Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Casey patted Beth’s arm. “It’s okay, sweetie. Just try your hardest to move fast.”
“What? I’m not slow!” Beth said as she followed the girls back over toward the slides.
Jacob motioned for Mitch. “Okay, you see where they’re hiding the snowballs, right?”
“Yep.”
Jacob hit Mitch’s chest. “Focus on that area, and take them down as they come back for more.”
“Take them down?” Mitch asked with a chuckle.
Jacob grabbed Mitch’s jacket. “Dude, this is for the win! Focus!”
With wide eyes, Mitch turned to me. I shrugged and let out a laugh of my own.
“Let’s do this!” Jacob yelled out.
We all bent over and made snowballs. I quickly put my jacket back on and made a few snowballs, putting them in my pocket.
The six of us lined up with Mitch positioned in front of Beth. Casey counted down from three, and we all started to throw snowballs. Mitch grabbed Beth, causing her to let out a scream, and he pulled her down onto the ground. With Beth down, Mitch took off toward the stockpile and made it there before any of the girls.
I watched as he slid behind the slide. It was then I got pelted with a snowball right in the forehead.
Michelle cried out, “Victory is ours!”
Pointing to her, I replied, “You’re mine!”
Reaching into my pockets, I grabbed the snowballs, keeping my eye on Michelle the entire time. She was running back to restock. When she grabbed a snowball, Mitch ran out from around a tree and tackled her to the ground. I ran up as fast as I could, dodging snowballs left and right.
Mitch was sitting on Michelle, pinning her and her arms to the ground, as I came up.
“Get off of me, you idiot!” Michelle cried out.
“Hold her down, Mitch,” I said with a smile as I leaned over her.
Shaking her head, Michelle widened her eyes. “You wouldn’t. I’m helpless. I can’t defend myself.”
With a wink, I replied, “Oh, I very much would.”
It was then I was hit. Hard. I flew to the ground and crash-landed.
“Yes!”
Turning, I looked up to see Beth standing there with a huge smile on her face.
“I’ve got a personal trainer, bitch.”
With that, she turned and took off toward the other four clueless guys.
Michelle, Mitch, and I started laughing. Glancing over, I noticed Mitch was still on top of Michelle, but he had let go of her hands. It didn’t take long for both to realize how close they were to each other.
“You can get off of me now, Mitch.”
He smiled. “Maybe this is the only way to make you talk to me.”
That was when it happened. Michelle lifted her hand and hit Mitch so hard in the balls, I thought they were going to come up through his mouth.
He fell to the side and started moaning.
Standing, Michelle stared at Mitch. “That’s for cheating on me, motherfucker.”
I watched as Michelle walked toward what now looked like a battlefield. Beth had taken every single guy down.
“Game. Over,” Casey said as all six girls high-fived one another.
I walked over to help Mitch up. “Dude, take my hand. You look like a pussy, lying here on the ground.”
“My. Balls. I think…they’re in…my stomach.”
Trying not to laugh, I shook my head and pulled him by his outstretched hand. Once I got him standing and not swaying, I glanced over my shoulder to see Skylar looking our way. I could see the sadness written all over her face. When I swung my eyes to our retreating friends, I saw Michelle was riding on Jacob’s back as they all headed to the parking lot.
“I think something else is about to get hurt, my friend.”
Mitch was leaning over, his hands on his knees, as he took in deep breaths. “What’s that?” Lifting his head, he slowly stood. Pulling his hat off, Mitch stared at Michelle as she got into the front seat of Jacob’s truck. “Yeah, that one hurts a hell of a lot more.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
* * *
Skylar
TURNING TO MY side, I smiled when I bumped Michelle’s back. I was so glad she’d decided to stay with us last night. It felt like old times again. We had even pulled out my old shoebox with both of our wedding dreams in it. Even though Wyatt and I were a few years away from a wedding, it didn’t hurt to start making a few plans.
Michelle sighed, and I knew she was awake. I had been terrified she and Jacob would end up at her house with her parents being out of town again. When they’d walked into the door at Pizza Mia, Wyatt and I’d each breathed a sigh of relief. Not to mention, Mitch had, too.
“It’s Christmas morning,” I whispered as I pulled her ponytail.
Jerking away, Michelle snorted. “So? Who cares?”
I rolled out of bed. “Oh, don’t be a Scrooge. You love Christmas.”
Michelle stretched and let out a long groan. “Yeah, well, that was before my parents decided to take separate vacations during the holidays, so they could avoid being near one another.”