Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
“Look. I’ll take you to Tito’s. We’ll get some supper, and I’ll call Rocket to come get you. The club can tow your car back, or I’ll have Red’s people take it to his garage.”
“The club uses Red’s all the time. I can have it towed on my own. No need to bother Dad.” I gave him a half smile, still not able to hold his gaze. I ducked my head and used the toe of my canvas shoe to fiddle in the sand.
Caroline frowned. “Your dad won’t be mad at you. Will he?”
I shrugged. “He doesn’t like it when I don’t tell him things. But he’s got so much other stuff to keep up with, I hate to bring something else to him when I’m basically freeloading at his house.”
“Let’s go,” Doc said, brooking no argument. “In the truck. No arguments.”
He drove a big Ford F-150 with a dual cab. I started to open the door to the back, but Caroline stopped me. “Ride in the front. Dad always has his gear in the back, and it will be crowded.” She threw me a bright smile before climbing in the back and shutting the door. Yeah. This wasn’t going to be uncomfortable. At all.
We pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the diner everyone on the outskirts of Palm Beach knew and loved. The food was excellent and the service warm and personable. Tito, Elaina, and Marge had been there longer than I’d been alive. Tito and Elaina owned the restaurant, and Marge had been with them since they’d first opened. Other servers had come and gone, but Marge was always there.
We had the windows of the truck down, and I couldn’t help but lift my face to the warm breeze. I loved the wind. I had no idea why, but it was refreshing and relaxing. To distract myself, I tried to come up with theme music for Doc. What would he sound like if his character were in a movie? He wasn’t the hero of my story, so something dark. But he wasn’t a villain either. Antihero? I wasn’t sure. I was kind of hearing screaming guitars and a deep, driving, heavy bass. I imagined he’d be something of a maverick character. Maybe? Someone who went his own way outside of conventional rules. Whether or not society deemed it acceptable or not. In other words, a biker. Yeah, he fit that role to a perfection.
“What time are you supposed to be home?” Doc’s voice made me jump a little. I’d been in my own world, enjoying the ride. I usually ended up in my own head when I sat too long. The world around me either disappeared to the tune of whatever piece I was working on at the time, or a unique soundtrack of my own making. All inside my head.
“Um, maybe two or three hours ago?” I glanced at my watch.
“And you let him know you were going to be late. Right?” I could feel the weight of his gaze. Knew the exact moment he glanced back at the road, then back at me. “Lia…”
“Why do you shorten my name?” I tried to deflect, but figured he was smarter than that. I’d have to revisit it soon, but hopefully this could get us to the restaurant. We weren’t far from Tito’s.
“Dad does that to everyone. I’m Linnie, and Mom’s Trix.”
“I see. I’m not used to people shortening my name.”
“It bother you?” Doc raised an eyebrow, like he was daring me to challenge him.
“I didn’t say that. I’ve never had anyone shorten it.”
“Answer my question, Lia.” God, his voice was almost like a caress. If I closed my eyes I could easily imagine him rumbling my name after sex. “Did you call or text your dad you were going to be late?” Should have known I couldn’t divert him. If he was any kind of officer in his club he’d never fall for a diversion tactic.
“No.”
“Why not.” It was more of a demand than a question.
I shrugged and looked out the window. “I tried, but my phone didn’t charge last night. It died before I realized it, and when I went to text him, I couldn’t.”
“Why didn’t you ask my daughter for her phone?”
“I didn’t know she had one.” I tried to shrug it off, but I knew he was frowning at me.
“Did you ask?”
“What’s your point, Doc?” I tried to snap at him, but it came out more of a whimper.
“My point is, when you have people who love you, you respect them enough to let them know you’re safe.”
My cheeks reddened, and I had to blink back tears. Yeah, my dad was going to be worried, but I really had been stuck. “I’d never use her phone for something like that. What if she needs the time on her plan in case of emergencies?”