Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“We went to grab the food for lunch,” I tell her, and she just shrugs. “There are sill some bags in the car.” I hand her the bags in my hand and go back out for another trip.
“Evan is going to be pissed you lifted a bag all by yourself,” Zoe says when I put the last bag on the counter in the middle of the island. “Speak of the devil,” she says, looking over at Evan who is walking into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. “Evan, your woman lifted her own bags.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?” He hugs me from behind, burying his face in my neck. “I would have gotten the things from the car.”
“Because you were sleeping,” I tell him. “Do you want coffee?”
“Yeah,” he whispers to me, and I get him coffee. I get him coffee, and his father comes into the kitchen just as we are preparing the ingredients. I sit at the stool, making a list of what she’s preparing. I’m so into it I don’t even notice that the front door opens and closes, and I look over to see Candace coming in the house.
“Hey,” she says to everyone. “Mom told me that we were cooking at noon.” She looks around, and I can tell she is uncomfortable. “I hope it’s okay that I came.”
Zoe pffts out behind her coffee cup, and I look at her, but Candace doesn’t stop speaking. “Can I speak with you?”
I look at Evan who is glaring at her. “Sure,” I tell her. “Why don’t we go outside?” I get off my stool, and Zoe gets up also. “I’ve got this,” I tell her, and she just sits back down.
I walk outside, and Candace follows me, and I look behind her to see Evan coming out. “You don’t need to come.”
“No way in fuck you are going to be outside by yourself,” he hisses, and the dogs follow him.
“So what’s the story, Cand?” Evan asks her.
“I wanted to apologize for yesterday,” she says softly, wringing her hands. “I was out of line, and I never should have brought her with me.”
“Damn fucking straight,” Evan says, and I shake my head at him.
“Evan,” I tell him, and he just looks at me. “Would you please just give her a chance to speak?”
“Give her a chance?” he huffs out. “Twice she did that to you. There is not going to be a third time.”
“He’s right,” Candace says. “There won’t be a third time.” She looks at her brother and then at me. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“I do,” I tell her. “You were the only woman in his life, and you thought I would come in and shake shit up.” I take a deep breath. “Head bitch in charge.” She laughs now. “I don’t want to take your place or step on toes.”
“Trust me, I know,” she finally says. “I got read the riot act yesterday from everyone. Even Chloe and she is the silent one.”
“I know I was a total bitch,” she says, “but I swear …”
“You were a bitch,” I tell her, “and what you did was hurtful.” I swallow. “And I won’t take it anymore. If you can’t be in the same room as me without containing yourself, then …”
“I can contain myself,” she tells me then looks at Evan. “I swear one more time.”
“You aren’t getting another after this,” I tell her, “and if you pull shit today with my family here, I won’t be held accountable for what happens.”
“Deal,” she says. “One more chance.”
“We should go in. Your mother is a nervous wreck. She’s been to the door seven times,” I tell them. “Did you have coffee?” I ask her.
“Not yet. I came right over after I got up,” she tells me.
“Let’s get you some coffee,” I tell her, and we walk back in the house. I was not wrong about Jackie being a nervous wreck. She is sitting at the island now with Patrick behind her. “Let’s get Candace some coffee.”
Chapter Thirty
Evan
“The car is going to be here in ten minutes,” I shout at the bathroom while I shrug on my tux jacket. We’ve been back in New York for the past three weeks. The season ended when we went head to head against Washington and lost five games in.
“I’m almost done,” she shouts from the bathroom. When she comes out, I stop and look at her. Her hair is tied to one side, and she’s wearing her makeup heavier than usual. “I just have to get into the dress, and I’m ready.” She rushes to her walk-in closet and comes back out, and I look at the dress. “Can you zip me?” She smiles at me. I walk to her and zip her dress up in the back, kissing her neck.
She turns and smooths down the dress. “How does it look?” she asks me, and I look at her as she stands in front of me in a rose gold gown to the floor. The mesh around the legs gives you a look at her legs. A peekaboo effect.