Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 70106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Our real-life pinup girl isn’t exactly that versed in cars.
But two?
No.
I fucked something up.
Somewhere.
What wasn’t clear?
A word?
Pretty sure I used all of them correctly.
“Kid,” Nolan defeatedly sighs, “you’re goin’ back and forth worse than when you learned to fuckin’ parallel park.”
Amusement immediately appears in Bunny’s expression. “I’m sorry, Mr. Ford Motor Company, you had trouble learning to parallel park?”
“I was twelve!”
Snickers get swallowed by gulps of their respective beverages prompting me to push away my own urge to smile.
“You can do it, Kid,” Nolan encourages and reaches for his knife to begin cutting his steak. “Just put the shit in park.”
Several nods are delivered before demanding, “Tell me about what those detectives wanted.”
A long, agonizingly slow suck of his teeth is executed yet instead of answering me afterward, he shifts his attention to Bunny and commands, “Tell me about your ex-boyfriend.”
The beautiful brown skinned face we both love waking up to every morning instantaneously turns a sickly pale shade. However, she doesn’t back down either. She snatches up her glass of wine once more, cocks her head, and challenges the man who challenged her. “Tell me about Jolene.”
Panic pierces his dark gaze which he quickly plants back on me. “Tell me what the fuck this is.”
Unlike the two of them, utter confusion is the emotion that cakes my expression. “Huh?”
“This.” His knife wielding hand motions around the empty space between us. “Is this shit a phase?” Missing the worry in his voice is impossible. “Or have you always been into dudes and didn’t trust me enough to tell me?” Hurt has his Adam’s Apple bobbing uncontrollably. “Have you been keeping this shit hidden ‘cause you thought I wouldn’t understand? Or wouldn’t want your ass around once I knew? Or is it something else?” There isn’t even time for my mouth to twitch open. “And is it all dudes? Or only old, scruff face covered dudes like me?”
“Bears.” Bunny nonchalantly announces.
“What?” Nolan bites, attention soaring to her.
“You’re describing a Bear.” She reaches over and picks an asparagus off my plate despite having her own. “Or at least according to some classifications you are. But that’s more based on your hairiness and size than your age.”
Notable horror overwhelms Nolan’s face, paralyzing him in place.
I don’t know anything about bears.
Or…I guess I should say in that reference.
I know a little about the football team and a little more about which types can use their claws to break into which cars for munchies.
Yeah.
That little fun “did you know” still gives me nightmares.
It’s also one of the reasons I really don’t like camping.
“Let’s pump the breaks for a sec before we take another unwanted detour.” A small adjustment in my seat is executed to momentarily angle my frame more towards my best friend. “Nolan, you’re my fucking McLaren, man.” The shoulder shrug that’s delivered is innocent. Coy. “Whether you’re on the track for racin’ or the road flexin’ or sittin’ at the show for other motherfuckers to drool over, you’re perfect. Wherever you are, whatever day it is, whatever your purpose is, you’re it for me. You’re my dream car. You’re the only one I wanna go 0 to sixty with and know that no matter what we do we’ll never top out.”
To my surprise, a faint redness hits his cheeks as he bashfully scratches the side of his face. “Damn, Kid.”
“And you,” I shift just the slightest to face Bunny, “are the perfect passenger for me. For us. You know exactly what every sound means and can feel the gears needing to change without watching me fucking shift. You’re the only person I’ve ever met that I trust – that I would ever fucking trust – to handle my dream car or map out the road trip we’re gonna take, baby.” Another sheepish shrug leaves me. “It doesn’t matter that we haven’t known you face to face that long. What matters is we’ve found you. That you can read his manual with your eyes fucking closed and steer while I’m fucking blindfolded. You…are…a part of this.” My finger gestures between me and Nolan. “You’re part of the dream too.”
It's her turn to let a crimson shade coat her complexion.
“There.” Grabbing my nearly empty beer bottle precedes me leaning back in my chair. “Y’all’s turn.”
For longer than I like no one says anything.
Eventually, post two bites of his steak, Nolan wipes his face and states, “Jolene was the last woman I had any sort of claim to.” He lets his eyes drift to Bunny’s. “Contrary to what everyone believed, I didn’t give a shit that she was a stripper. Or even that she liked to fuck other dudes.” He casually tosses his hands up in the air. “I fucked around on women. Women have fucked around on me. People fuck around. It’s small-town bullshit. It happens.” His fingers fold together in his lap. “What I did give a fuck about was the fact she hated The Kid.”