Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
“Just call Joey up,” I tell her, reminding myself that I’ve got plenty of work he can get started on if he wants it.
“You don’t know my mom or his very well, do you?” Jade asks, crimping a smile and almost rolling her eyes before she catches my eyes.
“Nope,” I’m quick to admit, and lightening the mood that threatens to turn into a dark cloud over us, I move my arm and lean across her.
My face inches from hers.
“I just mean that if you want to worry about something, at least get the facts before you start to panic,” I tell her, knowing it’s not exactly what she wants to hear right now.
“You could at least check your phone,” I offer, explaining I should really check my own messages.
“I switched mine off on the way down here,” Jade confides.
Shifting myself out of bed just long enough to find my bag and both our phones, I head straight back when she does her best to wolf whistle at my naked ass.
She covers her head with mock embarrassment when I scoot back between the sheets.
“I was only kidding,” she remarks. “I could look at you naked all day.”
“Same.” I remind her, and deciding to go first, I power up my phone, expecting many missed calls and messages.
But I’m surprised when there is only one. It’s as if the world really has stood still since yesterday, on the business front at least.
That suits me just fine, and if anything, I’m kind of relieved to hear my only voice message is from someone we were just talking about.
“It’s Joey,” I tell Jade, keeping the phone to my ear so I can hear his recorded message.
I’m not surprised to hear from him, actually glad. I wasn’t playing with him when I gave him my direct line either.
He’s a bright kid and has a real talent for gaming. I’d be nuts not to have someone like Joey on my team.
“Is he alright? What’d he say?’ Jade says hurriedly, but I bat her hands away from my phone when she reaches for it.
Letting her hear for herself after I’ve listened to his message myself.
“Here. Knock yourself out,” I chuckle, handing her the phone and letting out a long yawn. I reach down the side of the bed for my bag, fishing out my laptop.
“What are you doing?” Jade asks, listening to Joey’s message again and fretting as she considers her own phone still.
“I’m sending Joey some homework.” I shrug. “You heard him. He wants to do something.”
“Yeah, he means he wants to do something with us,” she groans, suddenly looking depressed.
“I made him a promise, Zak. I told him I’d be home after work today and have a surprise for him.” She frowns.
I think for a moment, wondering what I can do to help. “Well, he is the best Beta tester I’ve ever seen,” I finally say aloud.
Jade looks annoyed, “So?”
“So…I’m sending him the link to our game. The mobile version we’re working on. It’s buggy as all hell, and only someone like Joey is going to have the patience and guts to tell me where it needs fixing, so I can tell Miles,” I explain truthfully.
It’s the one thing I noticed straight up with Joey, his honesty. If he loves something, he lets you know. Same for when it sucks.
“Did you even hear what I just said?” Jade asks hotly. “I made that little boy a promise. And here I am…,” she trails off.
“Sorry,” Jade murmurs, “I didn’t mean to sound like I’m not having a good time. I just feel bad because of Joey, is all.”
I can see how much it means to her, whatever she’s promised little Joey.
“What do you need to do?” I ask, knowing that her going home tonight isn’t an option I even want to consider.
“I said I’d be home later, and I had something for him, the stuff you gave me last night for him. I was going to give it to him tonight. At least I told him I’d have a surprise for him.” She sighs.
“And I guess not turning up isn’t the surprise you meant?” I ask, getting a fuller picture.
“Correct,” Jade says firmly, and groaning then sighing again, she makes a huge effort to open her phone and face whatever it is we have to deal with.
I say we because that’s what we are now.
Jade’s problems are mine too, and if she’s bent out of shape over promising Joey something, well, I’ll do whatever it takes to set things right.
Except take her home to her mom again. That’s one thing I won’t do.
Jade’s mine now, and maybe as much as little Joey’s going to have a hard time getting used to that, Jade’s mom is going to be an even bigger fish to fry.
Her phone rings in her hands, making us both jump a little.