Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
“That’s his.” I step forward and take it.
“Yep, I stitched the side so it bunches cutely at the bottom. This way you can see you have shorts on. The hoodie hides them.”
“Oh shit,” Willa laughs. “You’re so right. Rich would not have been a fan of her in the sweater and people thinking there is nothing underneath. At home it’s fine, but out…” She shakes her head. “These men are possessive.”
“You really think it would upset him?”
“He wouldn’t be upset with you. He’d just take it out on someone else.” My stomach twists. If Rich got pissed at me, he’d take it out on someone else.
“As in whoever is checking you out and hitting on you,” Teddy fills in for me. “That’s who would get his wrath. Like Willa said. The men are possessive around here, and those fights are like a nightclub at times with people looking to hook up.”
That is the last thing I want to think about. The idea of Rich hooking up with people makes me want to throw up. It twists my stomach in a different kind of way.
I take the shirt from Teddy and change into it. This will let everyone know I’m with Rich. I don’t want to be hit on, and I don’t want to meet someone that Rich has been with either. That’s not going to stop me from going. Maybe it should, but with all this talk of hookups, I want to go more. To see for myself what goes on in places like this. I’ve never experienced any of it, and although it scares me, it also excites me some too.
I know Rich told me he’s not that type of man, and I want to believe everything he’s shown me, but I have been burned so many times before. Especially by the man I’m supposed to trust the most in my life: my dad.
“It fits perfectly,” Willa says with a happy sigh.
“I thought I had it right.” Teddy checks around the bottom part of the shirt. “You fall a touch between Willa’s and my size, so it was easy.”
“For now.” Willa taps Teddy’s stomach.
“You’re one to talk.” Teddy rolls her eyes playfully.
“Ladies,” I hear West say as he knocks on the partially open door. “Are you ready?”
“Let me grab my shoes.” Willa darts back into her closet before we all head out together with West driving us.
“We have to get you a phone,” Willa tells me, clicking away on hers.
“Rich lets me use his.” I play with it occasionally. I don't have anyone that I would text or call, and social media is a world I don't understand, but TikTok does make me laugh. It has a lot of funny clips, and it’s a good distraction.
“He already ordered one,” West informs us. “I think when he left the house today, he realized that she needed one. It will be here tomorrow.”
"I'm sure he's going crazy being separated from you."
“You think?” I ask Willa.
“Oh, I know, but let's go sleuthing and see if anyone has posted.” Willa clicks away on her phone. She tilts it toward me, making it clear she’s okay with me watching over her shoulder. “Oh my God.” She starts to laugh. “Someone is talking about how Rich is prowling around the warehouse.”
“Prowling around?” Teddy laughs. “Doesn’t he normally just stick in the back?”
“I don’t know. I’ve only been to a few, and Rich isn’t too chatty about the fights.”
“He’s not chatty about anything.” Teddy adds.
“He talks a lot,” I say before I can think better of it. Well he does to me, anyway. I swear he would probably talk more if I opened up.
“It’s cute how you’re also defensive of him.” Teddy says.
“Only speaking the truth.”
“It’s not a bad thing.” Teddy turns in her seat to face me. “It’s good. People are defensive of the people they love.”
“Sit properly.” West reaches over and presses Teddy’s shoulder to make her sit correctly in her seat. “It’s not safe for you to be leaning that way,” he adds when she shakes her head at him. I can’t help but notice how attentive he is to her. Always fussing over her and making sure she’s okay. It’s very endearing and shows just how much he loves her. It reminds me of how Rich treats me. I mean, not that he loves me or anything.
“She’s right. It is a good thing, and soon you’ll see we all love Rich, and when you all love each other, that means you get to pick on each other.” Willa’s expression is dead serious.
“She’s right,” Teddy adds. “It can be the funnest part. It’s all in good fun.”
“It’s all a family loving each other,” Willa tacks on.
They are right when I look at it from that perspective. They aren’t the family I grew up with. And I do love watching all of them banter back and forth.