Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“Ah, got it. Well, you two enjoy. I’m going to find my bride.” Levi winks at me and jumps back, knowing he’s about to get punched.
“I just love all your friends. You’re all so funny.”
“Sure are.” I take another swig, eyeing Makayla having a jolly ol’ time across the yard, laughing at something Bridget says. Maybe we should have stuck with her original idea and played dead. At least we wouldn’t have had to get out of bed. Instead of being stuck with her annoying friend, I’d have my face buried between her legs. “You gonna grab a drink?” I ask, trying to speed this along.
“Def!” She turns and bends down to open the cooler, shaking her ass in hopes I take note. Jesus, get me out of here. Makayla’s laughter from across the yard carries over to me, and I use the first excuse I can think of.
“Hey, Kip’s mom is calling me. I’ll see ya.” I walk off before she has a chance to say anything. My end goal is to get back to Makayla. I can feel Jenny’s beady eyes on my back, so I keep walking in the opposite direction. Thank God Chase walks out of the house.
“You leavin’?”
“No, running.”
“Why? Oh, Makayla again? Thought you two were playing nice?”
“Not her. Her friend. The one by the coolers.”
Chase looks over my shoulder. “Ah, the one shooting heart eyes your way?”
“Stop staring. The last thing I need is for her to come over here.”
“Got it. So, things are good or bad with Makayla?”
Things are going amazing. Or they were up until five minutes ago when she pawned me off on her friend. I take a sip of my beer and turn, keeping my eyes away from the cooler. They automatically search out Mak. She’s still laughing. Her smile radiates across her rosy cheeks. I should stop staring, but she makes it hard. My fingers twitch to touch her, bring her into my arms, inhale her flowery scent, and whisper all the things flying around my head. “I’m in love with her.”
Chase spits his drink out, half of it across my cheek.
“What the fuck, dude!” I wipe at my face. “Sick.”
“Wow, sorry. But say that again?”
“No. Never mind. I don’t even know why I said it.”
“Because I’m your best friend, and I know a lot about love.”
I scoff. “You’ve been in love for like a second.”
“Not true. It’s been one year, seven months, and sixty-five days. If you want minutes, I can probably—”
“I don’t. Never mind. Just forget I said anything.” I step away, but Chase slaps his hand over my chest, stopping me.
“No way, dude. We’re talking this out. This is a big deal. Especially for you.”
I don’t open up to many people. Shit, I don’t open up at all. Levi, Kip, and Chase are my closest friends, but Chase is the only one I’ve shared the messed-up shit inside my head with. “I don’t even know how to explain it. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t search it out. It was, like, a pull that brought us together. It wouldn’t stop until we gave in, and now. . . there’s this life inside me. A drive that wasn’t there before. Fuck, it’s like I have tunnel vision. The only person I see is her.”
Chase slaps me on the back. “The last one bites the dust.”
I shrug his hand off. “Fuck off.”
“No way, man. I’m not making fun of you. I’m happy for you. I can’t even imagine a time in my life before Bridget. All that single-schmingle bullshit is for the birds. When you find the right one, it changes your life. But it’s also like getting a wedgie and blow job at the same time.”
I turn to him. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Think about it. Wedgies suck. Remember in third grade when that fucking asshole Brent Bowers came and ripped my underwear in two? Thought he separated my balls in the process. That shit sucked. So does being single. Then again, so does realizing you want something more. And when you find it, it’s like your balls don’t hurt anymore ’cause the love of your life has them in her mouth—”
“Dude, I think I’m good with this analogy.”
“Whatever. You get what I mean.” Not really. “Love isn’t a bad thing. It’s pretty fucking awesome.”
I don’t even know what to say to his dumb ass. I swig my beer until it’s gone. “Well. . . thanks for the strange-as-shit pep-talk. Think I’m gonna ask my girl to suck my balls now.”
Chase throws his head back and laughs. “I mean, maybe wait ’til you get home.”
“Jesus, I was joking.” Whatever. I wave him off. He calls my name. “What?”
“I know you swore off the whole love/relationship thing, but it’ll be worth it—she will be.”
Chase giving me honest advice is weird. Part of me will always see him as the careless party guy with more condoms in his wallet than a warehouse. “When did you become so wise?”