Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 69794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“I am, why?” He grinned. “I don’t look like one?”
I scrunched up my nose. “Well, no. Not really. You don’t look like any science—or any subject for that matter—teacher that I’ve ever seen. All of my teachers were old, overweight, and crotchety. You strike me as none of those things.”
“Well, thanks.” He chuckled. “I can’t believe you let them work on your car.”
I shrugged.
He shook his head in response. “That’s where you went wrong. He’s a crook and quite inept at anything automotive related.”
I threw up my hands. “How was I supposed to know that? I checked Google! He had all five stars!”
“Those five stars are from his own family.” He chuckled again. “And I’m sure he finds a way to get the reviews deleted if they don’t go in his favor.” He studied me. “You’re new to town?”
I nodded. “I’m here for a job interview.”
Saying it was a job interview instead of a possible professional soccer tryout was easier.
Saying the latter always invited more questions, and sometimes I just wanted to not talk about that part of my life.
I was proud of becoming a professional soccer player. However, I didn’t make it my whole identity.
Plus, I had a single season left in me.
I’d officially graduated college as a nurse anesthetist, and I was excited to start a new career path.
Not that I didn’t love soccer with my whole heart and soul, but soccer was a young woman’s game now.
As a thirty-two-year-old woman, I couldn’t keep up with sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds anymore.
Not even my infinite wisdom and soccer know-how could out-top a seventeen-year-old’s superior energy and drive.
“For what?”
Before I could answer, the older sheriff stepped out and said, “Court’s gonna get working on it.”
He made some face at me, then at the man I’d been talking to the entire time.
“Did he say about how long?” I asked.
I’d need to find a way to rent a car if it was going to take any longer than a couple of hours.
I could waste some time in town, but I couldn’t leave Iris for too long.
Not that Merrill wouldn’t be able to take superior care of Iris, but Iris had a routine, and it was better not to deviate from it too much.
Having a kid with autism was hard. But routines made it easier.
Plus, Merrill didn’t know enough sign language to understand everything that Iris had to say, which was the only way that Iris communicated.
She was learning, but slowly.
“Can I offer you a ride to Hopps? Or The Mercantile for lunch?”
Sheriff Black, as his nametag noted him as, slapped my rescuer on the shoulder and said, “We’re gonna head home, Beau.”
I watched them leave before I said, “I really appreciate it but…”
He grinned and gestured to his bike. “Come on, what will it hurt?”
I found myself unable to tell that smile no.
TWO
I think it’s disrespectful that a handful of almonds have six million calories.
—Beau to Boone
BEAU
My last day as a science teacher was a bittersweet one.
I’d miss my life, my students, and the staff at Jesper County High School.
But I was also kind of excited about a new venture.
I’d never thought that I would be taking over as CEO of my father’s company, but who was I to not stick it to my sister.
I’d been drinking a celebratory beer in the parking lot of the post office with Black and Gentry, a couple of club brothers from the MC I was a member of, when she’d crashed in front of us.
I’d clocked her driving from a quarter of a mile away.
She was in a black Jeep Cherokee with the windows rolled down.
Her long, black hair had been flying every which way, swirling like a cyclone above her head.
But it’d been her small smile that’d caught my attention at first.
Her car tire had yanked free, and I’d watched it roll across the street into the tall grass before I’d looked back at her face.
She looked horrified.
It was the cutest thing I’d ever witnessed.
Then she’d turned and spotted us, witnessing the carnage, and she’d flushed the prettiest of pinks.
Then she’d stepped out of the car in her short blue jean shorts, white tank top, and matching Samba shoes, and I’d fallen into instant lust.
Her body was to die for.
Not super tall, but she had toned, tanned thighs. Athletic build. And the features that spoke of some Asian heritage. Her brown eyes were incredibly expressive.
But it was the scowl on her face as she glared at us as if we were the ones who ripped her tire off and flung it away that had me pushing off the seat of my bike and walking toward her.
Now, I was holding out my hand to help her onto the back of my bike, and the anticipation of having her arms wrapped around me was killing me.
She placed her soft hands into mine, and I watched as the muscles in her forearm played while she gripped my hand tightly to steady herself as she swung onto my bike.