Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Bachelor party tomorrow night,” Scott called out spontaneously giving a solid whoop while lifting the beer. He’d definitely had a lot to drink.
“I promise, Scott never drinks this much. I think he’s nervous,” Lauren explained to me, but Scott was also a happy drunk and wrapped both arms around her, drawing her closer to his side. The can of beer in his hand sloshed onto the fleece blanket wrapped around her. His face nuzzled in her neck.
“I’m not nervous, I’m happy. I got the best girl in the world, gonna be my wife.”
“I can get to my car,” Katie said to me, stepping off onto the trail in the grass. “I’ve made the trip a hundred times.”
“It’s no problem.” I followed, sure to make my etiquette instructor proud. I tucked my fists in Beau’s coat pockets, fine to walk the entire way in silence. Probably even better that way. Who wanted to try to answer questions Beau might not like?
“It’s good to see him smiling again,” Katie said, once out of earshot of the others. “Are you good?”
“Sure,” I said, puzzled by the odd question. “I haven’t spent a lot of time in the countryside…”
“That’s not what I meant,” she said, slowing her steps but not stopping. “He’s been through so much, and you two are very different people.”
Maybe it was her approach because I certainly didn’t allow anyone to trample on my and Beau’s future, but I actually let her words simmer. Honestly, I never felt like Beau and I were that different—only on the surface. The minor aesthetics that didn’t matter.
“We used to be more in sync than now, but I’m crazy about him. None of that’s changed. I’ve been patient. I knew it was bad for him, but he used to be so strong willed. I thought he could handle…” I stopped dead in my tracks, my gaze colliding with Katie’s. “I didn’t mean it the way that might have sounded. He was always nervous about his father. When we were in Sea Springs, he didn’t mind his absence…”
“It’s okay. I get it,” she said, lifting a hand. “We’ve all thought the same thing. Beau never cowed as a kid. It was easier to believe he’d become an elitist than to believe anything else. We had no idea what he was living through.” She was several feet away by now, opening the gate before I could bring myself to move again.
“I didn’t mean he wasn’t strong enough to resist his father. I meant his father must have been severely abusive to get past Beau’s own strength of will.”
“It’s all good. I asked more from the perspective of how different you two are. You’re preppy and he’s jock-country. He’s been knocking heads all his life, whether he wanted to or not. I’m not sure he understands life outside of football. People seriously talk about him being drafted into the NFL. His mom was the one who pushed his education,” she said. I let the gate swing shut behind me. “Sorry for rambling.”
“Not rambling,” I said, my hands fisting into my pockets. Still very much mentally obsessing over what I’d almost let slip. “Can I request you not say anything about him and me until we leave Thursday morning?” Apparently, her directness encouraged my own.
“Absolutely, but the people around here live a simple life. They work, get married, have a pack of children. They’re gonna see the way you two seek each other out and give those sly looks, him more than you.” She pointed her finger at me then over toward the dock. “Then when you look at each other…” An expression of pure contentment sent her eyes skyward. Her hand covered her heart. “It’s the sweetest thing ever.”
What? No. “I’ve been doing my best to keep from appearing overly affectionate.”
She giggled as if I’d said the words in jest. She was way off base. I was becoming a trained attorney after all. I knew a poker face firsthand.
A sudden slam of the gate drew our attention in that direction.
The shadow of a yeti stalked toward us. Luckily though, I didn’t have to test my oath of protection to Katie. It was Beau stumbling toward our car.
“Lauren’s tired,” Beau stated entirely too loud. “You’re drivin’. Come on. Bye, Katie.”
“He’s funny,” she said and started around her car to the driver’s seat.
I hadn’t made it to the actual door with Katie, but felt like I’d done my duty, and started for my guy.
Beau beckoned. I had no choice but to follow.
I saw a nap in my future.
In the foot and a half of space I’d been allotted on the mattress, I propped up against the headboard with a coursebook in my lap. My gritty eyes felt like sandpaper from lack of any real sleep.
I faced my own challenges with Beau’s reemergence into my life. Learning how to adapt to having someone with me twenty-four seven. I realized how much time I spent alone, how I’d isolated myself while waiting for Beau’s return. I had a solitary existence. Chandler had only moved in with me about a year ago. That was when I began spending most of my time in my bedroom.