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)
“I’m not busy. I decided to not go to the bar this afternoon and told Ben, the daytime manager, to simply lock up if my mom doesn’t show up on time.”
“Attagirl,” Britney says, clapping her hands. “Now, you’re all mine for the rest of the day.”
“Well, I need thirty,” I tell her with a grin. “I have to write up notes and send them to the team doctor. But it won’t take me long.”
“Perf, I’ll go change.”
Britney winks, and then she’s off, and I open the laptop so I can get to work. Xander takes my water bottle, but I don’t really pay attention until he comes back with it refilled.
“Thanks. Where’s your water?”
He lifts an eyebrow. “On the kitchen counter. Don’t worry, I’m drinking plenty, wildcat.”
I smirk and dive back into work, and when I’m finished, I close the computer and put it away.
“You did well today,” I tell him as I stand. “Tomorrow, I want to test your range of motion, and depending on how that goes, we’ll add other things in.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets.
“Go to dinner with us tonight.”
I bite my lip. I want to. I really want to, so that means that I probably shouldn’t.
“I can’t. Thank you for inviting me, but I have a bunch to do at the house, and I haven’t seen Cally much in days. The poor thing is lonely. But I’ll be back here tomorrow morning.”
He blows out a breath and simply nods, and when I reach the kitchen, Britney’s already waiting for me.
“Do you wanna swing by your place to change?” Britney asks me.
“Nah, I’m used to the scrubs. Unless you don’t want to be seen with a literal scrub.”
She laughs and shakes her head. “Honey, you’re cute as can be. Besides, I’m just in leggings. We’re not doing anything fancy.”
She looks fancy, but I suspect that she would in anything she wears.
“Let’s go buy some books.”
I’m just getting out of the shower when I hear my phone ringing on the vanity. By the time I slosh my way over the bathmat and wrap a towel around me, the call goes to voicemail, but then it starts to ring again.
Xander.
With a frown, I answer.
“Are you okay?” I ask. “What’s wrong? What do you need?”
“I’m fine. Why didn’t you answer the first time?”
I frown at myself in the mirror. “I was in the shower.”
He pauses, and I swear I hear him growl before he says, “How indecent are you right now?”
“I mean, I’m in a towel, Xander. Dripping wet. I haven’t—”
“Jesus, I get it.” He takes a deep breath. “You’re killing me. Okay, so here’s the thing. I told Coop and Brit that you were busy, but apparently I bore the fuck out of them because they insist that you should join us tonight. And I agree. You should. But I know you don’t want to leave Cally, so we’re bringing pizza to you.”
My jaw drops and my eyebrows climb.
“When?” I finally manage to say.
“We’re on the porch.”
I huff out a laugh. “Okay, if you’ll give me five minutes to dry off and get dressed—”
“Really killing me here, Red. I don’t need a sexy play-by-play.”
“Give me five,” I repeat and hang up, and then I can’t help but smile to myself.
Because I think I’m making friends. And they want to hang out with me.
I don’t remember the last time that happened.
So, I rush through drying off and pull on a Flurry T-shirt and jeans. I let my hair down out of the clip, grateful that today was not hair-wash day, and shake it out. Then I move fast through my small house and open the front door.
“Hi, guys.”
“Your house is the cutest,” Britney says with a grin. “Don’t make us leave. I’m totally clingy and want to hang out with you before we have to go back to Denver.”
With a laugh, I wave them into the house. “Please don’t leave. The pizza smells good.”
Xander’s carrying the boxes, and Cooper has two bags full of other things, and they head straight for the kitchen.
Britney, however, is standing in my living room, already holding my cat and staring at my art.
Shit.
I really need to start putting those away if I’m going to have unexpected guests.
“So, you’re a genius.” She turns to pin me in a stare. “And you didn’t tell me.”
I snort and reach out to scratch Cally behind the ears. She’s eating up all this attention.
“No, I have a hobby. That’s all. I have water and Diet Coke and—”
“We brought drinks,” Brit says, waving me off. “Honey, you’re a savant. This is better than some of the art hanging in galleries in Denver.”
I shake my head. “I already like you. No need to butter me up.”
She snorts, and I smile at her.
“What the fuck are you wearing?”
Xander’s voice is hard and angry, and I turn with a frown to see his gaze pinned on me. His green eyes are narrowed, and his hands are fisted at his sides.