Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“How long is that going to last?”
Nash shrugs. “No idea. But I’m enjoying it while it does.”
“Want to tell me why you summoned me here?”
“Because I need you, buddy. And let’s be honest, it’s where you want to be.”
Grandma comes striding out of the kitchen with a bottle of beer in her hand and the strained smile still in place. “Here we go. Take a seat.”
“Thank you,” says Charlie, taking his place on the three-seater couch opposite us.
“Are you hungry? I can put a plate together.”
“I’m fine, Aud. No need to fuss.”
And the two of them stare at each other. Charlie seems worried, while Grandma appears…I don’t know. Dismayed doesn’t feel right. Thrown might be best. Meanwhile, Nash starts a new song with a satisfied sort of smile on his face.
“It really is good to see you again,” says Charlie. “Tell me about your life here.”
Grandma’s mouth opens but nothing comes out.
“You’re going to love this town,” answers Nash.
Charlie sighs. “I don’t believe I’ll be staying.”
“What?” asks Grandma. “Of course you are. The night at the very least. How long have you been on that bike today?”
“Aud…”
“Nash can sleep on the couch. You take his bed.”
Charlie laughs. “I do like the sound of that.”
“He bought the house next door,” continues Grandma.
“Sounds like that was an unexpected delight,” says Charlie.
“And he’s trying to woo June.”
Charlie frowns heavily. “Is that so?”
“Wait a minute,” says Nash. “I didn’t ask you here so you two could gang up on me.”
“Oh, now that would be a shame, wouldn’t it?” Grandma’s smile is all sharp teeth.
“Ignore him for now,” says Charlie. “Tell me about your life. That’s what I really want to hear about.”
And Grandma settles back into her seat and does so at length.
No sooner has darkness descended on the house than I hear gentle knocking. My bedroom door opens and Nash wanders in wearing a pair of blue jeans and nothing else. What is it with this man and being half-naked? He’s cast in shadows as he closes the door behind him. Next comes the soft sound of steps on the rug, followed by a hard thunk as his foot hits something.
“Ow,” he whispers. “That would be your suitcase.”
“I’m not sure you being in here is such a good idea.”
“Audrey’s too busy worrying about her other guest to mind us,” he says. “And you know that couch is too small for me. Besides which, we’re not going to do anything.”
“We’re not?” I ask, in a voice that is most definitely not whiny.
“Just some friendly old fashioned spooning, which hardly counts when you think about it. We’re basically sharing body heat to stay alive.”
“It’s summer.”
“This is practice for winter. You don’t want to just raw dog stuff like that. It’s too important.”
And I want to ask if he really thinks we would both still be in The Bend long enough to see snow. But I keep my mouth shut and move over to make room. What I need to do is be present and enjoy things as they come.
“Then there’s your hugging issues to be considered,” he says. “Sharing your bed with me is just a good idea all round. I don’t even know why we’re still discussing it.”
He climbs onto the mattress and, as promised, stretches out against me. His front to my back and his arms beneath my neck and over my middle. My sleep shorts and tank leave my legs bare against the denim of his jeans. Though neither of us are wearing much up top.
The heat from his big body against mine is a beautiful thing, no matter how warm the weather. And the lingering sage and salt of his cologne and the faint feel of his breath on the curve of my shoulder and side of my neck is giving me goose bumps.
I’m so down bad for this man.
“Is this okay?” he asks.
“Yes. Yeah.”
“Why does Audrey think you weren’t hugged enough as a child?”
“It’s not a big deal. Mom just isn’t a touchy-feely type person, you know? She and Grandma don’t really get along.”
He ponders this for a moment and then asks, “What did you think of my surprise?”
“I think you have some explaining to do. Grandma has history with a tattooed musician who rides a motorbike,” I say, with no small amount of wonder. “That’s going to take me a minute to process.”
“I don’t know much about what happened between them. And you know it’s wrong to gossip…”
“Just tell me everything and nobody gets hurt.”
He laughs softly. “There was always a weird tension when they were together. Though it took me a while to notice. Then Audrey announced she was retiring and…I honestly don’t know.”
“Huh.”
“Something went down between them. Cause the day I threw Audrey a farewell party, Charlie calls me last minute to say he can’t make it. That he had to go to Canada for some reason.”