Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
“I’ll…ask Beck if he knows.” River shot Heavenly a meaningful look as he pulled out his cell phone and dashed off a text.
Good idea. He should know about this shocking development. What were they going to do? Say? Seth wouldn’t be home for almost twenty-four hours.
“Who’s Beck? And who the hell are you?” The teenager demanded.
“I’m River. I work with Seth.” Before he could say more, his phone dinged in response. He glanced down to read the reply, leaving Heavenly the sole focus of the kid who wore Seth’s face like an accusation.
The more she looked at him, the more she knew her suspicions were right. She saw Seth in the way the stranger held his shoulders, straight and proud. In the stubborn set of his jaw, which she’d seen on Seth countless times. Even the way he scanned the room, taking in every detail with sharp, assessing eyes.
All pure Seth.
“I didn’t catch your name.”
The teen scowled at her, eyes flashing with suspicion. “You his secretary or something?”
Panic fluttered in her chest. She had no roadmap for handling this situation. But if the kid wasn’t even willing to tell her his name, she refused to divulge Seth’s secrets—especially given his attitude.
“No, I’m just helping out today,” she said finally. “But if you’ll tell me who you are, I can help find him.”
“Fine. I’m Hudson. When can you get him here?”
Since the truth would only make him angrier, she groped for an answer that might pacify him.
“Hey, don’t grill her. She’s just trying to help,” River snapped. “I’m working on it.”
Heavenly was grateful for his intervention. “Would you like something to drink while you wait? A soda or water?”
Grudgingly, Hudson accepted a bottle of water. She grabbed it from the small refrigerator, then watched him ease onto the leather couch, perched on the edge as if ready to bolt. In the background, River’s phone dinged once. Twice.
Their unexpected visitor fixed on the stairway, as if expecting Seth to materialize at any moment. The tension radiating from his tall, lanky frame was palpable.
Heavenly tried to guess his age. Fifteen? Sixteen? Where had he come from? Based on his accent, somewhere back east. Where was his mother? And why did he look so ready to burn the world down?
His gaze shifted, and he studied her with the same sharp intensity, though his voice softened. “What’s your name?”
“Heavenly.” She lowered herself onto the chair across from him, trying to appear nonthreatening and approachable.
Finally, something besides anger flickered across his features. “That’s…fitting.”
Was he…hitting on her?
“That’s enough,” River growled.
“It’s not like I fucking jumped on her. Geez…” Hudson bristled, then bobbed his chin at River. “What is he, your daddy?”
“I told you to watch your mouth. Heavenly is my sister’s bestie.”
“Yeah?” He scanned the office again, then turned back to her. “If you don’t work here, how do you know Cooper?”
“Seth and I are…friends.”
The words felt inadequate, almost like a betrayal of everything they meant to each other, but it was the safest option until she knew what Seth wanted to tell Hudson.
“Yeah, the naked kind.” Hudson gave her another once-over. “Lucky him.”
“Can it.” River saved her from sputtering a reply, then turned to her. “Beck was already on his way over. He’ll be here in a minute.”
Thank goodness. Heavenly sighed in relief.
“I don’t know who Beck is, but I didn’t come here for a party.” Hudson leapt to his feet. “Tell me when you expect Cooper. I’ll come back then.”
Since Seth wasn’t going to magically walk through the door, she needed to keep Hudson talking until Beck arrived and they figured out what to do. “Wait! Beck might have more information.”
Hudson hesitated, then slouched back onto the sofa. “If he doesn’t, I’m out.”
The awkward silence descended again. The ticking of the wall clock was audible in the hush. Heavenly glanced at the device. Almost five. Now what?
Her thoughts pinged like a metronome, back and forth, as she tried to sort through this surreal situation.
Eyes narrowed, River eased into his desk chair, still sizing up Hudson, who fidgeted on the sofa.
The sound of bounding footsteps on the stairs had everyone turning. Beck rushed into the room and skidded to a stop. He took one look at Hudson and his eyes flared wide, the same shock still ringing through Heavenly written all over his face.
“That’s my cue.” River stood and approached Beck, sending him a sympathetic grimace. “I’m going to…grab a sandwich. I’ll be back.”
Beck nodded, never taking his eyes off Hudson. “Yeah.”
A second later, the door slid shut again. They were alone—with a secret big enough to tear Seth from their lives.
Shaking, Heavenly stood and approached him. “Beck, this is Hudson.”
“Is Cooper with you or not?” The teenager glowered at Beck.
Beck’s mouth opened, then closed. For a moment, his stare flicked between Hudson’s face and her own. “Let’s talk about this.”