Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
"Hey, Mom!" I greet her in the kitchen after showering away the day's sweat. "Where's Dad?"
"On his way home now," she replies. "I have a seafood dish in the oven. Are you hungry?"
"Sure, can I help set the table?"
She nods with a smile, and I focus on the task. My nerves are on fire as I overthink what I'm going to tell them.
"Is that shrimp I smell?" my dad asks when he walks through the door. Mom and I laugh as the pounding of his boots grows closer.
"It is. I made my buttery-baked shrimp with garlic-lemon sauce and roasted Brussels sprouts," she tells him once he enters.
He wraps his arms around her and slides his lips across hers, ignoring my presence completely. My parents have always been affectionate, no matter who’s around. While I think it's sweet as hell, it's a constant reminder that I'm alone.
"I'll be ready in a few, gonna clean up," he says, then smiles at me. "Hey, kiddo. How was your day?"
"Just fine."
Once he returns from a quick shower, Mom pulls the skillet out and brings it to the middle of the table. We say grace, then dig in.
After a few minutes of eating, I decide it's now or never. With each bite I take, the more nauseous I feel.
"So there's something I need to tell y'all..." I shove a piece of shrimp into my mouth and stall.
"Who is he?" my dad demands in his husky you're in trouble tone. You'd think I was sixteen and about to tell them I got hitched to a complete stranger or something. Not a thirty-year-old woman still living at home.
"What are you talkin’ about?" I wrinkle my nose.
"Jackson, let her talk." Mom nudges him. "Go ahead, sweetie."
"You know I love you both, but it's time that I move out," I blurt, sounding more assertive than I intended. "Payton's offered me one of his spare rooms, so I'm moving in with him this weekend."
"This weekend?" my mom squeals. "Why so sudden?"
"You're gonna live with a boy?" Dad arches a brow.
I shrug. "Can't be any worse than livin' with a female roommate who brings a different guy home every weekend."
"That's true," Mom admits. "I've had plenty of friends like that."
Dad glares at her, triggering a memory, I'm sure.
"Anyway, there's really no rush, but I'm too excited to wait. Plus, I basically live there already, so it’ll almost be exactly the same. You’ll still see me every day at work, and I'll come visit, I promise."
"Yeah, that's what your brothers said, and then they got married and had babies." Mom smiles. "Though I'm not opposed to that."
I groan. "Yes, I know."
"Are you and Payton sleepin' together?"
"Dad!" I shout.
At the same time, Mom yells, "Jackson!"
"What? I'm not stupid. I know what being roommates implies."
My heart beats harder as I try to keep it together. I hate lying, but I'm not confessing what we're really doing.
"We're just friends," I confirm for what feels like the thousandth time.
Dad and Mom share a look, and I know what they're thinking. They were childhood friends before getting together, but my situation is different. Payton and I don't have a history, and we've never experienced jealousy. I’ve done nothing but encourage him to give a chance to all the women who’ve flocked to him over the years. Bottom line: we're friends who are making a baby...hopefully.
"This is a bad idea," Dad says. "You should stay home and save your money."
"I've saved plenty of money over the last decade." I groan. "Also no one wants to date an old maid sleeping ten feet away from her parents."
"Jackson, she has a point. She probably wants to be on her own and have some privacy."
He snarls, stabbing a Brussels sprout with his fork. "Fine, but I'm giving Payton a little talkin'-to."
I roll my eyes with a smile, then pat his shoulder. "Sure, Dad. Go ahead."
"How do you think your brothers are gonna react to you livin' there?" Mom asks.
“Oh, I'm sure they'll give us shit just like everyone else, but oh well."
By the time we get to dessert, Dad has calmed his uncertainty and even asks about helping me move.
"Sure, the more, the merrier. Shouldn't take too long, though. I’ve already packed half of my room, and the rest is just furniture."
Mom smiles at me as she takes our empty plates from the table. "I can help you with the rest tonight."
"Thanks, Mom. There's actually one more thing I wanted to talk to y'all about."
My stomach twists as I prepare to share the news of Payton's horse rescue idea.
"There's also another reason we want to live together. We want to start a new venture on the ranch, and being roommates will help us plan it better."
Dad lifts a brow, looks at Mom, then back at me. "So what is it?"
I explain everything Payton and I have discussed so far and how we've been working on the business plan since last week. They listen to every word I say, and even though I don't have the research we’ve done in front of me, I've memorized most of it.