Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 80102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
“Yes. Economical Farming Things is the unofficial title.”
He doesn’t find me funny, apparently.
“My brother and I have plans to take over our family’s farm when Dad retires, so we figured a degree in agriculture for me wouldn’t hurt. Though, I don’t think Dad will ever retire completely until he’s dead. There’s no way he’d sit by and watch us run things without his input. But eventually, it’ll be mine and Campbell’s.”
“Wow, so you’re not only close with your family, but you’re super close. Like live-in-each-other’s-pockets kind of close.”
“Yup.” I wonder if I should tell him that my brother and I are both in the middle of building our own houses on the family’s property because we can’t imagine moving far away. Campbell currently lives closer to town with his fiancée, but his house is almost finished, and I know he can’t wait to move back.
Yeah, with the way Rainn is looking at me, maybe I should keep that to myself.
“That’s …” Rainn looks like he’s struggling to come up with the right word.
“Nice?”
“I was going to go with odd, but what do I know?”
“So you said. Aren’t you … lonely?”
Rainn leans back in his seat. “Hey, I’m not the one here looking for someone to warm my bed. I do better on my own, I think.”
“Being lonely has nothing to do with sex. I couldn’t imagine not seeing my family all the time. My brother’s engaged, and I can’t wait for him to fill the farmhouse with a billion nieces and nephews. I’m built to withstand noise and chaos.”
Rainn’s eyes move toward the window, holding a sadness I don’t understand. “That’s a hockey player thing.”
“You have it too?”
“Used to.” He glances down at his bottle of cider. “Tonight, my date was talking about her future. She was excited and animated, and all I could think was that it sounds exhausting.”
“Having a future is exhausting?”
Rainn takes a deep breath. “Plans are exhausting. And heartbreaking when they don’t work out. It’s why I don’t make any.”
“That’s …” Depressing, pessimistic, and yeah, depressing. “You’re a little too young to be at the ‘Get off my lawn’ stage of grumpiness.”
“I live in an apartment. I don’t have a lawn.”
I pause. “You aren’t close with your family, and you live in an apartment. I … I … Nope. Do not comprehend.”
“Not everyone was born with acres of land to his name. I’m happy where I am.”
“Are you, though?”
Rainn pulls a face I’ve seen on a lot of guys this past week.
I’m making him uncomfortable.
Note to self, talking to Rainn Richardson about his feelings is not welcome.
“You don’t have to answer that.”
His gaze moves behind me. “Someone just came in. He’s around your age.”
“Our age. There’s only four years between us.”
He rolls his eyes. “We’ve established I’m the equivalent of a grumpy old man. He’s your age.”
I turn to look, and Rainn kicks me under the table.
“You really need to learn to be subtle.”
“I’m a hockey player. Subtlety is not my forte.”
This time, I turn slower and catch sight of who Rainn thinks could be a potential suitor for me.
I deflate and face him again. “Pass. He’s in a few of my classes at school.”
“So?”
“I don’t want the potential of running into the person I lose my virginity to every single day.”
“You graduate in May, don’t you?”
“No one from school. It’ll be easier that way. Next target.”
“For someone seemingly desperate to lose his virginity, you’re certainly picky.”
He’s right, and I must look dejected or something, because Rainn’s expression softens.
Pity isn’t something I thought I’d ever appreciate, but I could do with some sympathy right now. I’m so out of my element I don’t feel like I’m in my own skin. On the ice, I know exactly who I am. I’m a guy looking for the W. Off the ice, I’ve always known who I am, but I guess there’s a difference between knowing it and living it.
“You should wait for the right guy,” Rainn says.
“What?”
“I shouldn’t have insulted you for being picky. You should wait for someone you’re comfortable with. If that’s someone you don’t go to school with, then it’s not.”
My voice gets stuck in my throat, and I swallow hard. “It’s probably stupid …”
“Nah. It’s good to have standards. I should probably get me some of those.”
“Right. Your standards are looking for someone with no ambition.”
“Exactly. Maybe I should also add ‘must be a train wreck’ too. It will make me feel more accomplished.”
It sounds a hell of a lot like he’s preparing for disappointment, and I can’t say I don’t get it. The half of me that wants to trade in my V-card is eager to get it over with, but then the other part of me is holding back because I’m cautious about being disappointed.
“So, what are these rules of yours?” Rainn asks.