let me pay to upgrade your pass.” I’m so tempted to give in, to allow him this concession, but I’m not exhausted. If anything at all, my energy is at an all-time high. The adrenaline rush from being around Jude, watching the shows, and soaking it all in has me jittery.
“It’s not that, promise. The traffic to get out of this place is what has my eyes bulging.” Jude looks out at the sea of cars lining each row—nothing but brake lights for miles. Even with the many entrances and exits, it seems everyone is rushing out of the event at the same time. Maybe we should have stayed inside the gates a bit longer, or I can hang out in my car, replay every moment on repeat until things calm down.
“You sure?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I squeeze his hand, looking at him while we continue our path to my car. He pulls me into his side with our combined hands, then untangles our fingers, and goes straight to the back of my neck, massaging my muscles.
“By the time we get to your car, it’ll be cleared up, and the offer still stands, Foxy.” True to his word, he’s going to do his best to convince me to let him drop a boatload of money, and I’m going to resist him every step of the way.
“I know, but the answer is still no.” I unlatch the hook to my bag to do dig my keys out. Jude’s hand drifters lower, settling on my lower back, and like it has all day, every time he touches me, a shiver races along my skin.
“Do me a favor, at least?” My palm wraps around the keys after finally finding them in the mess of my bag. Jude still has a pack of candy stashed inside. I should probably ask if he wants them for later tonight, but it’s hard to pay attention to anything else when he’s touching and talking to me.
“What’s that?” We’re at the trunk of my car. Jude spins me around, settling his hands on my hips and dipping his head.
“Pack a bag. Gonna see what I can do tomorrow at the will call. I won’t pay, but if they have extra guest passes, well, it’d be nice for you not to have to deal with this. And before you say anything else, I’ll sleep on the couch in my van, alright?” Well, fuck me running. He just threw down, and it’s hard to resist. Then again, who’s to say he’ll actually be able to snag a ticket for me?