Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55395 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“Why don’t we go over to my place? We can talk. You can catch me up on what’s been going on, and I can do the same. We tried to do what we could. I can promise you that, Lyric.” I nod my head, still not turning around to face her. My shoulders slump. I’m going to have to add finding a place to live while the house is gutted to the studs.
“Yeah, okay. We can do that.” I take a deep breath, realizing I’m fortunate in the way that I’m set up financially to fix my house and live somewhere else for the time being. I’ll also need to find a job. Idle hands and all will only make me really lose my mind.
Mrs. Steele’s hand goes to my back when I make my way into the front of the house. Neither of us should have walked in here, not without a hazmat suit and steel-toed boots at least. I’d beat myself up for allowing this to happen, only I had no idea, and with the round-the-clock care my dad needed, it’d have been impossible to work on the home here in Whispering Oaks while residing in North Carolina.
“Do you still enjoy sweet tea? I just brewed a pitcher, and Mr. Steele has yet to discover it,” she teases, helping ease the boulder sitting on my shoulders.
“I do, thank you. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Definitely not a house with more holes than walls,” I say before mentally telling myself I can do this.
“Well, it’s a good thing I have a lot of contacts, if you want them.” I’m going need them in spades, but until then, I’ll put one foot in front of the other, make a list, and go from there.
3
JAGGER
“Excuse me, what did you say?” I pull the phone away from my ear, thinking I must be hearing shit. After Luke and I had another beer, ate some dinner, and talked for a bit longer, we went our separate ways. Luke going to his condo near the hospital and me heading back home to my quiet place in the woods. That was three nights ago.
“I said Lyric was at your parents’ house today,” Jude tells me when I bring the phone back to my ear and gives me the exact same words a second time.
“What in the actual fuck is going on?” I grumble, not expecting an answer from my friend, more or less making a statement.
“Well, about that. You wanna meet the guys and me at Undercover Lovers? There’s a lot to fill you in on, and I’m just now getting the information after tapping into my resources.” I’d rather go to my parents’ house and figure things out directly from the source, but my mom would run interference on any questions I’d toss Lyric’s way.
“Yeah, I’m done for the day anyways.” I put my phone on speaker. Nobody’s in the office at this time of day to hear what’s going on in my office. The laydown yard, where we keep supplies, house trucks, and have a trailer set up, is empty. There’s a small reception area where my administrative assistant sits, a small seating area, a bathroom, and my office is located in the back. The door I usually have closed is open. Joss tends to leave it that way after she says her goodbyes for the day. I was so absorbed and in my own bubble, I didn’t bother to tell her to shut it when she left. There are days I’ll have employees stagger in after completing a project to drop off paperwork on Joss’ desk, and if they see my door open, well, that usually means they get chatty, my work takes longer, and while I try to keep a somewhat open-door policy, the last thing I want is to be here till midnight.
“Good, don’t bother with food. Lennie made enough to feed an army, and everyone will be there. Apparently, the girls have news they want to deliver, too.” I already know what one the girls’ update will be, Winnie’s to be exact; she sent me a text yesterday with a attachment of a sonogram picture and a promise for me to keep quiet. While I give Johnny hell and aggravate the piss out of him, Winnie is like my baby sister, plus I’d never cross a line like that even though I pull enough shit to have him questioning me at times.
“Alright, I’ll be there in fifteen.” I grab my keys off the desk.
“Later.” Jude hangs up. I do the same with a press of a button before scooping my phone up, depositing it in my pocket, then walk through the office. I turn out the lights and lock the door on my way out before heading to my truck. Since I knew I wouldn’t be on any job sites today, I didn’t bring my work truck, preferring a vehicle where the air conditioning works all the time instead of some of the time. I’ve worked on the near twenty-year-old truck so much, I gave up on dealing with certain things. As long as it’s still running and gets from one job site to the other, I’ll deal with the rest. On the days I don’t need the old beater, I drive the new truck. The Chevy Silverado High Country is a bit over the top, and it was a damn a splurge, but it’s also extremely comfortable.