Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 102185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
She angles her back against the car door, knocking her knees into mine. “I’m not trying to put you on the spot or upset you. But we both know he’s Jacob’s father. You basically copied and pasted that kid straight from his dad.”
I catch the driver’s eyes on us in the rearview mirror. Readjusting for more privacy, I face my cousin and lower my voice even more. “What makes you so sure?”
“First, you’re not denying it. Second, I wasn’t that drunk in Costa Rica. You were.”
I try for indifference when I reply, “I knew what I was doing.”
“I’m the last one to judge. We’ve both had plenty of good times in our lives. Some of those times, we made a pact to go to the grave with those stories. But this isn’t the same as going topless our senior year of college at the Paldino’s private pool in Vegas.”
The way she can recall events in an instant is impressive, but also a tactic to take me down. The traitor. “Do you remember everything?”
Shaking her head, she says, “No, but I remember him. Hard to forget. I’d imagine it’s tougher for you since you got a parting gift before he left.” Leaning forward, she glances through the windshield. “I also saw him leaving your room the next day. The man is a giant, and if I must admit, which I feel strongly that I do, he’s gorgeous. He’s hard to miss all around, which is probably what drew you to him in the first place.”
“It did,” I confess too quickly, but I don’t need to lie to her. “The moment I saw him, I was tripping over myself to meet him. And maybe a few too strong margaritas played a part as well.” Pointing my finger at her, I add, “But I didn’t really drink after that, so I was sobering up all night with him.”
She throws her hand up with her clutch in it. “Again, I’m not judging. But even I saw him enough back then to recognize him on the team now. So I know you did.”
The red sign in the middle of nowhere shines like a beacon around these parts.
Want a good time? Go to Whiskey’s.
Rough day? Go to Whiskey’s.
What’s not to love about strong drinks, fried food, bar games, and live music to dance to? Nothing. That was how I knew it would be the perfect place to meet up. “If you knew all along, why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“Because this was the one time,” she says, reaching over to rub my arm, “I knew you needed to figure it out on your own. I can’t tell you what to do or force you to do anything. Trust me, I’ve tried over the years.” She gives a glimmer of a smile, which I find reassuring. I know my cousin only wants the best for me, as I do for her. Despite all of our family issues, we can always rely on each other.
“Admittedly, I’ve been stubborn in the past.” Holding my hands up in surrender, I say, “Guilty as charged.”
“The past is the past, but you usually do play it safe.”
“I have to because of Jacob.”
“I know. I just wanted to note the only time you seem to cut loose is with Griffin. Tonight, you’re going out on a whim like you did in Costa Rica. Something about him has you tossing caution to the wind.”
“I’m being careless, which isn’t good, and I know it’s fast, but Griffin isn’t like anyone else I’ve ever met. I like him. A lot. And you know what? He likes me a lot, too, and isn’t afraid to show it.” I lean my head back, smiling at the image of him that pops into my head. Rolling my head to the side, I say, “I thought he was arrogant. Well, he is, but I find his confidence so attractive. It’s not just in baseball or whatever. He’s confident in me. He sees me for the woman I’ve wanted my family to see for years and haven’t. He makes me feel . . .” I almost feel dumb for saying it, but I do anyway. “Invincible.” I take a breath, and say, “Sexy. Smart. Beautiful. Responsible. And lovable. Not in the teddy bear kind of way, but that he could love me for who I am. It’s an aphrodisiac, Savvy.”
“I need to break up with Blake.”
“What?” I sit up and stare at her. “What are you talking about?”
She sighs, glancing out the window as the car pulls into the gravel parking lot. I hear the pop of rocks under the tires as the driver drives us to the front. “He doesn’t see me as any of those things. Most of the time, I don’t think he sees me at all.”
I’m left stunned. I lift my jaw back up and say, “I’m sorry. I . . .” It’s ridiculous that I’ve had all this attention when she’s been going through so much. “You deserve better.”