Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
I step inside the dark kitchen and stumble to a halt when I find Willow, Maverick McKinnon’s newly minted girlfriend. Our gazes catch as she tucks a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear.
We’ve known each other since elementary school. Her twin brother River and I played hockey on a lot of the same teams while growing up.
My lips settle in a smirk as memories of the first time I caught her sneaking out of our house at the butt crack of dawn after spending the night with Maverick. Given his contentious relationship with her brother, it had been a shock.
Especially since Mav hadn’t known the identity of his one-night stand.
I’m not gonna lie, watching their relationship play out with all the secrets and subterfuge had been hilarious.
A small smile simmers around the edges of her lips as she rolls her eyes. It’s like she can read the thoughts in my head.
I’ve always liked Willow. She was diagnosed with childhood leukemia in high school. She’s been in remission for a couple years now, and it’s nice to see her thriving. I’m glad she and Maverick worked out. He’s a good dude, and he seems to genuinely care about her.
River, on the other hand?
He’s not as thrilled about his twin’s new love interest.
From what I’ve seen, they’re both trying to get along for Willow’s sake.
I beeline to the fridge and peek inside. Disappointment bubbles up inside me when I don’t find much in the way of sustenance. With my fingers tapping against the door, I throw out the question. “How’s it going?”
“Pretty good. And you?”
“Same.”
From the corner of my eye, I watch as she grabs a piece of fruit from the counter before taking a few steps toward the living room.
“Willow?” Her name shoots out of my mouth before I can think better of it.
She glances at me with raised brows from the other side of the threshold. “Yeah?”
Now that she’s staring at me with curiosity brimming in her wide blue eyes, I’m unsure what to say.
All right, that’s a lie. It’s all there on the tip of my tongue. I just need to grow a pair of balls and force out the words.
I stare past her into the living room and see Maverick is sprawled out on the couch with a controller in his hand as he stares at the big screen TV mounted on the far wall.
I clear my throat and drop my voice. The last thing I need is any of these nosy bastards eavesdropping on our convo. “Do you, um, have a moment?”
Surprise flashes across her face as she steps back inside the kitchen. “Sure. What’s up?”
Well, hell.
I have no idea how to bring this up without sounding like a total puss.
When I remain silent, she hikes a brow.
Fuck.
Why does this feel so hard?
I drag my hand through my hair. “So, I kind of like someone.”
She blinks, as if that was the last thing she was expecting me to say. “You do?”
“Yeah.”
A smile curves her lips. “What’s the problem with that?”
I huff out a breath before sidling closer. “I don’t know. The situation is complicated.”
“Is it more complicated than sneaking around behind your twin’s back because you’ve been seeing the one guy he can’t stand?”
I snort out a laugh as some of the tension filling my shoulders drains away. “Probably not. It’s more like she’s been through a lot in the past year or so, and I’m afraid of inflicting further damage.”
Her expression softens. “If you’re thinking along those lines, then you’re probably already being careful with her. Anyone would appreciate that.”
I let her words settle inside me.
“Yeah, I guess.” With a nod, I break eye contact. “I’m just not sure if it’s better to walk away now before anything gets too serious between us.”
“How does she feel about the situation?”
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe you should talk to her about it first before you make any decisions.” There’s a moment of silence before she adds, “After I went into remission, one of the hardest parts was how my friends and family acted like I was made of spun glass. I hated it so much. All I wanted was to be treated like everyone else, not like I was weak or constantly on the verge of relapse. I don’t know anything about this girl, but I can almost guarantee she doesn’t want you to view her through the lens of her past, like she’s breakable.”
I release a pent-up breath from my lungs. “It’s different with her.”
“I get that. But don’t you think it might help to have an open and honest conversation with her before you make any decisions? Especially if you have feelings for her.”
“Thanks for the advice.” Everything she just said somersaults through my head. “I’ll give it some thought.”
She flashes an easy smile. “Want to give me a clue as to who the lucky girl is?”