Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
She wrinkles her nose. “You always called me that in high school.”
I freeze. I did? I don’t remember that, and it fucking pisses me off. I want to remember what a teenage Ivy looked like, but when I try to find it in my mind, it’s simply not there.
“It fits you,” I reply.
“The hair.”
“The blush.”
She blinks, and that pretty blush moves up her chest and into her cheeks, and fuck if it isn’t adorable.
“This is just the day for me to be embarrassed,” she mutters.
“No way. I like it. It’s sexy. Don’t work too hard, Red.”
She nods and hops up into her truck, and I return to my sister, who’s sitting in the corner of the couch in the living room, no drink, just curled up looking sad.
And I fucking hate that.
“What’s going on?”
She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “Chad wants to postpone the wedding again.”
“I thought you weren’t getting married until February.”
“That was the plan.” She nibbles her lip and stares outside.
“That still gives you plenty of time.”
“I told him the same thing. Honestly, I told him if he doesn’t want to get married to just say so, and we can call the whole thing off. I don’t want to feel like I’m trapping him or begging him to marry me. He proposed to me, not the other way around. I’m not pregnant or anything. We don’t even live together, so there’s nothing holding him to me.”
“What did he say to that?”
And when can I plant my fist in his face?
“He always rushes to assure me that he does want to get married, but timing is tough and blah blah blah. Excuses.”
“Aves, you’re not a doormat. You’re one of the most outspoken, confident, kick-ass people I know. I can’t believe you’re letting this jackass treat you like this. Kick him to the fucking curb and get on with your life.”
She blows out a gusty breath and tips her head back against the couch.
“I know that everyone thinks I’m crazy and that all of this is weird for me.”
“It is weird.”
“Yeah, well.”
“Do you really love him that much?”
She pauses, and that’s all I have to know.
“Ava—”
“I do love him.”
“Then why did you just stutter over the L-word?”
She laughs and then dissolves into a coughing fit because she choked on her own spit.
“I didn’t. I do love him, or I wouldn’t have agreed to marry him. He’s just not a romantic guy, and I don’t need a ton of romance. It’s unrealistic to expect hearts and flowers and kittens all the time.”
“You don’t have even one kitten.”
She reaches over to smack my arm. “Shut up. You know what I mean. He’s a good person.”
“That’s the only reason he’s still breathing on his own.”
Ava rolls her eyes. “You brothers might talk a big game, but it’s not like you’re going to beat him up or kill him.”
My smile is humorless. “Says you.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m just frustrated, and I didn’t want to go home to wallow by myself.”
“You can come wallow here all you want.”
She takes my hand in hers and links our fingers. “I’m glad you’re home for a while. I hate that you got hurt, but I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too. Tell me you’re not going to marry that moron.”
“I didn’t come here for this. And I’m going to get my way. February. I don’t want to wait longer than that, and I’m going to put my foot down.”
“Great. Put it down on his balls.”
She snorts. “I mean, one day I’d like children, so—”
“Christ, I don’t want to think about you and Chad having sex.”
“I mean, I could have sex with—”
“No one. You can have sex with no one. You and Harper are as pure as the driven snow.”
“Sure, if that snow is on the side of the highway, and maybe a little yellow.”
I glare at her. “I’m going to gag.”
“Not because of that. Jesus, you’re gross. Now I’m gonna gag.”
“Are you staying for dinner? Cassie filled the fridge with healthy meals.”
Ava wrinkles her nose. “Then no. I want carbs and sugar. And alcohol. Lots of it.”
“Fine, we can go out.”
“Won’t you get into trouble for cheating on your diet?”
With a laugh, I push off the couch and pull her with me. “By who exactly? I can have a cheat day. Carbs aren’t the devil.”
“They are for me. They stick to my ass.”
“We’re not talking about your ass.”
With Ava full of pasta and bread from Ciao, the Italian restaurant in Bitterroot Valley, and tucked safely in her house, I’ve just pulled into my garage when my phone pings with a text.
Cooper: What are you doing?
I walk into the house and grab an ice pack and water from the fridge, then cross to the living room and sit down.
Me: Just had dinner with my sister. What are you doing?
Cooper: I’m listening to Brit complain because she can’t cook for you on Wednesdays anymore.