Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“I’m a big fan of second chances,” Serena chimed in from the back, reminding me of her estranged relationship with her son and how she had worked to rebuild that bridge in the time I had known her.
Everyone deserves a second chance.
Maybe in the heat of the moment, I judged him too quickly…just as he judged me too quickly.
“Talk to him,” Serena insisted.
“Yes,” Nance added. “We’ve seen the two of you together, and there’s not a doubt in my mind that what you’re feeling is worth fighting for.”
“Take it from two old broads who know.”
Nance cringed at the remark. “Well, I wouldn’t say old broads.”
“Two young broads.”
“No, the broads bit is what I was having an issue with.”
“Well, I wasn’t sure if I should use that or the other word I was thinking.”
Nance closed her eyes, obviously thinking that was not the way this should be heading, but it made me laugh.
And then Nance followed shortly after.
She took my hand in hers. “Just sit on this tonight. Prince Owen will still be in the Falls tomorrow. Talk to him then, when you’ve had a chance to collect your thoughts. Really talk to him, though. Is it such a great crime to want to protect the ones we love?”
“No, it’s not,” I said. “You’re right.”
We needed to have another talk. We’d both gotten far too emotional, far too quickly.
“Good, so you’ll check in with him tomorrow morning?” Serena asked.
“Yeah, I will.”
“Fabulous! Can you drive me to Pilates on your way over? I have to be there about seven thirty-ish. It starts at seven, but I’m just there for this hot new instructor.”
I burst into a laugh, and Nance joined in.
Serena wore a wicked expression, having succeeded in dissolving the funk we’d both been in from our heart-to-heart.
“And on our way, we can chat about where you need a couple of vials of Botox,” Serena added.
Nance tensed up again, her eyes widening, as she appeared more concerned about Serena’s remark than rattled by the conversation we’d just had, which was nice to see her recover from. “Don’t you think he’s a little young to be thinking about getting Botox?”
“No one is too young to be beautiful, Keegan. Always remember that.”
“You know what I meant,” Nance said, turning her glare on Serena.
“Oh, it’s not like I’m telling him to get a facelift. That nose on the other hand…” She beamed before winking, clearly trying to get on Nance’s nerves, which made me laugh. “I’m just teasing, Keeg. I don’t know what other nose could look so precious on this face.”
Nance shook her head. “Well, this has been a busy night, for sure. I think we’re all about ready to get home.” She looked to me again. “Are you okay, Keegan?”
My face twisted up as another tear slid from my eye. “I will be,” I assured her, reminding her of what I already knew in my own heart—that regardless of what happened between Owen and me, I would be okay. Although, being without him was the last thing in the world I wanted.
36
Owen
Knock. Knock.
The loud sound of a hand against the front door echoed through my place.
I had a lot of guesses as to who it might be. But the one person I knew it wasn’t was Keegan, considering the fight we’d had.
I was exhausted and had a splitting headache. It was one of the first times I’d felt like I’d experienced a withdrawal, not because my body was missing some chemical, but because I was missing the sexy boy in the backward baseball cap.
Keeg had done a number on me by making me fall for his beautiful soul.
“Coming, coming,” I said, opening the door to see Keegan standing outside, his arms folded, and damn, why did he have to be wearing that cap at just the right tilt that made the beauty of his face impossible to ignore, especially with his tense jaw, accentuating that bone structure that was just to my taste.
“If they come back, they’re yours; if they don’t, they never were.”
His biceps flexed as his arms tightened together. “I’m coming in.”
He started inside, pushing right past me, clearly not giving me any choice in the matter.
The forcefulness of his words and entry were sobering.
I closed the door behind me as he reached my living area, where he assumed the same position he’d been in outside, as if he’d rehearsed some sort of fighting stance before coming over.
“Keegan, what I said last night…”
“Oh, why would you think I came over here for that?” His tone dripped with sarcasm and the anger he was clearly trying to project my way. He took a breath before continuing, and I made up my mind to give him a chance to say his piece, something I hadn’t given him the privilege of the night before. “I’ve spent my life with people underestimating me, thinking they were doing what was best for me. Trying to protect me like I was some kind of child.”