Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
It was a metal box, twelve by eight inches and four inches deep. The lid was engraved, the nickname he’d given her years ago carved deep into the metal.
Cookie.
“What’s this?” she asked, her breath short.
Ryder roughed a hand down the back of his neck, trying not to itch in discomfort. “I made it.”
That line between her eyes deepened. “Made it?”
He shrugged even though he felt like he might come out of his skin. “I’ve been playing around with welding and shit. I don’t know…it’s dumb…but I thought you could put your recipes in it or something.”
He looked to his boots because fuck, this was stupid, putting himself out there like this. He had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it or what made him think he had the right, but all those questions were getting crushed when her soft voice hit the air. “It’s not stupid, Ryder. It’s the most thoughtful, beautiful gift anyone has ever given me. I love it.”
He looked back at her. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s good then.”
He jolted when the bell dinged over the door, and he twisted to find some douche sauntering in, arrogance riding out on his weaselly smirk.
Dakota startled, and she cleared her throat and tucked a piece of shiny brown hair behind her ear. “Seaton, hey.”
“What’s up, Dakota?” The asshole cut Ryder a sneer as he passed before he returned his focus on Dakota. “Picking you up at seven on Saturday. Make sure you’re ready and wear something hot.”
Was he serious?
Ryder had the urge to reach out and throttle this punk.
But he had no right to do that, either. No reason to get in the way if hanging out with this asshole was what she wanted, though he was sure Dakota could do a million times better than him.
She nodded, though there was something about it that didn’t sit right, and she seemed to force a smile. “Yeah. Of course. I’ll be ready.”
Cinnamon eyes flashed to Ryder as he backed away.
He suddenly had to get the hell out of there.
The air clotted, too thick for him to breathe.
Dakota looked like she wanted to stop him, and he turned and pushed open the door before she could say anything, though he paused long enough to mutter, “Happy birthday, Cookie,” before he strode out and disappeared up the street.
“It’s really good to see you this way.”
Cody took a swig from his beer, eyeing Ryder over the top where he sat across from him in a booth at Time & Tap Tavern. The place gave off a pub vibe, and it sat on the farthest end of town, away from the tourist shops and restaurants that had popped up over the years.
It was still packed. People occupied every stool around the big horse-shoe shaped bar that took up the middle of the cramped space. The two walls on either side were lined with elevated booths that you had to take a single step onto, and a few small round tables sat by the front at the entrance.
Country music played from the jukebox and a rumble of inaudible voices mixed with the din.
When Cody had texted and suggested they meet up for a beer, they’d decided to come here.
Ryder wasn’t in the mood to hit a spot like Mack’s, the bar people flocked to for dancing and live music.
Less chance of running into anyone he knew.
“It’s good to see you, too, man,” Ryder told him, taking a sip from his tumbler of whiskey.
They’d been reminiscing about all the dumb shit they used to do for the last two hours, and it was the first time Ryder thought he felt fully comfortable in Cody’s space, though in that easiness, there was no question Cody had a bunch of shit he wanted to say.
Cody’s giant body was rested back in the booth, angled a bit to the side. “Thought I’d lost you, if I’m being honest.”
Discomfort shook Ryder’s head, and he kept his cool as he slouched back in the booth. “Was worried I’d lost myself, too.”
He still was.
But things had started to feel different.
Like he was coming up for a breath after drowning in the darkest waters.
“But here you are.” Cody leaned over to tap the neck of his bottle against Ryder’s glass.
“Here I am.”
A girl Ryder recognized from high school sauntered up, her eye on Cody.
A smirk took to his face when he saw her coming.
“Hey, Cody.”
“What’s up, Luce?”
“Just saw my favorite cowboy over here and thought I’d better say hi.”
She all but crawled onto his lap, and he gave her ass a squeeze when she leaned in to hug him. He muttered something in her ear that Ryder couldn’t hear, and he was laughing under his breath as he nursed at his whiskey, doing his best to act like he wasn’t there.
“Only if you’ll call me back tomorrow,” she answered to whatever proposition Cody had made, her mouth puckered in a flirty pout as she pulled away, hands pushing against his chest.