Total pages in book: 12
Estimated words: 11468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 57(@200wpm)___ 46(@250wpm)___ 38(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 11468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 57(@200wpm)___ 46(@250wpm)___ 38(@300wpm)
Keeper just laughs. “You two having woman problems or what?”
I just shrug my shoulders instead of answering him, because I’m pretty sure that Keeper can guess what my problem is.
He puts his hands on the counter and leans across it, all in my face. “Did you tell her?”
I play dumb. “Tell who what?”
Keeper laughs and I swear if he wasn’t my boss, I would deck him right now. In between laughing, he decides to bust my balls. “Oh, I don’t know, tell your best friend that you’re in love with her…”
“No. It doesn’t matter. I just saw her with her ex.”
He gets solemn then. “Man, that sucks. I couldn’t imagine walking in on Lilly fucking someone else. I’d kill him.” His hands are turning white holding onto the edge of the counter just thinking about it.
“They weren’t fucking. They were hugging,” I tell him, all pissed off that he even thought it.
Keeper slaps his hand on the counter. “So you’re telling me you saw her hugging someone so you’re giving up?”
I roll my eyes at him. “You don’t understand, Keep.”
He smirks. “Well, explain it to me. It’s obvious to everyone around here that you love her. Fuck, Rider, it’s obvious to everyone that she loves you.”
I grunt. That’s it. If only he knew.
“I’m telling you, Rider. Don’t give up on her. Not yet.”
I stew it over in my mind and I know he’s right. I can’t just let this go. I need to make it right and if I’m not what Willow wants, I’ll still be her friend. No matter how hard that will be.
I finally nod my head at him and get up.
Keeper stops me. “Take the rest of the day off. The shipment of supplies didn’t come in so we’ll just start fresh tomorrow.”
I nod and tell him thanks, hollering bye to Brewer.
The last thing I hear is Keeper talking about how he needs to work but he’s having to deal with pansy-ass men that don’t know how to handle love. When I look over my shoulder, he’s talking to Brewer. I probably should have made sure he was all right. I finally asked Willow last night what Brewer said to her, but she said it was weird; he didn’t even hit on her like he normally does. I should have known then something was up with him. Oh well, Keeper, the resident relationship guru, can handle this one. I have my own shit to deal with.
7
Willow
As I was hugging bye to Steve, I saw Rider driving away on his bike. I tried to stop him, but there’s no way he would have heard me. I rushed through my next two appointments and hurried back to his house.
I walked in and set the keys on the counter, walking through to find him. I’ve thought about it all day and I decided that I’m finally just going to tell him.
When I walk into the living room, he’s sitting on the couch with his hands folded in his lap.
Damn, he looks hot, I think to myself and then shake my head. Fuck, Willow, pull yourself together.
“Hey!” I say to him worriedly when he doesn’t look up at me.
“Hey.” He stands up and walks to the kitchen. I watch him as he pulls out stuff to make a sandwich. “You want one?”
Confused, because he’s being so rigid, so formal, I pull myself together and decide to stick with the plan. “No thanks. I’m sorry about taking your truck.”
He stops what he’s doing and looks at me… finally. “You know you can use my truck any time you need to.”
Okay, I blow a piece of hair out of my face. He’s warming up at least. “Right, so anyway, I was hoping we could talk, you know, about last night.”
He spreads the mayonnaise on the bread like he’s concentrating really hard. “It’s fine. I told you last night. We will always be friends. Even if you do get back with that dumbass Steve.”
The whole time he was talking it was devoid of any emotion, that is, until he got to the end and said Steve. It’s then I knew he was mad.
I put my hand on my hip. “Really, Rider? Is that what you think about me? I would get out of your bed and then go to another man?”
“Friends with benefits. That’s what you called it. That’s what you wanted. So what’s stopping you from going to another man?” He slaps his sandwich together and I swear I don’t know how he’s going to eat the smushed mess he has between his hands. He takes one look at it and throws it down on the counter.
“I came here to talk to you, but I can’t talk to you like this. Call me when you calm down,” I yell at him and walk toward the door.