Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“Man, you couldn’t get out of there fast enough,” James said to his brother.
“I just don’t care to be around her.”
“Must make things awkward since your best friend is married to her best friend,” I said as I glanced across the street. “Is that Tanner Browning again, peeking into Aurora’s place?” I asked as I pointed toward the young kid standing outside the bookstore.
Gavin strained to look. “It doesn’t look like the same kid.”
James started across the street as he said, “Let’s find out.”
Gavin and I followed. When the kid saw us walking toward him, he looked like he might take off running. Instead, he just stood there like a deer in headlights.
“Everything okay here?” James asked, coming to a stop in front of the kid.
“Yeah, I’m waiting for my girlfriend to come out of the bookstore.”
I glanced through the window and saw two young girls standing in line to pay for books. “Yeah? What’s your girlfriend’s name?” I asked.
“Autumn.”
Nodding, I moved past him into the bookstore. Aurora glanced up and waved when she saw me. Approaching the counter, I smiled at the two young girls. “One of you wouldn’t happen to be Autumn, would you?”
The girl with light red hair raised her hand. “I’m Autumn.”
“Do you know the young man standing outside there?” I pointed toward the front window.
“Um, yeah, that’s my boyfriend, Wes. Is everything okay? He got tired of waiting on us and went outside.”
“He was in here with the girls,” Aurora said. “But he got bored.”
“Great, just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
Aurora flashed me a smile. “Of course. Thank you for keeping an eye on us.”
“No problem.”
Turning, I started out the door—and when I stepped outside, came to an abrupt stop.
“What in the hell are you doing?” I asked.
Gavin and James were kneeling on the sidewalk, throwing dice. James looked up. “Wes here is showing us a dice game.”
I stared at them both like they’d lost their damn minds. “A dice game?”
“Left, Center, Right,” Wes stated with a huge grin. “I’m teaching them.”
Reaching down, I grabbed both Gavin and James, pulling them up. “Are you out of your minds? That’s gambling, and you’re playing it right here on Main Street? In your uniforms?!”
“You can play it without gambling, sir,” Wes said, as he picked up the dice. “But it’s more fun with money. Don’t forget, Officer Quinn, you owe me ten dollars.”
I shook my head and held up my hands. “Wes, let me give you a piece of advice.”
He smiled again. “Yes, sir?”
“Don’t play a gambling game with two police officers. Number one, are you even eighteen? Number two, they’re cops. And number three, that’s just plain stupid.”
Wes looked at James and Gavin. “Well, they were the ones who wanted to play.”
I stared at him, then closed my eyes. God help this kid.
When I opened my eyes, Gavin and James were fighting smiles…and I knew they were fucking with me.
“I’m heading back to my patrol car.”
“Oh, come on, Declan!” James called out. “It was just some harmless fun! We told Wes to play along just to get you worked up. I don’t really owe him ten bucks.”
“You said you’d give me ten dollars to pretend to play dice,” Wes corrected.
I turned and pointed at them. “You’re both assholes.”
Laughing, they quickly caught up to me. Gavin knocked against my arm. “Think of it as a fraternity initiation.”
“First, we’re not in a fraternity. Second, you’re a grown-ass man.”
“Who likes to have fun. Come on, Declan, we…”
His words faded, and I glanced over at him. He was frowning. “What’s wrong?”
“Is that smoke?” Gavin asked, and James and I both whipped our heads in the direction he pointed.
“Fuck. It is!” James shouted, as he took off running, Gavin and I hot on his heels.
“It’s in the historical district, it looks like!” Gavin shouted, as we each ran to our cars. James called it in, and a sinking feeling came over me as we pulled out and headed toward the smoke.
“Please don’t be Liam and Hope’s house.”
Harper
The flash of people running by in my peripheral vision caused me to turn, glancing down the sidewalk. It was Declan, Gavin, and James, all running as fast as they could toward their patrol cars.
“What’s going on?” Cadie asked as she walked toward me from the direction of the bakery.
“I’m not sure. They all just started running.” Turning to look at her, I smiled. “Please tell me that’s some of your banana bread.”
“It is,” she replied, handing me a basket holding loaves of the delicious bread. “I made a special batch just for you.”
I wanted to kiss her. Cadie’s banana nut bread was sought after by everyone in town.
“Is it three already?” I asked as I wound up my hose and turned off the water.
“Yep, three-thirty, to be exact.” Cadie glanced around, then started to sniff the air. “Do you smell smoke?”