Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Seriously, what the hell was my problem?
“Did those sweet potatoes do something to piss you off?”
Morgan stepped through the sliding glass door and my shoulders tensed instinctively. “No more than usual. How goes the recovery?”
She ambled closer, looking casually comfortable in her at-home lounge pants and an oversized shirt. It was only the look in her eyes that meant business.
“Better now. How’s the apartment?”
“It keeps out the rain,” I said without a moment’s hesitation.
Thank you, August, for taking that secret out of play.
“Kingston mentioned he offered you a room at his place.”
Kingston needed to shut the hell up. “If you had the option of having your own space or sharing the bachelor pad of Hound Dog Haywood, tell me you wouldn’t make the same decision.”
Her lips quirked. “I can’t argue with that. He really is still a hound dog.” She sat down on her cranberry-red patio sectional and sighed. “Thank you, by the way, for getting August’s car working again. How’s she been doing?”
Was there a right way to answer that question?
“The car or my landlady?” I started warily. “Myrtle’s doing fine. August’s been busy.”
“I heard. Rick and Lucy told Gene about the VW and the race as soon as we touched down. August left a message on my phone an hour after that.”
Of course, they did. And August had managed to sneak in her confession under the wire, the way she’d planned. Clever little minx.
Where the hell was she anyway?
“She texted a few hours ago that she was coming to dinner.” Morgan glanced at the time on her phone. “Do you know if she’s going to be late?”
“I’m staying in the apartment by the pool, not keeping tabs on her every move.”
When I’d knocked on her door on my way here to offer her a ride, she was still in her pajamas, with a Post-it note stuck to her shirt and a glazed look in her eyes. She’d told me to go without her, that she would be over after she finished the chapter she’d been working on all morning.
Knowing how she got when she was writing, I’d kissed her, given her a little slap on the ass and pushed her toward the shower, telling her the book would have to wait unless she wanted to miss family night and Gene’s decision about Jiminy.
She hadn’t argued, but she wasn’t here yet either.
“Gene wants to take the car,” Morgan said, as if reading my mind, “even after what happened to her Honda at the airport.”
“Like I said, Myrtle is fine. Hondas last forever.”
She huffed impatiently. “You don’t think it’s strange that August suddenly decided to sell Mom’s car so she could join the team?”
I set down my grill tongs. “The bug is in her name and in good condition. It can race.”
She got to her feet. “It’s in good condition because of all the work you did on it. But August shouldn’t—”
I turned and my look shut her down. “Morgan, I don’t feel comfortable having a conversation about that. It’s not my place. Your sister will be here soon, and you can talk to her about it then.”
We stared at each other for a moment and then she made a face. “Fine. I forgot for a minute. You’re a vault and you hate family drama.”
“I am and I do.” I hesitated for a second before adding, “And you hate surprises, but you’ve gotten a few this week. I get that, and I’m sorry about it.”
Her expression softened. “Thank you.”
“If it helps, my first reaction was probably similar to yours, but I’ve changed my mind.”
“You have?” she asked, skepticism clear in her voice.
I nodded. “She’s convincing. And like I said, it is her car now.”
“I didn’t think she’d do this with it. The idea is insane,” she muttered to herself. “Are there any other surprises in store?”
“Yes.” Her gaze jerked to mine and I shrugged. “I’m a vault, but everyone deserves a heads-up.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Anytime.”
Lucy called to her through the half-open sliding door and she went back inside without saying another word.
I’d thought approaching August about the apartment was awkward, but it was nothing compared to the conversation I just had with the woman I’d been friends with my entire adult life.
If you start sleeping with her sister, it’s probably going to get worse.
Tell me something I didn’t know. I was still all in on my plan. The brilliant and masochistic new version I’d devised on the fly when she’d said she wanted me at the garage. Friendly neighborhood foreplay. But I’d made sure it was on my terms, with my original goal still in mind.
How’s that working out for you?
There were still a few kinks I needed to work out. Like maybe volunteering to help her tear down wallpaper wasn’t the best way to get her alone. When it was done, we’d both been too exhausted to do more than give each other a sticky high five before retreating to our separate showers and beds.