Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“Sure thing, Lieutenant.”
We head into the station, stripping our gear in the locker room. “You see that hot blonde standing on the sidewalk? Pretty sure she was giving me fuck-me eyes,” Brady says, jumping into the shower.
I follow suit, needing the hot steam to loosen the tightness in my neck. “You sure it wasn’t the seventy-pound dog I carried out of the burning house she was making googly eyes at?” I rub my shoulder.
Mitchell bellows out a deep howl.
“So chivalrous,” Brady grumbles. “Always have to be the hero. Why couldn’t you leave the dog for me?”
“If she loved that dog so much, she shouldn’t have left her candle burning next to her hairspray,” Mitchell chimes in.
I wash off the grime from the fire and get out. As I dry off, Riggs, another rookie, pops his head in.
“Wallace, you got a call.”
“Any chance it’s a hot blonde thanking him for his services?” Mitchell asks. Brady whips his towel at him.
“Thanks, Riggs.”
“Make sure to tell her hi from Brady.”
“Fuck off, dude.”
I finish dressing and walk out, leaving those two idiots to bicker. I head down the hallway to the main phone. Picking up the receiver, I say, “Ben Wallace.”
“Mr. Wallace, hello. My name is Meredith Sanders from the Edwards Medical Group. I was ecstatic when I came across your application for the clinical study.”
“Excuse me? What now?”
“The clinical study. I was impressed with your introduction letter. It’s not every day we have clients come to us with such rare symptoms.”
“What symptoms would those be?” I ask, getting annoyed.
“Well, the bubbling rash surrounding your genitals. We’re very eager to see it in person. The photos you attached are quite extensive—”
“What photos? I didn’t submit any—”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Wallace, we are discreet. When our research team has you on the table, our professionalism is top notch—”
“Research team? Exactly what is it they’re researching?”
“Well, you signed up to be a research participant.” The fuck is she talking about? “You wrote in the notes you’ll do anything to relieve the itch you can’t scratch.”
It finally clicks.
That little—
“It also says you only have one testicle. Is that corre—?”
“Take me off your call list.” I slam the phone down. She’s fucking dead.
I storm through the firehouse, grabbing my shit from the locker. Brady pops out from the bathrooms. “You wanna get drinks after—?”
“Can’t. Got shit to do.” I jump in my Jeep and take off. If she thinks she’s going to get away with this, she has another thing coming. I thought we made progress today. We didn’t bite each other’s heads off. Yeah, it probably had to do with the five-year-olds surrounding us. But there was a second where I swore we shared a moment. Clearly, I’m delusional.
Turning into her driveway, I barely get the Jeep in park before jumping out. I make it up to her door and give three sharp knocks. “Open up, Mak,” I demand. She doesn’t come to the door, and I bang again. “I know you’re in there. Open up, sweetheart.” So I can turn you over and spank the living crap out of you. Still no answer. Stepping to the side, I peer in the bay window and swear I see movement. “I just saw you. Don’t be a chicken. You wanna talk the talk, then walk the walk, baby doll.”
My anger turns to frustration. I bang once more, grabbing the attention of a neighbor. Fuck this. “This ain’t over,” I yell and storm off, getting into my Jeep and speeding away.
She should know two can play this game.
And I’ve always been better at it.
Chapter 12
Makayla
I shift my work bag over my shoulder and wave to Clare, the science teacher. “Have a good night! Thanks again for letting me join the fundraising committee.”
“Anytime, Makayla. You’re doing a great job. I’m so glad you came on board.”
I head home, feeling light on my feet. Moving home and leaving my entire life behind hadn’t been the most ideal, but I had been in such a rut, and it couldn’t have been worse than my current situation. I never expected myself to be thirty and divorced. Marriage was a sacred thing to me. When I said those vows in that church, I meant every word.
Chris and I met through mutual friends. He was super shy, but it didn’t stop him from asking me out. We went out to dinner and hit it off. Talked for hours. We had so many things in common and couldn’t believe how crazy it was that we met.
We’d been dating for almost a year when he asked me to marry him. Our wedding was small but beautiful. Since I was estranged from my father, Uncle Jim walked me down the aisle. We said ‘I do’ and danced the night away. Christopher made me happy. And I intended to do the same.