Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says, whispering, “but I’ll call you tonight.” The knock comes again.
“Go.” I push him away from me. “And play nice with others.” He shakes his head and opens the door.
I hear the mumbling of voices as the door closes behind him with a click. I wait for a full two minutes before I get out of bed and get dressed. I’m sitting on the bed dressed when he sends me the text.
Zane:
Coast is clear, we are all on the bus.
Me:
Perfect, talk later.
I’m going over a couple of emails, when the door opens and Knox steps in followed by Jaxon. I know they both just landed since I got a text from Zane not too long ago telling me this. “Well, well, well,” I say, leaning back in my chair, “if it isn’t the guy who lost his shit on the ice and his sidekick.”
“Okay, one,” Knox refutes, “that would be Kirby.”
“And two, I didn’t lose my shit on the ice,” Jaxon snaps. “I was trying to—”
“Get a penalty.” I put my elbows on the desk and look at him. “Yeah, I know, heard all about it.”
“Yeah,” Jaxon says, “from who?”
I scoff, “It’s all over the family chat.” I smile big. “I started it.”
“I’m going to see Kylie and then we can go.”
“This is the last time I carpool,” Jaxon mumbles to Knox as he walks to Kylie’s office, who squeals when she sees him.
My eyes look to her office and I’m smiling as the door opens again, and I look over to see a man come in with a vase of roses. “Delivery for a Ms. Stevenson.” I get up, avoiding looking at Jaxon.
“Thank you.” I hold out my hand to grab the roses and see the card on top. I put the vase down and quickly grab the card, in case Jaxon grabs it before me.
“Well, well, well,” Jaxon says from behind me as I pretend I’m smelling the flowers, but I’m trying to hide the card. “What do we have here?”
“We have a beautiful bouquet of roses,” I state, pointing to them. “Something you probably didn’t send your wife and mother of your child.” I raise my eyebrows as I pretend my heart isn’t going crazy in my chest. “Someone is a winner here,” I point to the floor, “and it’s not you.”
“Who are they from?” He narrows his eyes at me.
“The same guy I went hiking with,” I tell him and smile big. “You remember his name, it’s None of Your Business.” I sit down. “Or it could be the threesome I’m in. The list is endless.”
“Yeah, right,” he scoffs at me.
“You don’t know my life, Jaxon.” He rolls his eyes at that.
“So you are actually seeing someone?”
“Maybe, or maybe I just made someone’s day by smiling at them and they sent me flowers. There could be a million reasons.”
“Okay, I’m good to go,” Knox declares, coming out of the office, wiping his lips that are full of lip gloss, followed by Kylie, who now has no lip gloss left on her. “Oh cool, flowers.”
“Yes, they are for me.” I point to myself. “And you need to leave and take this oaf with you.”
Jaxon glares at me as he and Knox leave. I look over at Kylie, who has her eyes big as she looks at me and the flowers. “I’m not talking about it,” I tell her, and she whistles.
“Is this the reason you called in sick?” She tries not to laugh at me as she uses her fingers around the word sick.
“I didn’t call in sick,” I counter to her smirking face. “I was owed days off, so I took them.”
“If you want to talk about what you did on your sick days,” she uses her fingers to air quote sick days, “I’ll be in my office.”
“Good to know,” I reply, and she walks away to her office. Only when I hear her typing on her keyboard do I take the white envelope out and turn it over, pulling out the card.
V,
Thanks for scaling the walls for me.
Z.
I smile, putting the card in my purse and then texting him.
Me:
You know what’s nice? Getting flowers. You know what isn’t nice? Getting flowers when your brother is here and having to be Houdini, making the card disappear before he sees it.
Zane:
I knew you had many talents.
Me:
Don’t try to butter me up.
Zane:
You coming over after work?
Me:
Depends.
Zane:
On?
Me:
Well, what is in it for me?
Zane:
My sunny disposition and winning personality.
Me:
Ehhh, pass. That describes me.
Zane:
My mouth, my fingers, and my dick.
Me:
Sold.
“Well, whoever it is, is making you blush,” Kylie teases from the side, and I turn my phone over. “You need a minute?”
“Yes, I can’t work in these deplorable conditions.” She bursts out laughing. “Also, I want lunch.”
The rest of the afternoon goes by at what feels like a snail’s pace, Kylie leaves right after lunch to go and pick up the kids with Knox. Finally, at three thirty I pack up my things and head out.