Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 81584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
“Sure,” he said quickly. “You give the girls hugs for me.”
“Will do. Love you.”
“Love you.”
My mood was even shittier as I grabbed a bag out of the back seat and climbed out of the car. I wondered if he knew, before he even mentioned it, that he was going to cancel on me.
In the four years he’d been living in Arizona, he hadn’t been back to Oregon once. Oh, he’d made plans to come back, calling me to block out dates so that I could spend time with him, but he never actually followed through with any of them. He wouldn’t visit on Christmas either. I would’ve bet my savings on it.
I’d long ago moved past any jealousy I had over how close Myla’s family was and how wonderful Lou’s grandparents were, but it still stung a little that I’d never had the same thing. My dad wasn’t a bad guy. He’d never been a bad guy. I knew he’d tried his best. But our conversation that day was a pretty good representation of our relationship since I was a child. We didn’t have anything to talk about. Some days, when I was young, the only thing we’d say to each other was hello and good night. He’d made sure that my needs were met, but that had been the extent of his contribution. My counselor in college had called him emotionally unavailable.
I just figured he was as deep as a mud puddle. I wasn’t even sure that he was capable of human interaction beyond what he’d given me. The fact that he’d found two women willing to put up with it and actually marry him boggled the mind.
Taking my time, I perused the grocery shelves as I found everything I needed on Lou’s list and added a few treats for myself while I was at it. If I was going to have a solid stay-at-home weekend, I may as well have some snacks to get me through. I hoped Lou wasn’t planning on some big gathering at our house. I should’ve asked about it that morning.
It was pretty standard for our core group of friends to have dinner together a few nights a week, but I wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone else. We’d built a little family within a family, and I was comfortable with that. I didn’t feel the need to do my hair or wear something cute when Cian and Myla or Bas or Brody or Titus or Noel and the kids were there. I could just be myself without all the extra. I didn’t need to be on.
I was loading the bags into the Tahoe, debating whether or not I should just call Lou and ask her how many people were coming over, when a familiar sound made me whip around in surprise. A flat black Harley was pulling into the parking lot, and I found myself straightening and a smile tugging on my mouth when I realized who it was. I lifted my hand about halfway up and waved, but he must not have seen me across the lot because he passed right by.
Dawdling, I slowly walked the cart to the return and watched as Gray parked near the bar and grill and took off his helmet. God, he was good looking. He’d shaved his face again, and his sharp jaw and cheekbones were droolworthy. He was dressed up a little, wearing a dark flannel under his cut with a pair of clean jeans. I only had a minute to wonder what he was doing when a skinny blonde woman climbed out of a car a couple places down the row.
I knew who that was. Well, I didn’t know her, but I’d seen her before. It was the same woman I’d seen him with the morning after we’d hooked up.
Gray reached her, and his hand immediately landed on her hip. She was talking and smiling. He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.
I didn’t want to see it, but I couldn’t look away even as my heart pounded. They looked good together. He was all rough looking, and she was polished to a shine, his perfect opposite. In heels, the top of her blonde head reached just under his chin.
She reached up and swiped at his bottom lip with her thumb.
He grinned, and I dropped my keys. They fell to the pavement with a crash, and I dropped down out of sight with a curse, scrambling to pick them up so I could get the hell out of there. All I needed after the day I’d had was for Gray to realize I’d been spying on him and his girlfriend.
Slowly enough that it wouldn’t look like I was racing away, but quick enough that he hopefully never realized I was there, I pulled out of my parking spot and got the fuck out of there.