Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91299 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91299 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
We both move over, and Ma pats the seat between us. “Sit down. I want to hear about this girl you’ve been texting with.”
He groans. “Ma, don’t read my texts. You might see some shit you don’t want to.”
She waves him off. “Pfft. Is she one of those snobby girls from downtown? What’s her family name?”
Mattie and I look at each other and burst out laughing.
* * *
Later that night, the house is full of people talking and laughing, my older brother and his wife and kids, along with Joey P. I felt too bad to ask Ma to call him and cancel at the last minute, and he sits across from me, a handsome man with short sandy hair and smiling eyes. Mattie keeps kneeing me under the table and grinning every time Joey asks me a question. I return the favor and stomp on his feet with my heels. He winces, and then we start all over again.
We’re in our dining room, and Ma has pulled out all the stops for me: a roast with potatoes and carrots, gravy, and sourdough rolls—all my favorites.
Mattie stands up. “Anybody else want more bread?”
“Me,” Paulie says.
Mattie comes back into the dining room.
“Where’s the bread?” I ask.
He has this bemused look on his face as he looks around the room. “Uh, never made it to the kitchen.” He clears his throat and gives me a long look. “There’s a guy at the door. Name’s Blaze. Wants to see Charisma.”
OMG.
“You didn’t invite him in? What’s wrong with you? I raised you better,” Ma huffs. She throws her napkin down and starts to stand—
“No, I’ll get it.” I stand up and walk down the hall to the foyer.
My heart pounds as I stand at the front door and take him in.
He hasn’t seen me yet.
He leans against one of the columns, hands in his pockets, head down. His boot is on, but it looks easier on him, as if he’s used to it. There are shadows under his eyes, and I figure they match mine.
“Thought you’d still be at the Combine,” I say as I step out onto the porch.
His head rises, blue eyes glittering as he takes me in, drifting over my hair and red lipstick. I take the perusal, glad I’m in skinny jeans, a fitted black shirt, and heels.
He can’t seem to find his voice. After a long moment, he finally does. “Charm, you’re so beautiful. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” He rakes a hand through his hair and shakes himself. “Uh, the Combine ended earlier today.”
“Shouldn’t you be on your way back to Waylon?”
“All I wanted was to see you.”
I keep a few feet between us as I move in closer. “How did you get my address?”
“Penelope gave it up. Had to beg for it.”
I run my eyes over the boot. “How was Indianapolis?”
He looks away from me, taking in the shrubbery in the front, the ones Ma planted years ago. She takes special care with them and it shows.
“You’re the only one I wanted to tell, Charm. I ran and kicked ass. I took this stupid boot off and just took a chance.”
Paulie and Mattie appear at the door and step outside. “Just checking in,” Mattie says as he comes out and stands next to me.
Blaze straightens his stance and runs his eyes over them, trying to get a read on them, I assume.
I point them out in turn. “Blaze, meet my brothers. This one’s Paul. He married the nice girl down the street, had two babies, and helps Pop. He’s the favorite, but don’t tell Ma we know.”
Paulie grins, the expression an exact replica of our father’s. “Smartass.”
I nod my head at Mattie. “This one’s Matthew. He loves to give me a hard time about everything. He still lives at home and hates it,” I add with a smirk.
“Looked you up online, Townsend,” Mattie says. “Not bad. You look good, though if you don’t play baseball, you’re shit out of luck. We’re Yankees fans.”
Blaze huffs out a laugh. “I’m actually pretty good at baseball. Could have gotten a scholarship for it if I’d wanted to.”
“Of course you could have,” I murmur as they shake hands, my brothers and the man I love so much I’m finding it hard to breathe.
“What’s going on out here?” It’s Ma.
She walks out and frowns, her eyes running over Blaze, taking in the carefully pressed blue button-up shirt he’s got rolled up to his elbows, the long legs and the boot.
He nods his head at her. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Rossi.”
She stills at his voice, and I wonder if she hears that darkness inside the gold, the deep tone that resonates and wraps around your heart.
She murmurs a nice to meet you and just stares at us. I don’t know what she sees, maybe that I feel faint or that Blaze looks just as bad, his skin pale in the soft light from the porch.