Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 106538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Jamie nods slowly.
“And there’s one other thing about him.”
“What’s that?” She narrows her eyes.
“He rides a bike.”
“And?” Jamie chuckles.
“No, you don’t understand. He rides a bicycle because his daughter won’t ride in a car, and she doesn’t want him riding in one or driving one either. So he walks or rides his bike everywhere—rain, snow, or shine.”
“Oof. That’s complicated. I’ve dealt with patients like her. It’s a heartbreaking and debilitating fear. Is she getting help?”
“Yes. I don’t know a lot. I haven’t wanted to pry. We’ve only had one date. But I really like him.”
Jamie hops off the bed and steps toward me. “I can see it from your face. You’re glowing. He looks good on you.”
I smirk. “He hasn’t been on me yet.”
“Well, that’s a shame,” she says knowingly.
“It really is. He wants to take it slow. And he picked those six yellow glacier lilies that are in the mason jar downstairs. Six because it’s the smallest perfect number, and he wrote a note about the flowers, but it got wet.”
“Maren.” Jamie grabs my shoulders. “Marry him.”
We giggle together.
“Seriously,” she says, “if you like him, don’t back down. He’s worth the wait, so give him time.”
“I listened to you and Fitz for three hours. I know you think Fitz was worth the wait.” I follow her out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
“How did I sound?” she asks. “Was it sexy like a lion roaring, or was it a moan like I was giving birth?”
“You sounded like a sinner who found Jesus.” I laugh, dropping my handbag at the door before making my way through the living room to the kitchen, where Fitz is cutting an onion. “Your special chili?”
“Yep,” he says while Jamie wraps her arms around his waist and presses her cheek to his back.
I think I want what they have; at least, I feel this when I’m around them, but when I’m flying, I don’t want to ever feel like my wings have been clipped. How is it possible to want to soar and feel grounded?
“Maren’s thinking of getting her own place, too, so she can entertain her new boyfriend and his daughter.”
Fitz glances over at me while I fill my bottle with water from the fridge.
“That’s oversimplified. Jamie’s still in a sex fog. You literally screwed her brains out.”
“Maren’s filthy rich. She should move out,” Fitz says, scraping the onion off the cutting board and putting it into the pot while Jamie opens the cans of tomatoes.
I shake my head. It’s no secret that I make way more money than Fitz and Will, and I do it in a matter of five to six months. Then there’s the money I make from flying Ted everywhere in the offseason, which is more than I make as a tanker pilot. And I’ve saved most of my money or invested it. But I like having roommates, and even though Brandon is no longer alive, I feel him in this house. Leaving would resurrect the grief.
“Why would I move out if you two are moving? Then I can have your room, since it’s bigger than mine.”
“Or you could pay cash for your own house and get ten cats,” Fitz says.
“Fitz!” Jamie punches his arm, and he laughs. “I just said she met someone.”
“That’s right. Sorry. Do I need to vet him? Brandon would have wanted me to do that.” Fitz narrows his eyes.
“When are you getting your vasectomy reversed?” I ask to wiggle my way out of the hot seat.
He buckles at the waist with a sour expression. “Not talking about it.”
“At the end of fire season.” Jamie pinches his butt. “And then we’re planning a wedding.”
“Well”—I screw the lid onto my water bottle—“I’ll clear my schedule to help you two find a house so you can get married. And maybe I’ll find one, too, so I can . . .” I press my lips together because I don’t know where I’m going with this.
“So you can what?” Jamie gawks. “Get married?” Excitement explodes across her face.
I roll my eyes. Oswald Laster is messing with my mind.
Ozzy
“You have to tell me.” Lola bursts after keeping her mouth shut all day and through half of dinner at the restaurant. “Who’s Maren?”
“A friend.” I slide another slice of pizza onto my plate.
“A girlfriend?”
“She is a girl.”
“Dad.”
“Lola.” I smirk while chewing.
“Is she married?”
“No.”
“Kids?”
“No.”
“Is she pretty?”
I shrug. She’s beautiful.
“Do you want to have sex with her?”
I almost choke before I can swallow. Fisting my hand at my mouth, I shake my head. “Enough with the sex talk.”
“Well, Dakota said you’re too young to stop having sex.”
“You’re grounded from seeing Dakota.”
She rolls her dramatic eyes. “He’s in my class. Duh. I have to see him.”
“Well, you don’t have to talk to him.”
“Are you going to go on a date?”
“We just discussed this with Nana and Pa. I have you. I’m not lonely or missing anything or anyone in my life.”