Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
When I reach the tiled stairs that lead to the main door of the three-story apartment house I live in, it takes a couple of minutes to get through the two heavy doors that lead into the main entryway, because they’re both original and should have been replaced about a hundred years ago. But after I’m in, I pass the staircase to the second and third-floor apartments and unlock the three locks of my door.
Pushing it open, I see the hall light is on to greet me, and Mizzy stares at me with her green eyes unblinking before she jumps down from where she was perched on the side table that holds the ceramic bowl where I keep my keys and random things I pull from my pockets from time to time.
“Hello to you too,” I mutter to her back, as she flounces off with her orange tail flipping in the air. Her attitude doesn’t surprise me. She’s always mad when I’m gone for any length of time, even with my landlord Mrs. Lewis coming downstairs from her apartment to feed her and give her treats daily while I’m away.
After dropping my suitcase in the spare room next to the laundry, I take Walker’s phone with me to the kitchen and place it on the counter. As I move around my kitchen, looking for something to eat, I continuously glance over at it like I expect it to come to life and give me whatever answer it is I’m looking for.
That doesn’t happen, so with no other choice, I pick it up and slide my finger across the screen, finding it odd that it unlocks without me having to use a code. I don’t look through his contacts or text messages; instead, I pull up the keypad and type in my number, a funny feeling landing in my gut when the name Teeny pulls up in his contacts.
“Hanna,” his deep, familiar voice greets me after the second ring, and I lean against the counter.
“Umm… you have my phone.”
“I do,” he agrees, and my brows dart together. He doesn’t sound surprised by this news. Then again, he probably figured out way before I did that there was a mix-up. “Are you home?”
I look around my apartment like I need confirmation of where I am. “Yes.”
“How was your day?”
“Exhausting.” I pull out one of the stools from the high counter in my kitchen and climb up onto it to sit. “I…. You were gone this morning when I woke up.”
“Did you want me to be there when you woke up?” he asks, sounding genuinely curious, and it’s on the tip of my tongue to say yes, but I don’t.
“If you had been, I wouldn’t have your phone, and you wouldn’t have mine.”
“Then I’m glad I wasn’t there,” he mutters, and I bite the inside of my cheek. “Your mom called.”
“You didn’t answer it, did you?”
“I wasn’t going to, but she started calling about every thirty minutes, and I didn’t want her to worry.”
“Oh no.”
“I told her you’d call from my number.”
“She’s going to think I’ve been kidnapped.”
“She did until I talked to your dad and explained things.”
“Explained things?” I repeat, not sure I even want to know what that means.
“Explained who I am to you.”
“You told my parents you’re a guy I hooked up with while I was on vacation?” This just keeps getting worse and worse.
“You and I both know I’m more than that,” he says gently.
“Who exactly did you say you are?”
“A guy you just started seeing.”
“You didn’t,” I breathe and then start to panic when he doesn’t tell me he’s joking. “You are joking, right?”
“Your friend Star sent you a text. She asked you to let her know when you’re back, and April—who I’m guessing is your cousin—wanted to know how I was in bed.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been reading my messages.” Even though I know a preview pops up on the screen when it’s locked, I have mine set to not show the actual message. I have nosy cousins, after all. So how is he—
“All is fair in love and war.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll figure it out,” he mumbles, then asks, “Has anyone called me?”
“Lindsey,” I snap.
“What did she say?”
My eyes widen. “I don’t know. I didn’t answer her call.”
“Why not?”
“Because this is not my phone,” I remind him of something I shouldn’t have to remind him of.
“Lindsey is the chef on the ship we work on. She was probably calling to ask if we had any special requests for our next trip out. I have exes, but none of them call me.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“You didn’t, but I’m letting you know anyway, so you’ll know that when my phone rings, it’s not some chick I’ve been with.”
“I don’t need to know that.”
“Yes, you do.”
“Walker—”
“You said you missed the red flags with your ex.”