Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 89012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“So you want to talk about it?” he asks, putting his phone in his pocket.
“What?”
He shrugs. “Fizzle-fuck. Elroy or whatever. That asshole you were going to marry.” He says the last two words like they’re bitter.
“Why? Fishing for gossip?”
We stop at my vehicle. The breeze picks up his cologne and envelops me, almost taunting me.
“I don’t gossip—about you, anyway. And if I was fishing for information, Miss Thompson, you wouldn’t know it. I’d be more discreet.”
“Mr. Carmichael, there’s not a discreet bone in your body.”
Our laughter mixes in the air.
“His name wasn’t Elroy. It was Eton Eldridge, as if you don’t remember. And there’s really nothing worthwhile to talk about when it comes to him. Honestly, I’d rather forget he existed.”
“Okay. Just offering to listen. Sometimes you keep stuff in that pretty head of yours.”
The kindness in the question and the concern in his eyes make my heart swell.
I open my car door and turn on the engine to cool the interior. Maddox’s gaze is heavily on my back as I lean in. Although I don’t want to talk to Maddox about my relationship with Eton, I find myself doing it anyway.
“I was listening to the radio, I don’t know, two months ago,” I say, standing back up. What a light bulb moment that was. It prompted so much change … before the revelations that demanded it. “And this Reba McEntire song came on. It’s about this woman who wonders if there’s something more to her life—if there’s a life beyond what she’s doing.”
“I know that song.” He laughs at my surprised reaction. “My mom is a huge Reba fan. It’s what she would blast on Saturday mornings at an ungodly hour to make my brothers and I get up and help her clean.”
“Okay, well, that song got me thinking about my life and all the things I haven’t done.”
His bag crinkles as he switches the hand that’s holding it. “So what do you want to do? Climb Mount Everest? Run a marathon? Skydive? You wanted to do that in high school, remember?”
“I remember.” I chuckle at the memory. “But no, I was thinking more along the lines of swimming with pigs.”
“What?”
“I want to do it. And I was thinking about how that’s a thing you can do where we were going for our honeymoon, and I didn’t even schedule it because Eton would’ve refused.”
His eyes darken.
“It was the moment that led to the end of the engagement. If I couldn’t swim with pigs on my freaking honeymoon, what else would I miss out on, you know?” I shrug. “Pigs. Who would’ve thought?”
“Hey, whatever it takes.”
I smile. “It’s just really easy to forget who you are and what you need if you aren’t careful.”
“You can always call me, and I’ll remind you who you are.” A smirk settles on his lips. “I can remind him who you are … and who I am too, if you want.”
My laughter is instantaneous. His is too.
“What? He has one coming,” he says. “Pulling up to the curb and asking me if I’d park his car for five bucks. Bastard. I mean, I would’ve at least charged him fifty.”
His dimples settle deeper into his cheeks.
This is why I like you so much. You’re such a good friend.
“It was good to see you,” I say. “I need to get out of here and tackle my pile of responsibilities. I’ve put the hard stuff off, and I can’t ignore it anymore.”
“Same.” Maddox steps back so I can open the door wider. “Want to have dinner sometime? No pressure. Or you can hang out with Banks and me. If you’re lucky, we won’t even have to see a judge afterward.”
“Now there’s an offer.”
“That you can’t refuse?”
I only laugh.
Maddox rocks back on his heels, his gaze lingering on mine. He’s so ridiculously handsome in the most genuine, approachable way. It’s no wonder women lose their minds over him.
“Thanks again for picking up our bill,” I say.
“Of course.” He clears his throat. “Are you moving back home or staying in Orlando?”
I lift my shoulders and then let them fall. “I’m going to stay here. Stay home. I can work from anywhere, and I miss being close to Mom. What do I have in Orlando to stay for now anyway?”
“Love it.”
I ignore the smugness on his face and climb into the car. Then I gaze up at him.
“I’m sure we’ll run into each other again,” he says, strumming his fingertips on the edge of the door.
Each tap reverberates through my body. “Probably.”
He smirks, taking a step back. “See you around, Ash.”
“See you later. Thanks again for—”
I’m silenced by the sound of my door shutting.
“Picking up the tab,” I say to myself.
Maddox walks around my Telluride to his Jeep. He waves at a passerby before climbing into the car. Then without a second glance my way, he drives off.