Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 145823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
I crushed the bottle in my fist at the sound of her voice, and water gushed over my hand as I whipped around to see her standing at the end of the counter.
Claire. She smirked and tilted her head, her hair falling in soft auburn waves to rest below her shoulders left bare by the design of her shirt. She was beautiful, but for the first time in the seven years I’d known her, that beauty didn’t stir me. It didn’t so much as entice or attract me, either.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I growled.
“Me?” She blinked, all innocent, and then her expression changed into a smile that was worthy of all those movies she’d walked out on us for. “Oh, Jax, I told you I’d come home to you.”
Chapter Twelve
Morgan
I don’t know how to thank you for what you’ve brought to my life. You were there when no one else was. You pinned those wings on my uniform graduation day, and if…if the worst has happened, then I pray you use those same wings to fly.
“And those are the new windows they installed this week. Watch this!” Sam pointed the laptop toward the windows that now spanned the entire east side of the first floor. “Morgan, press the button!” she urged over her shoulder.
“What am I looking at exactly?” Grayson’s voice filled the living room, and I couldn’t help but smile as I reached for the remote. Sam was always happiest when she got the chance to Skype with him.
“Watch this!” I called out, then pressed the top button on the remote Steve had given me two days ago.
The line of windows split in the middle of the house, the panels retracting and stacking on their individual tracks until the entire wall stood open to the ocean, minus the three support beams Steve swore they could do nothing about.
The breeze filled the house, ruffling the pages of my book. I sank farther into the couch and drew my knees up to shelter the hardback.
“Shit. That’s impressive.” High praise coming from Grayson Masters.
“Right? But all hell breaks loose if we open the front door at the same time. We learned that one the hard way,” Sam told him.
My entire renovation file had turned into that letter scene from Harry Potter. Papers had flown everywhere. Just remembering the pain of picking them all up and getting them back in order was enough to make me press the middle button.
The windows reversed their previous pattern until they formed a solid wall against the wind.
“I bet it does. Hey, Morgan?” Grayson called out.
Sam pivoted the laptop so I found myself staring at the Apache pilot’s face. Guy was a bodybuilder, and from the unforgiving cut of his already-carved chin, I guessed he spent most of his free time at the gym over there.
“What do you want, Grayson?” I teased, the tone coming easily. Being myself around him was easier than with the others. Then again, he’d had a front-row seat to my painfest, so it wasn’t like I had to hide anything around him.
A corner of his mouth lifted to what could almost be called a smile. “It’s good to see you, too, Morgan.”
“It’s always lovely to see your happy, shiny face.” I laid on the accent thick and gave him a nose scrunch that made Sam laugh.
“Tell me you’ve thought about hurricanes with those giant-ass windows.” His smile slipped.
I scoffed. “Turn your husband around, Sam.”
“Watch this,” she told him as she turned him to face the now-closed windows.
I pressed the bottom button on the remote and was immediately rewarded with a whirring sound. The room fell dark as the metal shutters descended, finally locking into place just below the deck level.
“Now that is sexy,” Grayson remarked.
“European rolling shutters,” I said loud enough for him to hear me, then pressed the button again and watched as the shutters rose, drenching the room with light.
Sam beamed at the laptop, and I looked away, giving my attention to my book.
“I take that back,” Grayson said. “You’re the sexy one. God, I miss you, baby.”
“I miss you, too,” she answered quietly, her voice tinged with sadness.
I looked at the words on the page but didn’t read them. What if this was the last time she got to talk to him? What if his helicopter crashed just like Will’s had?
“Do me one favor?” Sam asked as she settled onto the other end of the couch.
“Anything,” he promised.
My heart ached, but I shook it off. Did I want a love like that? Yes. But was I jealous of what they were going through right now to make it work? Hell no.
“Tell Morgan to forgive Mr. Hottie-Coast-Guard-Rescue-Pilot next door?” she asked her husband sweetly.
My head popped up, and I gave her a good glare. She blatantly ignored me.