Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
“Don’t be hasty.” Rick reached for the pitcher of beer and seemed to be hiding behind it. “That’s not a bad idea, Gene.”
“Yes.” Lucy was looking at Chick like he was his new favorite person. “I’m a yes for that, if we’re voting. Is this a vote? I vote yes.”
I remembered all the stories Lucy told me the night of the hurricane. How all of Gene’s themes were not only over the top, but so obscure that very few people ever got the joke unless he explained it in detail. Sometimes more than once. He was basically the abstract performance artist of Lemons.
They were probably hoping Chick wouldn’t be as intense about his ideas, but they didn’t know him like I did. “Over the top” was Chick’s middle name.
Clearly disgruntled, Gene stared at his friends. “I already bought my outfit on Amazon.”
“It’s one race, brother,” Lucy said, attempting to mollify him without sounding too excited.
Gene’s big shoulders drooped for a second before he visibly and graciously shrugged it off. “I can be reasonable. She’s saving our ass here, so she should have a say in the car’s first theme. But I know what the judges like, so hopefully the rest of you will be open to my advice.”
I’d had no idea Chick was going to add a caveat and no clue what theme we’d end up picking, but I knew how much Gene loved the process, and I loved my brother so, “We’ll run it all by you, I promise. And don’t forget, it is only one race. One and done.”
I got to my feet and held out my hand to him. “I have the title in my purse behind the bar. I’ll go get it now if we have a deal.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of folded cash.
“Deal,” he said as he handed it to me. “You’ll need to drop the car off at Wade’s shop tomorrow morning so he can get started right away.” He glanced around the table. “Where did he go?”
“Little boy’s room?” Lucy guessed.
“He’s missing the big moment when we welcome you to the team. Kingston, are you still recording this?”
“I’ll be right back.” I left them all toasting each other and walked over to Patty, the woman whose shift I’d been covering earlier.
“What’s up, August?”
“Did you see which way Wade went?”
“Back office for a phone call, I think.”
“Great. Thanks.”
I went through the doors, moving swiftly around the kegs and boxes of beer until I reached the small office where I’d been working on the billing. Sure enough, Wade was there. Standing by the desk and staring at the wall. I didn’t like how anxious his mood was making me feel.
“You missed the big cash exchange.” He turned his head and I waved the wad of twenties in front of me. “I’m loaded now. Not sure where I’ll spend it all.”
He didn’t smile.
“Okay, you’re being ridiculous.” I went to Phoebe’s small mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.
“I’m not thirsty,” he said when I held it out to him.
“This isn’t for drinking,” I told him solemnly. “This is a flask containing the magical elixir of the honesty pool. Other names you may know it by are the Pool Confessional, the Truth Tub, and the Vat of Veracity. The point is, when we’re holding this, we have to be honest.”
“Did you say I was being ridiculous?” But his tone was softer and there was a small smile curving his lips. “What is it you want to be honest about?”
“Honestly? I’d like you to hold it and tell me what’s going on with you. You’ve been distant all day. Will you tell me what’s wrong, Wade? If you’re ready for things to be over between us, just tell me. I can take it.”
Saying it made my throat tighten, because I didn’t actually think I could take it. But I still needed to know.
He stepped forward and wrapped his wide hand over the bottle. Over mine. “Hell no, I’m nowhere near ready for that.”
Thank goodness.
“I’m having a bad day, that’s all. I was on the phone with Yvonne—”
“Is she okay?” I asked anxiously.
“She’s fine. A few things happened today that rubbed me the wrong way and…well, I guess I liked having you all to myself, and things are getting in the way of that now. Your friend visiting. This race.”
I liked having him to myself too. “What rubbed you the wrong way?”
“It’s got nothing to do with us.” He blew out a breath and looked down at the water bottle thoughtfully. “That’s not true. Morgan knows about us now. She handled it fine. I think she was more surprised I said no to the house she found me.”
“She found you a house?” Yes, I had a second of freaking out that my sister knew I was sleeping with Wade, but it was the other news that put all my nerves on high alert. If Morgan had set out to find Wade a house, it was probably exactly what he was looking for and at half the price. It would be too good for him to turn down or she wouldn’t have shown it to him, and I wasn’t ready for him to leave yet.