Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 116708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Daniel nudged Carson with his thigh. “Say hey to Uncle Truett.”
Dramatic as only a five-year-old could be, he threw his head back and whined, “Can we go home yet?”
“Hey, dude. That’s my line.” I ruffled the top of his hair.
“I’m so bored,” he groaned.
Daniel rolled his eyes. “You’ll have to excuse him. He’s not sure what to do when he’s not being completely and utterly spoiled with things like a trampoline park or video games.”
Grinning, I shook my head and located Nate across the room. “Hey, buddy,” I called.
His head popped up from the game of Jenga he was playing on the floor with Pike and Daphne.
“Can you let Carson hang out with you guys for a little bit?”
“Sure,” he chirped.
Carson was hesitant, but Daniel tipped his head toward the kids. “Go ahead. I’ll be right here.”
Reluctantly, he shuffled away.
“Where’s Amber?” I asked.
Using his drink, he pointed across the room. She was standing with Angela, Gwen, and Dylan, a glass of wine in all of their hands.
I instantly snagged the beer from my brother and set it on a nearby high-top.
“What was that for?”
“That is a dangerous circle your wife is standing in. The next thing you know, she’s going to be bottle deep, discussing the finer and less-than-finer points of your sex life. You, sir, are going to need to drive home tonight. Go ahead and prep for it now.”
He laughed. “Fair enough.” He shifted Jacob to his other hip. “I guess I’ll be letting Amber know that you’ll be attending all future birthday parties and holiday get-togethers. No excuses now.”
I groaned. “As long as I get a couple of plus-ones, I’ll be there.”
The happiness and relief on that man’s face made him look like a kid again. “I’m so proud of you.”
“That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” I deadpanned. “Just promise you’ll check on Gwen when I’m gone. God only knows what that asshole will pull if he catches wind that I’m not around.”
“You just focus on Truett while you’re gone. I’ll hold down the fort. I promise.”
He would. Daniel would always have my back, and it was about damn time I started having his.
“Hey, you should drop the boys off with me and Gwen one night. I’m sure you two need a break.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Is tonight an option?” He tipped his chin at his wife. “That is her second glass of wine in so many minutes. She’s going to be so hungover tomorrow.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Not tonight. But definitely sometime when I get back.”
“Deal.” He narrowed his eyes across the room. “I think someone over there is trying to get your attention.”
I turned and saw Gwen waving me over. She was standing with Cooter, so I steeled myself for whatever adventure I was about to embark on.
“I’ll catch up with you in a few.” I jerked my chin at Daniel and then headed her way.
Gwen reached for me as soon as I got close, sliding her arm around my waist. “Truett, baby, can you help us settle something here?”
I pulled her into my side with my arm around her shoulders. “Sure.”
“Please tell her that her name tag is misspelled.”
Cooter pulled at her shirt to read the tag and then looked back to Gwen. “No, it’s not. Lucille is spelled with two L’s. How are we best friends and you don’t even know how to spell my name?”
Gwen pulled a small rectangular tag from her pocket, a mischievous grin on her face. “Weird. I always thought Lucille was spelled C-O-O-T-E-R.”
A loud hoot erupted and she snatched her new name tag. In less than a second, she’d switched them out, tossing the old one over her shoulder. Thankfully, it only hit the wall.
“Thank God!” she exclaimed. “I was sick to my stomach every time someone referred to me as Lucille. That was my granny’s name. It made me feel like I was being haunted.”
A tall gentleman in a three-piece-suit appeared beside her, with two cocktails in his hands. He leaned into her ear and sweetly said, “I wasn’t sure if you were allowed to drink or not while you’re working, but I couldn’t very well come back from the bar without a drink for my best girl.”
Cooter beamed up at him, taking the drink. “Gwennie, Gargamel, this is my new beau, George. But you can call him Dinky.”
He smiled awkwardly and extended his hand in Gwen’s direction. “Nice to meet you. This place is beautiful. Also, please just call me George.” He shook her hand and then turned with it still outstretched to me. “And you are?”
I grasped his palm. “Look, I’ll call you George if you call me Truett and not Gargamel.” I hit Cooter with a side-eye. “Not really sure where that even came from.”
“Well, you were the hot gargoyle, and ya know, natural progression is Gargamel,” Cooter explained as though it made all the sense in the world.