Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
“Did you see my dad?”
“Yeah. Older but holding his own like he always has.” I don’t hide behind food or drink this time. I look at him, and add, “I went to Rollingwood quite a bit with Beck. Found out Davey had a baby, so they asked me to help cover his duties.”
“You worked the ranch? Damn, dude. That’s not easy.”
“Fucking hell,” I gripe, watching the Yankees throw it away in the fourth inning.
Baylor runs his hand over his face, personally offended by the bad play we just witnessed. “If it’s like this in the sixth, I’m going home.”
“It’s Saturday night. Since when do you ever have an early Saturday night?”
As if he had forgotten, he chuckles. “Right. Yeah, fine. I’ll stay, but you’ll be buying the rounds if they lose.”
“Why am I stuck with the tab?”
Sitting back, he crosses his arms over his chest. “Because you’re the one who got me into the Yankees, so you have to pay for making me suffer.”
“There’s not going to be any suffering. They’re going to pull it out like we know they can.”
They don’t turn it around, and Baylor’s now in a mood despite me picking up the entire check from tonight. We walk down the street, trying to decide where to go next, but I’m honestly not in the mood either. And it’s not because of the Yankees.
“I think I’m going to head back and have an early night. The travel and dealing with Anna, the—”
“Working the ranch again? I bet your body’s fucked up. That’s hard work, and you’ve gotten soft in the city.”
“Soft is the last word to describe me.” I chuckle, then look down the street in both directions to see if any taxis are in the area before I order a car to drive me.
He shakes my hand. “You never said if there were any hot chicks around town or at Whiskey’s?”
I walk backward to the curb. “Things have definitely changed.” Throwing my arm in the air for an approaching cab, I add, “You should call your family. I know they miss you.”
He seems to be taking that for what it’s worth. “I will. See you on Thursday at the courts?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” I get in the back of the taxi and give him my address. It was good to see Baylor, but I need to figure out what the hell is going on with me when it comes to his sister. I know full well that it can never work out with me here and her there.
CHAPTER 17
Christine
It’s completely unreasonable to be upset because Tagger left. It’s not like I didn’t see it coming. It was a four-day visit. That’s it.
His life is in New York City.
Mine is here on the ranch.
We couldn’t be more distant in miles, time zones, or even our way of life. I knew that before I kissed him. So why does my heart still hurt?
“Are you going to eat that, sweetie?” I look up from the counter to see Peaches smiling down at me. Sympathy shapes her brown eyes, pulling down the corners with the sides of her mouth. She’s just like Lauralee and can see right through me.
Rubbing my stomach in a fake play to feign full, I try to change the emotion on her face. “I think that’s all I can eat.”
“Those biscuits are your favorite. Let me wrap up the last two for you to take home.”
“I appreciate it.” Lauralee’s mom has always been the sweetest and brought me into her brood like I was one of her own.
She disappears into the back, leaving me with my thoughts again. Those thoughts are the reason I came up to the sundries store in the first place. It’s been five days since he left, and I’m tired of being lost in my head over it. He owes me nothing. That’s what he took with him. So why am I carrying around our time together like it’s precious?
The man has always been popular with the ladies. He’s more handsome than ever, so just chalk it up to what it was—nothing but a good time. One time. That’s all.
The bell above the door chimes, and I look back like Tagger’s going to walk through it. I need a major distraction from my life right now.
I’m being utterly ridiculous. Normally, I wouldn’t mind indulging in my fantasies. It was a way to pass the time and gave me something to joke about with my best friend, and was completely harmless. I’ve done it for years without repercussions because they remained inside me. But Tagger and I made some come true last week, and now fantasies aren’t the fairy tales I once thought they would be. They’re reminders of what could have been, which hurts my heart.
I spin to the side on the chair, watching the kids bob and weave as they find the candy they want. The girls’ laughter overshadows the soft music piped in overhead while he follows her around like he would follow her anywhere.