Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 130307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“Is that all?”
“And how I’m twenty-six and single, with three cats and no real friends, and no real chance of meeting anyone since I’m devoted to my job and have exactly zero interest in going out or talking to men.”
He nearly spit out his milk at that last confession, and then blinked several times, wiping his mouth with the back of his wrist before opening his mouth and shutting it again.
“You asked,” I said with a smile, and then I dunked another cookie in my milk and popped the whole thing in my mouth on a shrug.
“You act like twenty-six is old.”
“I’m not saying it’s old,” I argued. “I’m just saying that I could have a serious boyfriend if not a husband at this age, but instead I have three cats.”
He wrinkled his nose at that, which made me chuckle.
“Why don’t you go out?”
“Because it sucks,” I said on a laugh, arching a brow at him. “Come on. You of all people strike me as someone who knows that fact, too. When your teammates go out after a game, do you join them?”
“Absofuckinglutely not.”
“See?”
“But I’m a dad,” he pointed out.
“Well, I’m a homebody,” I said, shrugging. “I don’t know. I just… I don’t like it. I don’t like the big crowds of people, or strangers pushing all up on me, sweaty and drunk. I don’t find it fun to stand in the middle of a bar or club with lights flashing and music pounding. Trying to scream over the noise to have a conversation?” I cringed. “No, thanks.”
“You make some good points there,” Will conceded.
“I like being home. Home is… nice,” I said with a smile. “It’s cozy. I like to sew, or do a puzzle, or hang out with my cats while I read a great book.”
“Maybe you should just have friends over for a night in, then.”
“Sure. Doesn’t help with the dating situation, though, does it? Can’t exactly ask a guy from Hinge to come to my place for our first meeting. Not without risking death or abduction, anyway.”
That made his face harden into stone, like he was something between a jealous boyfriend and an overprotective father. Not that I’d know what either of those actually looked like — but I could imagine.
“Anyway, it’s fine,” I said, waving him off. “Anxiety manifests in strange ways. I’m actually okay with this. In about an hour, I’ll be soothed and have a belly full of sugar and will go right to sleep.”
Will smirked at me — yes, smirked — and the sight of that slight curl of his lips made my thighs clench together.
When his eyes slowly raked over me, I nearly combusted.
He never rushed his observation, never seemed ashamed of it. He took his time, his gaze lingering on every spot where a sliver of my bare skin showed, like he had all night to look at me and intended to spend it doing just that.
“I’m sorry about your wife.”
That snapped his gaze to mine, and my eyes shot wide.
Did I just fucking say that?!
Sometimes, my mouth moved before my brain did, and now, I was nervously fidgeting and trying to think of something to add to that sentence that would make it less awkward and rude.
I came up empty.
“I just mean, I know you said things have been hard,” I finally stammered, my neck hot enough to melt gold. I played with my necklace, plucking it from my skin and running the charm along the chain as if I was scared it actually would melt against my skin. “With the nannies. And I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, and I…” I cringed. “I’m sorry.”
I closed my eyes shut tight, peeking one open and then the next.
Will just held my stare, his face void of emotion. “Thank you,” he finally said.
“What was she like?”
Oh, my God, Chloe.
Stop. Talking.
Will rubbed the scruff on his jaw, cracking his neck one way and then the other. His gaze was focused on the kitchen island now, like his thoughts were far away.
“Wild,” he finally answered, and a ghost of a smile touched his lips. “Jenny was absolutely wild. She was a free spirit, never gave two shits about what anyone thought of her. She liked what she liked and hated what she hated. She was the first to dance on the bar or jump into the ocean naked after midnight.”
I didn’t know why, but my chest tightened, a pinch of jealousy surprising me. The way he looked when he talked about her was the way any woman would dream of being spoken about, like she’d been his entire world.
She also sounded cool — and I was anything but.
The comparison monster only hung around for a moment before I mentally slapped it away, and genuine sorrow slipped in to take its place.
This man lost his wife, the mother of his child.