Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89465 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89465 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
“Only because it took me by surprise,” I tell him with a grin after swallowing.
“I’ll get you the correct drink,” he says, knocking his knuckles twice on our table before stepping away.
“On the house,” I yell at him, laughing when he raises his hand in a wave of agreement over his head as he makes his way back to the bar.
Adalynn and I jerk our heads in the direction of a loud crash, just in time to see poor Hailey crouching low to gather up the glass from the dishes she just dropped on the floor.
Claire Kennedy looks down at what looks like chili staining her sandals, but instead of being angry, she just looks resigned, like bad things happen to her all the time.
“Bless her heart,” Adalynn whispers. “That poor woman.”
“How’s she doing?” I ask, knowing that she lost her husband a few years ago in combat.
“I don’t see her out much. I imagine her daughter keeps her busy. I think she’s been working at Raise the Woof.”
Claire smiles at Hailey as the waitress hands her a bar rag.
“I bet the Kennedys have Larken tonight, and that new girl ruined her limited time out.”
“It was an accident,” I remind her.
There was a time, not long ago, that Claire was also considered an outsider. She showed up in Lindell pregnant after Hux died. The town surrounded her and took care of her because while she may have been an outsider, the baby she was carrying was not. They’d never betray Hux’s memory by shunning his pregnant wife, no matter how upset his parents were that they got married without running it by them first.
“Well, well, well,” I say, watching the handsome uniformed officer squat to help Hailey pick up some of the broken fragments.
“I swear, some people would do just about anything to get attention,” Ad grumbles, watching as Cash places the bits and pieces of the chili bowl on Hailey’s tray.
He gives her a quick smile before standing, his eyes darting in our direction a second later.
Adalynn can’t see it, but the man forgot about the waitress the second he looked her way.
Ad straightens her spine, the fake smile she’s had plastered on her face more times than I can count in place as he approaches.
He presses a quick kiss to her cheek, lingering a little longer than decent before taking a step back and offering me a quick hug.
“Fancy seeing you two here,” he says, that twangy Southern drawl of his a little more pronounced than I remember from the last time I saw him.
“I’m surprised she didn’t slip you her phone number,” Adalynn says, her voice sweeter than the sugar water my mom puts in her hummingbird feeders.
Cash shrugs. “She gave it to me last week.”
Adalynn’s smile never slips off her face. The woman has perfected her ability to keep her cool when struck with disappointment. I, on the other hand, frown at Cash’s comment, even though I know he isn’t saying it to be mean. He’s stating a fact. These two may circle around each other, but they don’t have secrets, other than being madly in love with each other. That’s the one thing they don’t talk about.
“So, you’re going to start seeing her? We can invite her to dinner,” Adalynn offers, and bless her because she would too.
Her parents rotate weekly meals, the three Tate children joining both sets of parents every Sunday for brunch or dinner, depending on everyone’s schedule for the week. More often than not, Cash is right at the table with everyone else.
“I’m not going to start dating Hailey,” Cash tells her before turning in my direction. “Your mom—”
“Is a mess and a half,” I interrupt. “She tried to set me up with Ronnie and Donnie.”
He chuckles. “Those two are a handful.”
I breathe a sigh of relief that he either took the hint not to bring up the date Mom has been trying to set us up on or is distracted enough by the subject change that he’ll just forget about it altogether.
“Are you off shift?” I ask, thanking Hailey when she drops off my corrected drink with a quick apology.
I get the feeling she apologizes a lot.
Adalynn watches her walk away with narrowed eyes.
“Not quite. Just making a walk-through.”
I take a cautious sip of my drink, grinning when I find that it’s the correct one.
“Ad, are you driving?”
I frown, feeling like a scolded child.
“Yes,” she answers. “Will we see you for lunch tomorrow?”
“I have to play it by ear. Chandler is having issues at home, so I may have to cover his shift.”
Adalynn nods in understanding, her disappointment hidden deep under a layer of falsity. He leans in one last time, brushing a kiss on her cheek. I look away when her eyelashes flutter briefly.
“You two behave tonight,” he says before walking away.