Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I hadn’t been cleared to drive, but I was well on my way.
I took my shower, and by the time I was out, my coffee was ready. I’d just started to pour myself a cup when Ghost pulled up. I made a cup to go, and then I grabbed my keys and started outside to meet him. I’d barely made it out to the porch when he and Goose rolled down the window, and I knew the second I saw the smirks on their faces that I was in for it.
“What’s going on here?”
“Nothing,” Ghost answered innocently. “We’re just here to take you to therapy.”
“Yeah, right.” I got in and closed the door. “Save me the bullshit and tell me what’s up.”
Ghost motioned his head over at Goose as he said, “Someone wanted to check out your therapist.”
“Jess?”
“Yeah.” Goose glanced back over his shoulder and said, “Word is she’s fucking hot.”
“My Jess?”
“Yeah, he went on and on about her.”
“I don’t see it.”
“You sure about that?” Goose pushed. “Cause Skid said she was all kinds of fine and I could use a little fine in my life.”
“I can tell you now that you don’t wanna pick up what Jess is putting down, but don’t take my word for it. Come on into my session today and see for yourself.”
“Oh, I’m planning on it.”
Goose had no idea what he was getting into when he followed me into the rehab facility. When we walked in, Jess was busy setting everything up, and I didn’t think she’d noticed we’d walked in until she said, “Morning, fellas.”
“Morning, Jess.” I motioned my hand over to Goose and Ghost as I told her, “I brought along a couple of spectators today.”
“I see.” Jess glanced over at them with a smile. “You guys wanna join us? We have plenty of room and equipment.”
“I’m good,” Ghost replied. “But uh, Goose here is ready to give it a go. Isn’t that right, Goose?”
“Yeah, that’s right. I’m game for a little workout, but I doubt I’ll even break a sweat.”
“We’ll see about that,” Jess scoffed. “You two better start some warmup stretches.”
“Sure thing.” Goose kicked off his boots and slipped on his tennis shoes, then leaned over to me and whispered, “Skid wasn’t lying. She’s fucking hot.”
“Let’s see if you feel the same after our ‘little workout’.”
It was clear he had no idea what he’d gotten himself into, but it didn’t take him long to find out. The exercises were brutal—lunges, squats, push-ups—each one more grueling than the last, and then, she moved us over to the equipment.
Midway in, Goose was panting like a dying dog, and he had sweat pouring down his face and soaking through his clothes. Dude did his best to keep up and impress, but with each new exercise, you could see the struggle etched on his face. By the time we were done, his legs were shaking so badly he could barely stand, let alone walk.
Jess stood before us with a smirk as she said, “You boys did good today.”
“Um-hmm,” was all Goose could muster.
We said our goodbyes and started for the door. Goose hobbled out to the truck and collapsed in the backseat with a groan. “Holy hell.”
“I tried to tell ya.” I rotated my shoulders, trying to relieve some of the tension. “The woman has a sixth sense for pain.”
“You’re not kidding.” Goose sounded truly horrified as he said, “I thought she was gonna fold you like a napkin. I have no idea how you take that.”
“Ah, you get used to it. But there are times when you gotta wonder if she enjoys putting the hurt on ya.”
“Oh, I know. Did you see the way she was grinning when she found that knot in your back?”
“Oh, I saw it. The chick is evil.”
“She’s hot, too.”
“Are you fucking mental? She can bench press more than you.”
Goose shrugged. “Maybe so, but that whole ‘don’t fuck with me’ attitude is the kind of thing that gets me going.”
“Gets you going, huh?” Ghost drove through the front gates of the clubhouse, and once he’d parked, we all got out and started for the back door. “Was she getting you going when she had you doing all those fucking wall squats? Cause to me it looked like you were on the brink of tears.”
“Nah, I was just taking it all in stride.”
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”
We made our way into the bar, and as soon as I stepped through the door, one of the brothers immediately shouted, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, now! Look who's back!"
All heads turned, and in a matter of minutes, I was surrounded by brothers—each clapping me on the back and pulling me into bear hugs that nearly knocked the wind out of me. It was great. I felt like I was back home with family. I looked around at my brothers and felt a surge of gratitude. They’d stuck by me through my darkest days, and it meant the world to me.