Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
“Well hello, Coke,” Beatrice said, finally arriving at the side of my table.
I took a bite of my taco and refused to answer.
“I notice that you’re not doing anything,” she said, sounding irritated. “Funny, but if you’re not busy, normally one answers a call. Why is it that you can’t do that? Or return one?”
I took another bite of my taco.
This bite was bigger.
If I finished it fast enough, maybe I could take this outside so the whole goddamn town didn’t hear what Beatrice had to say.
Unfortunately, Beatrice was in fine form today, and experience told me that meant she wouldn’t give one single fuck who she aired our dirty laundry in front of.
The bells on the door sounded, and I looked up in time to see my new neighbor come in.
My heartbeat picked up at the sight.
Beatrice stepped into my line of sight, and I swallowed down a growl at the interruption.
Last night had felt like a lifetime ago after the day that I’d had, so seeing her, confirming that she was actually as beautiful as I’d remembered, was something that was pretty important to me.
So instead of looking around Beatrice, I got up from my chair, picked up my tray, and walked to the trash can that was directly next to the front counter.
Once I’d thrown my things away, I filled up my cup with sweet tea while surreptitiously checking out my neighbor.
She was completely oblivious to everyone and everything going on around her.
She was staring up at the menu hanging up over the counter, a small smile kicking up the corner of her face.
The owner of the Taco Shop liked to make it fun, so all of her menu items were named after her favorite movie characters. The one I’d eaten was called the ‘MacGyver.’
The only reason I got it was because that was my middle name, and I thought it was funny.
Color me surprised when she ordered it, too.
“I think I’ll try the MacGyver,” I heard her say.
“Coke, we’re having this discussion whether you want to have it or not,” Beatrice said, popping up at my side like an STD that just kept coming back regardless of what I did to get rid of it.
Then my mouth kicked up at the idea of enlightening her on what I had been comparing her to in my thoughts. She’d have a coronary.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “But I’m late for work. I was supposed to be back so that June could head to her doctor’s appointment.”
With that, I left, despite the fact that my neighbor’s anger-lit blue eyes were on me.
Unfortunately, the click of heels that followed me outside didn’t belong to her. They belonged to my ex.
I made a groaning noise in my throat and kept walking, speeding up slightly once I’d gotten outside.
“Shit!”
I didn’t bother looking back. To do that would be to admit defeat, and I sure as fuck wasn’t letting that happen—at least not when it came to her.
Now, if my cute little neighbor had been the one behind me…
“Coke, I swear to God!” Beatrice cried out in frustration. “If you don’t stop, I’ll make this a lot worse than it needs to be!”
When had she ever made anything easy?
That’s right, never.
My ex-wife was a raging bitch, and not a moment went by when she wasn’t trying to make things worse for me if she could manage it.
Our marriage had definitely been one of those things that I’d never wish on my worst enemy.
Beatrice was selfish, conceited, and quite possibly insane.
At this point in my life, I wasn’t even sure that she was human.
I arrived at my bike and straddled it.
The moment that it was started, I revved it up and started to roll backward out of the parking spot I’d pulled it into not even an hour before.
Before I could complete the maneuver, Beatrice was there, her eyes narrowed and her face flushed with anger.
I sighed, knowing that she wouldn’t move, and I considered riding straight through the Taco Shop’s flower beds.
But, sadly, I just wasn’t that type of person.
Instead of fleeing like I’d wanted, I turned the bike off and waited for it.
It didn’t take long.
“I want to know how the hell you could do something like this!” Beatrice cried. “How could you do this to us?”
I rolled my eyes and looked through the front window of the Taco Shop, wondering if they could hear what Beatrice was screaming.
My luck, they probably could since Beatrice had this shrill, annoying voice that hit all the wrong notes.
I’d had my fair share of headaches and migraines thanks to that woman.
“Beatrice,” I groaned. “We’ve been over this. I know that we have. So, you need to listen to this, because this is the last time I’m going to explain it. Frankie isn’t—”
I was interrupted when Beatrice hissed, “Francesca!”