Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 124005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
“He doesn’t always see the value in the other teams.” She types away on her laptop.
“Bright? Dude, I wondered when we’d run into you!”
I look up as Brad and Trevor Wilson, two guys who used to play on the school team with me, approach our table. They were part of my core group. They weren’t the worst of the jerks, but they weren’t exactly nice to Wills. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen them.
I slide out of the booth, though, because I’m trained to be nice to everyone. “How are you doing?” I glance around the packed restaurant. “You coming or going?”
“Coming. Might be a few minutes before we can get a table, though,” Brad says. “Is it just the two of you?”
Willy’s fingers pause on the keyboard, and she lifts her gaze. “Excuse my rudeness. I’m just dealing with a couple of work things, but you’re welcome to join us.”
“Are you sure?” Trevor asks, glancing between us.
I’m about to say we’re having some quality time together and I’ll catch them later when she speaks again.
“Absolutely.” Wills gives them her bullshit smile as she slides over to make room. I take the spot beside her, while Brad and Trevor take the bench across from us.
“Brad, Trevor, you remember Wilhelmina.” I slide my arm across the back of the seat. “Wills, do you remember Brad and Trevor?”
She hits send on the email and closes her laptop. “I sure do. It’s been a few years though.”
Based on her slightly stiff posture, I know their presence isn’t all that welcome. I don’t know why she invited them to sit with us.
“Congratulations you guys. Gotta be honest, kinda took us by surprise.” Trevor’s gaze darts to her hands, which are clasped on the table.
She turns toward me and adjusts her position so she can run her long nails down my neck. I expect her to dig them into my skin, but she just drags them back into my hairline. “High school was a long time ago, and people change, don’t they, Dallas?”
“Yes, we do.” After what happened at prom, I never wanted to hurt someone like that again. Vicki brings our coffees and rushes off to grab two more for Trevor and Brad. When she returns, she takes our orders, and Wills excuses herself to the bathroom.
Trevor glances over his shoulder as she strides across the restaurant. “Dude, she’s still kind of intense, eh? Who brings a laptop to Two Guys and a Stove?”
I level him with a glare. “She’s going to be my wife, so I’d watch yourself.”
Trevor raises his hands. “I’m not throwing shade. I’m just saying, you’ve always been this easygoing dude. It’s kind of surprising you’d end up with someone who sends emails over pancakes.”
“She’s the most incredible and driven person I’ve ever met.” Not punching my former teammate in the face is taking all my willpower.
“Right, yeah.” Trevor nods. “I can see that. She was the smartest girl in school, for sure.”
“That you two ended up together after all the shit that went down is kind of mind-blowing,” Brad adds quietly.
“I’m goddamn lucky,” I agree. “I was an idiot back then.”
The reality of the situation is sinking in. This will continue to come up, because based on what everyone believes, I intentionally sabotaged Wills. And everything before that. Our engagement is a shock to pretty much everyone. Fuck. So why would she believe me now, if I told her the truth?
Wills returns to the table, but before I can slide out, she sits down beside me and nudges me with her hip. I slide in farther and stretch my arm across the back of the seat.
“So how did this happen, anyway?” Brad asks, motioning between us.
Wills props her chin on her laced fingers and gives me a knowing, devious smile. “Do you want to tell that story, sweetheart, or should I?”
“Depends on which story you plan to tell,” I counter, “the one where I almost burned your apartment down or the one where you had to save me from the clowns.”
Her smile widens. “There are just so many stories to choose from. But I feel like nearly burning my apartment building to the ground is probably the most entertaining.”
Brad laughs. “Sounds like something you’d do.”
“We need to hear this,” Trevor agrees.
“Go ahead, honey, give them the unabridged version.” I press my lips to her temple. She deserves this, to weave these tales that make me look like the idiot I can be.
But instead of dragging me over the coals, she paints a very different picture—one where I’m not a clueless idiot doing clueless-idiot things. She makes me sound sweet and like a lovesick fool. Which, admittedly, I am.
Does she realize this isn’t fake for me? Is she starting to see the truth? I never wanted to hurt her. I just wanted her.