Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 91434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“I’m going to do that for the rest of my life,” I told her. “Soon, I’m going to get down on one knee, and I’m going to ask you to marry me.”
“Is that so?” She smirked.
“Yeah.” I kissed her lips softly. “I’m going to marry you.” I was so fucking sure of myself. “I’m going to marry you, and we are going to have all the babies you want to give me. We are going to grow old together.”
“That sounds like fun.” She kissed me again. “And just so you know, I can’t wait to marry you. I can’t wait to take your name. I can’t wait to build an even better life together. I can’t wait to have your babies grow inside me. I can’t wait to grow old with you.” She kissed me with her whole heart, and I thought we would forever be happy.
If only I had known that what we had was a ticking time bomb, slowly counting down until it exploded. My eyes shut, and I fade into the blackness, into the abyss.
The phone ringing the next day makes me sit up on the couch, as I look around for the phone. My hands move everything on the table in front of me, knocking down the bottle of whiskey to the floor. Luckily, it just bounces instead of shatters as I find my phone and see it’s Winston Cartwright. “Fuck that.” I toss the phone back on the middle of the table before getting up and walking to the kitchen. I see it’s just a little bit after noon. Grabbing a bottle of water and then the ibuprofen, I drag my ass to my bedroom and in the shower.
My head is pounding, but it should be gone soon. I get out and dress in jeans and a T-shirt before I head back to get my phone and call Saige, who answers after two rings. “Hey, Daddy.”
“Hey, baby girl, you didn’t call me,” I scold, and she groans and then laughs.
“Sorry, I forgot.”
I let it go. “How was last night?” I ask, and she tells me how much fun she is having. She promises to call me tonight before bed.
As soon as I hang up with her, I decide to go to the shop to get some things done. When I get there, I find Ryan closing up the shop. “Hey, what are you doing here?” he asks, tucking his phone in his back pocket.
“Saige is at a friend’s house.” I shrug. “Thought I would come in and work.”
“You look like shit, man.” He laughs at me.
“I feel like shit,” I admit. Finishing a bottle of whiskey was not my best idea. “What about you? Did you get your things done?”
“More than I thought,” he replies. “Got the door cut out, and my contact for the window said he’ll bring it by on Monday. I even stripped the inside of it.” I nod when I look over at the truck in the corner.
“Did you discuss payment?” I ask, and he shakes his head.
“I’ll do the work for free.” As soon as he says the words, my eyebrows pinch together. “For Ms. Maddie. You can charge her for the parts and all that.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I say.
“I know I don’t have to, but I am going to. Plus, you gave her the truck, figured I could do this,” he reasons. “It’s the least I could do.”
“Whatever you want to do.” I don’t want to continue this conversation because I don’t want him to ask me questions as to why I gave away a perfectly good truck when I could have sold it.
The bells ring from the waiting area. “I’ll handle it. You get out of here.” I motion with my head, and he walks to the side door. I don’t have to go to the waiting room because the person comes into the garage.
“You’re a hard man to get ahold of,” Winston states, coming to stand in front of me.
“Thought maybe you would take that as a hint that I don’t want to talk to you.” I stand taller, showing him I’m not a fucking kid anymore.
“We need your help.” He finally ends the staredown. “It’s the least you could do.”
“I thought I made it clear to you and your father, I know nothing about the drawings. Just like I told you a month ago, just like I told you two months ago. I didn’t work on them, so I can’t help you.” He doesn’t say anything. “Now, if you don’t mind.”
“You owe us,” he finally snaps with a sneer.
“I owe you fucking shit.” I take a step into him. “All fucking debts were paid.”
“I would watch yourself if I were you.” He puffs out his chest. “I would hate for another building to go down on this street.”