Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75418 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75418 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
“I’m taking your car,” I call back as I swipe a ten dollar bill off the counter, happy that she seems to have cooled down a bit. I mean, she had the shits for days. She finally started speaking to me as though I was an actual human being yesterday so while everything else is screwed up, at least I have my mom back.
I walk out the front door with mom’s car keys and an annoyance deep inside my chest that I still haven’t got my baby back yet, and it’s all Ashley’s fault. Hopefully, I’ll be getting it back in a few more days.
I drop down into mom’s car and pull out of the driveway.
As I park outside the coffee house, my phone starts ringing in my pocket. I wriggle around on the seat, fishing it out of my tight jeans to find Jesse’s name across the screen. “Hey, chickenshit,” I grin as I answer the call.
“I am officially no longer a chickenshit,” he says proudly through the line as I push open the door and step out of mom’s car.
“Bullshit,” I laugh. “Don’t tell me you finally did it?”
“Damn straight, I did,” he tells me. “I dug my balls out of the bottom of Broken Hill lake and asked her out.”
“About time,” I scoff. “I have to admit, I was worried for a moment. I didn’t think you’d be able to live up to your brother’s manly ways, but you proved me wrong.”
“I know,” he groans. “Thanks for believing in me.”
“No problem.”
“What’s going on?” he asks. “Your mom still keeping you locked in your ivory tower?”
“For now,” I tell him as I pull open the door to Carter’s Coffee house, hearing the familiar jingle of the bell above the door. “I’m still suspended tomorrow and then I’ll be back at school the day after.”
“Alright,” he says. “Have you got your car back or do you want me to pick you up?”
“Umm,” I say, walking forward towards the counter. “I’ll let you know.”
“K,” he mumbles. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Yeah, bye,” I say, distractedly ending the call as I look up at the menu, wondering what the hell I want. I mean, I’ve had my caramel latte phase so I think I might start the whole iced chocolate with whipped cream phase. Yep, definitely.
I slide my phone back into my pocket as I put in our order and hand over the cash. I walk down the counter to make room for the guy behind me to put in his order and wait for mine and mom’s drinks to be made.
I lean against the counter and freeze on the spot as I notice a very familiar pair of dark eyes staring back at me. The corners of my mouth begin to lift when I notice he’s not alone.
Out of all the people I’d expect to see Nate Ryder with, Ashley Samuels is not one of them. I take them in as they sit in the corner of the coffee house at a small table for two. If I didn’t know him so well, I’d say it looks like a date and from the cringe on his face, I’d dare say he knows exactly what I must be thinking.
I haven’t seen him since the first day of my suspension and to be honest, I’ve been missing him more than I thought possible. Except for right now. Seeing him sitting there next to that girl infuriates me, especially as the smile on her face tells me that their conversation is not the one I want them to be having.
A scowl fixes itself on my face as my eyes bore into his. He knows I’m not happy, but the question is; why the hell isn’t he doing anything about it?
I stay leaning up against the counter. Maybe this has something to do with his big plan of getting her back for the fire, but nowhere in my wildest dreams did I ever picture payback as taking the skank out for coffee.
Ashley looks up from the table and focuses her attention on Nate, but when she realizes his attention is no longer on whatever bullshit story she was in the middle of blabbing about, she searches it out.
She follows his gaze to me. At first, she glares until she remembers her situation. She’s the one with him. Her glare quickly becomes triumphant and it’s almost as though she’s rubbing it in like she’s saying ‘I stole your man and got away with it’.
Nope. Just no. I can’t let her get away with this. I don’t give a shit about Nate’s stupid plan. Whatever it is, he’s been given enough time to come through on it but now, time’s up.
The barrista puts mine and mom’s drinks down on the table and I graciously take them while trying my hardest not to lose my shit. I walk forward with a scalding hot drink in one hand and a freezing cold one in the other.