Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
If her parents had been able to afford it, she would have loved to go to fashion school, or something to do with design. As it happened, they were not able to afford it, and she refused to take out loans. Instead, she finished school and actually started her own channel on social media, which gradually grew. Her parents were so supportive, even turning the garage into her filming space.
This was where she lived now—in her parents’ old home. After they passed, everything had been given to her, and her parents had each left her a video, ordering her to make it her own space. She could no longer live in their memories, but it was a place to make it hers. She missed them every day, especially when she was having doubts. Her mother always had this way of making things seem trivial, and she constantly had never-ending faith in her.
Tillie took another drink of her orange with the dash of lime, and she noticed Belle’s head had perked up.
She looked around and watched as none other than Jaxson Ridge approached. “Hello, stranger,” she said.
He was the grumpy electrician, plumber, and odd-job man. If there was a job needed, he was the man to call. Although, most people complained about his gruff manner. She knew he was the best man for every job.
“Hello, I did not expect to see you here, so I had to come and check with my own two eyes.”
This made her laugh. “Is it such a shock to see a woman socializing?” she asked.
“Not at all, but you, well, that is shocking, isn’t it?”
She laughed, and Belle walked over to Jaxson, gave him a sniff, and seemed to be happy with him. “Don’t mind her.”
“She’s all good. I speak dog.”
This made her laugh.
Belle nudged her hand, and she patted her lap, to which her dog jumped up, gave her face a nudge, and then settled onto her lap. She looked across the table where she was sitting as Jaxson took a seat.
She knew he was the town bad boy. The rebel. Everyone complained about him, but she honestly didn’t see it. Whenever they talked, he was always the sweetest man she had ever met.
“Do you mind?” he asked.
“Not at all. I’m surprised you’re all alone. I thought you were dating someone.”
He let out a groan. “Everyone seems to think I am dating someone, or something like that.”
She couldn’t help but giggle. “And you don’t like that?”
“Would you, if the rumors followed you everywhere?”
“I figured you would be completely used to it by now,” she said. “You’re the type of man that gossip follows.”
“And you’re a woman I don’t see around here very often. Is everything okay?”
She nodded and continued to stroke her dog’s back. “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. I mean, you’ve got to be, don’t you?” She shrugged.
Silence met her answer. She let out a sigh and didn’t want to look up at him. In that moment, she felt this huge wave of emotion that completely flooded her. She felt like she had been kicked in the gut.
Jaxson reached across the table and placed his hand on top of hers. “It’s okay,” he said. “You don’t have to talk.”
She didn’t even realize she had been crying. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
She let out a chuckle, but it was very much a forced sound. “I didn’t even realize how ... emotional I was feeling. I’m ... it’s my parents’ anniversary.”
“Of their death?” Jaxson asked.
“No, no, they died in March. June is the anniversary of their marriage, and every single year, without fail, they would come here, where they claimed to finally see each other for the first time.” She sighed. “I ... uh, it’s nothing. I was just a little taken aback as it was over thirty-five years ago.”
“You’re twenty-nine,” he said.
She laughed. “I know. I know. They actually grew up together. Hung around at high school, then they kind of drifted apart for like a year. When they were both nineteen, they came to this bar to celebrate a friend’s birthday. It brought them together, and five years later, I was born. In the five years between them meeting and me being born, they got married, bought a house, all of that.” She shrugged.
Jaxson lifted up his beer bottle. “To Mr. and Mrs. Short, wishing you both a happy anniversary.”
“Thank you,” Tillie said, lifted her glass of orange juice with a dash of lime, and took a drink.
He didn’t have to do that, but it was nice that he did.
“You’re not quite so rough around the edges, are you?” she asked.
He chuckled. “I’m being nice.”
“I appreciate it.”
Belle lifted her head and placed it on the table, looking across at Jaxson.
“She must like you,” she said. “She’s not usually a friendly dog.”
He reached across and stroked Belle’s head. Her dog didn’t grumble, just looked over at him, and she found it absolutely the cutest thing in the world.