Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
So much right, and so much wrong.
All wrapped up in the same person.
I hopped in the shower, attempting to blast heat over my body and erase it all from my mind.
13
EMMETT
The Saturday morning farmer’s market on Spruce Street was already bustling by nine o’clock in the morning.
“This feels like fall,” I heard Landry’s voice from behind me and I turned to see him hopping off his bike, leaning it over to chain it up.
I squinted at him in the golden sunlight. “Morning,” I said. “It really does. I think I’m going to beeline for an apple cider donut and a—”
“Let me guess,” he said. “Pumpkin spice latte?”
I held up a finger. “Pumpkin spice cappuccino, today, I think.”
“Wow,” Landry said, standing up and taking off his bike helmet. “Really changing it up these days, I see.”
I pulled in a long breath of the crisp air. It had been a few days of steady rain after the night with the thunderstorm, but just in time for the farmer’s market this morning, the grey had given way to chilly air and some sunlight again.
“I even busted out my scarf for this temperature,” I said. “I really needed this, Lucky. Thanks for meeting me.”
Landry and I walked toward the entrance, greeted by the smells of coffee, sugar, and the cinnamon-scented promised land of apple cider donuts. Little crowds and groups of people wavered between stands of fresh flowers, food, and handmade goods.
“I hesitate to ask,” Landry said, cutting me a glance from the side as we walked, “but how have you been, since that night at your house?”
I sighed. “About as bad as you might expect.”
Landry squeezed my shoulder. “Storm clearly doesn’t know what you’ve been through. I don’t think he was trying to say you’re some soulless, money-grubbing prick like Cutmore.”
Of course Landry had known immediately that the subject was a sensitive one for me. He’d known me for a long time, and had especially seen how my ex Sam had treated me like a walking dollar sign. He’d also seen how certain distant family and friends had come to me like circling sharks, looking for a piece of my dad’s money just days after he’d died.
The thought still made me sick.
“You’re right. Storm doesn’t know how much it hurt me,” I said. “But I’m not going to sit around and try to sweet-talk him when he’s acting like he wants to get in a bar fight with me in my own home.”
“Both of you got heated.”
I stubbornly wished Landry wasn’t right. “This week has sucked at the office. You should be glad you were out on site with clients, because every time I passed by Cutmore’s office I got mad all over again. Every time I heard people talking about Rodgett, too.”
“The renovations at Storm’s house start this week, don’t they? I’m sure you’ll be out on site there plenty.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. I didn’t know if being at his house was better or worse than the office, right now.
“The guys at the Fixer Brothers told me they’ve hired extra help. This renovation should be one of the fastest turnarounds they’ve ever had. I want it to be done quickly and I can move on with the Racks deal. Move on with my life.”
Landry had picked up a little wooden candle holder at the craft stall we were standing by, but he wasn’t even looking down at it.
Instead, he peered at me, hesitating.
“Emmett,” he finally said.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I hate to ask, but…” Landry said, moving a little closer to my ear. “Are you going to fuck him again?”
“Jesus,” I said, waving my hand through the air. “I did not—I didn’t fuck him.”
He gave me a look. “Emmett, you’ve always told me everything. I walked in on you guys naked. Sorry, though. I’ll give it a break.”
I looked down, picking up a bunch of wooden knick knacks and setting them back down again.
Landry and I hadn’t acknowledged that moment at all yet. It had been embarrassing enough at the time, but Landry was right. I usually did tell him everything.
“Storm and I were fighting, that night,” I said, rolling my eyes. “As usual.”
“Like an old married couple?” Landry teased.
“More like two angry idiots in a locker room,” I admitted. “But we got close to each other, and then… one thing led to another, I suppose. It wasn’t a big deal.”
Landry lifted an eyebrow. “Not a big deal at all, huh?” he said, not believing me for a second.
I groaned. “Okay, fine, it was hot. Really hot. But it’s never happening again.”
Landry patted me on the back. “Let’s get you to that apple cider donut and grab a coffee. I think you need it.”
I laughed, but Landry didn’t know just how right he was. We sauntered through the crowds of people at the market, making our way toward the donuts.