Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“I just fell on my stairs. They were slick. It’s fine.” I lick my lips and move to step around him, needing to get home to clean myself up and get to work. Plus, being near him makes me … sad.
But when I get to my car, I startle because he’s standing behind me.
“Uh, what—”
“Let me see it.”
Shaking my head, I unlock the door and open it, toss the bag of bandages and antiseptic cream onto the passenger seat, and turn to face the man who broke my heart all those years ago. We’re standing in the rain, but neither of us seems to notice that we’re getting soaked to the bone.
Or care.
“I’ll be fine. Thanks for asking, though.”
He frowns and swallows hard, then looks back down at my leg. “You’re limping.”
“Yeah, I cut my leg.” I tilt my head to the side, watching him. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he cares. That he’s worried.
But I know that’s not the case.
“I need to clean this up, try to salvage these jeans, then I have to get to work. But really. Thanks for asking.”
His jaw clenches, and then he nods once and walks away.
Aside from when I made him talk to me at Harper and Blake’s engagement party, that’s the most he’s said to me in years.
After he disappears inside, I drive back to my place and carefully climb the stairs to the apartment, where I have to rush to change and get ready for work. After a quick internet search, it appears that soaking the bloodied jeans in ice water may help with the stains. So I go downstairs to grab a bucket of ice, then return upstairs to soak the denim before I go to work.
Tandy’s ankle is doing better, and she’s with me this morning, serving breakfast. Hazel will be here in an hour.
And it’s a good thing because it’s a busy morning.
But by the time lunch is over, things calm down considerably, and I decide that after the shit morning I had, I deserve a trip to the bookstore. I’ve finished everything I previously bought, and I think there’s a new book club read to buy.
I don’t actually attend book club meetings. I don’t want to make things weird for Billie, the youngest of the Blackwell siblings, and the only girl. I always thought of Billie as a younger sister, and I’m so fucking proud of the badass woman she’s become. Not only is she absolutely gorgeous, with curves for days, beautiful long dark hair, and a fashion sense that would make any woman just a little jealous but she has also opened this brick-and-mortar bookstore, which specializes in romance and women’s fiction, and it’s thriving.
The store itself is gorgeous inside, with rows of pretty bookshelves and tables set with fun accessories, such as candles, bookmarks, and water bottles. The inviting chairs situated by the windows almost always have someone curled up in them, reading or working on a laptop.
She’s brought a lot of joy to this town.
I walk across the street, hardly limping at all now, and push inside.
“Hey, you,” Bee calls out with a wave. “I’ll be right there.”
“I’m just browsing,” I assure her, and immediately pick up this month’s Spicy Girls Book Club read. Over the Moon by Laura Pavlov. I do enjoy small-town romance, so this will be a fun one.
Then I proceed to make my way around the entire store, checking out everything new, and then approach the checkout with about a half dozen new finds.
“Oh, this one by Maggie Rawdon is so good,” Bee says. “You’ll love it. How are you, Jules?”
“I’m doing just fine. How are you, Bug?” I’ve called her that since she was little. Because she is as cute as a bug.
Although I don’t know why anyone thought up that expression.
“Aside from super pregnant and ready to be done with swollen ankles? I can’t complain.” She glows as she smiles over at me.
“You’re feeling okay?”
Bee nods and pulls a bag out from under the counter for my books. “Yeah, I’m okay. Pregnancy is rough, but at least I’m not throwing up every ten minutes anymore. Connor’s making me cut my hours down to part-time in the store starting next month, and then I’ll do admin from home with my feet up.”
Billie’s married to a literal billionaire. A sexy, Irish, obsessed-with-her billionaire.
She’s living in a romance novel.
“I think that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“He’s kind of swoony,” she admits. “So you bought the book club book. Does this mean you’re actually coming to the meeting this time?”
The smile falls from my face.
“Bug, you know that I don’t want to step on any toes.”
That’s code for, I know your family hates me, and I don’t want to make things horrible for you.
“Number one, you’re a paying customer, Jules. Two, my brother never comes in here. It’s not like you’ll be sitting next to him or something. Three, I love you and want you to come. It’s so much fun. You’re right across the street, so if you drink too much wine, you can just walk home.”