Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 38335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
There’s a moment of awkward silence before Ellie takes pity on me. “Penny asked what you do for work back home,” she repeats.
“Oh.” I clear my throat. “Well, actually, I—”
“Forget about that for a minute,” Harlow interjects, slicing a hand through the air. “I think there’s a more important question we need to be asking our new friend.”
A surge of panic washes over me at the knowledge reflecting in her eyes.
Uh oh.
“Like what?” I ask, managing to keep my voice steady, despite the sudden chokehold on my throat.
“Like what’s going on between you and our longtime friend, Officer Cross?”
Shit.
I feign ignorance, deciding it’s probably my best course of action. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She snorts at the lie, seeing right through me. “Please, the two of you have been eye-fucking each other so hard, I bet you end up pregnant.”
The remark is so preposterous that I choke out a laugh.
“Harlow,” Ellie scolds under her breath.
“What?” she counters innocently. “It’s obvious something is going on between them. I’m just asking what we’ve all been dying to know since that awkward introduction.”
I was hoping that went unnoticed, I guess not.
“You’re right, there is something going on,” I admit, realizing there’s no point in denying it. “But it’s not at all what you’re thinking.”
I proceed to tell them everything, holding nothing back. I recount the embarrassing incident of my slide and glide straight into his police cruiser, followed by our heated exchange over it; of the hope I had of never running into him again, only to have it shattered when his sweet nine-year-old sister came into the store, asking to use the phone. I leave out the part about the babysitting offer but make it clear that it only fueled more hostility between us. By the time I finish, they are staring at me, looking a little shell-shocked.
“Wow,” Penny manages through her surprise. “That’s some first encounter.”
“You’re telling me,” I grumble, feeling the weight of that massive understatement. “And I can’t seem to escape him. First, he turns out to be Poppy’s brother, and now I run into him here. What are the freaking chances?”
“Welcome to small-town life.” Harlow smirks, raising her drink. “Where your neighbor can either be your best friend or your mortal enemy.”
“Or your ex,” Penny mutters.
Harlow nods. “That too.”
Before I have a chance to ask about that comment, Ellie cuts in. “I’m really sorry, Hollis,” she says, her voice soft and regretful. “I wanted you to have a good time tonight. I feel awful knowing how uncomfortable you must be feeling.”
“Oh gosh. Don’t be.” I dismiss her apology with a wave of my hand. “I’m fine. He’s the one with the problem, not me. I’m just sorry I didn’t tell you guys sooner. I wasn’t sure how to bring it up. The last thing I want is to cause any awkwardness among your group of friends.”
Harlow snorts at the comment. “You don’t need to worry about that. Penny and I have that covered all on our own.”
My curiosity piques at the statement. “What do you mean?”
She gestures across the bar to where the guys are playing pool. “See the one wearing the fire department T-shirt?”
I nod. “Linc, right?”
“Yep,” she confirms. “We’ve been enemies since childhood. I can’t stand him.”
My brows shoot up in surprise.
“And that guy over there?” She points at Dawson next. “That’s Penny’s ex from high school. He recently moved back after playing college ball in the U.S. If there was an award for the most tension between two people, they’d win it in a landslide.”
I’m completely baffled by the revelations. “If that’s the case, why do you all hang out together?”
Both women turn their attention to Ellie.
She winces sheepishly, raising a hand in acknowledgment.
“Gunnar and Ellie aren’t just best friends, they’re inseparable,” Harlow continues. “Which means if we want to hang out with Ellie, and those goons want to be with Gunnar.” She gestures towards the pool tables again. “We have no choice but to tolerate each other’s company from time to time.”
“And it’s very much appreciated,” Ellie says, expressing her gratitude by wrapping her arms around Harlow’s neck. “Besides, it’s not that bad. We all have fun together. Right?”
Penny and Harlow’s noncommittal grunts prompt a laugh from both Ellie and me.
“So, you see, you have nothing to feel bad about,” Harlow says, offering reassurance. “Your little encounter with Mike is small potatoes compared to the rest of us.”
I’m not sure I would call it small potatoes, but I’m glad to know our tension doesn’t impact the group.
“I have to admit, I’m surprised to hear how Mike treated you,” Penny says, choosing her words carefully. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s never very cheerful, but he’s usually patient and he always takes his job seriously. Considering how awful the weather was yesterday, I’m sure there were a lot of accidents. I don’t know why he would give you such a hard time about it.”