Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Then I climbed under the covers, curled up on my side, and tried to think of anything other than Rook.
I failed.
Miserably.
But, eventually, I passed out anyway.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Rook
I had no idea what changed, but Tessa had been off since the engagement.
Sure, after she slept, she was a little less short with me. But she was still very—I don’t know—distant. When she was even around. It seemed like she started taking shopping gigs the moment the store opened in the morning and went until it closed at night.
And the weirdest part?
I missed her.
I’d been excited to have an excuse to call her when I saw Nancy’s car pull down the road, to know she would come and be around me for a few minutes.
“Oh, shit. Okay. I’m just on the way back from the apartments. I’ll be there in less than ten.”
“You have your ring on, right?”
“Always.”
The rap on the door had me wincing.
“Even her knock sounds snotty.”
“I know, right? See you in a few.”
“What took so long?” Nancy asked the second I slid the lock. “Were you hiding something?” she asked, shoving past me and rushing toward the bathroom, listening. Like I’d been flushing drugs or some shit. Even though I literally had no history with them.
“I was on the phone with Tessa,” I told her. I couldn’t lie. If she checked my phone, she would see that.
“Why? Is she not living here any longer?” Nancy asked, sounding pleased by the prospect.
“She is. Actually, we have some big news,” I said, waving toward the framed photograph sitting on one of the bookshelves.
Nancy moved closer, nose in the air. And she literally sniffed as she saw what I was showing her, her lip curling.
“You’re engaged?”
“We are.”
“Why?”
“Why?” I asked, not having expected that question.
“Yes, why?”
“Because… we love each other?”
Nancy waved a hand at that, seeming to dismiss the whole idea of love.
“Relationships need more than love. Love fades.”
I wasn’t exactly a romantic, but even I thought that was some sad thinking.
“Well, we also… like each other.”
“You barely know each other.”
“We’re living together.”
“For, what, two weeks?”
Had it been that long since she’d dropped in? That was… odd. Was that the Tessa effect? Because Nancy liked her more than me, she left us alone more?
I almost felt bad for the poor sack who was getting more of her attention now that I wasn’t taking so much of it up.
“I think it’s one of those things.”
“What things?”
“When you know, you know.”
I swear she actually rolled her eyes at that.
“Well, I am going to do a little search. Sit where I can see you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She went to the bedroom first, and I was a little sad that I hadn’t gotten a chance to screw with her and put fake used condoms in the bin next to the bed.
Instead, all she would find in there were the wrappers to the fruit snacks that Tessa popped like a little addict. I swear she went through a box every two days.
Luckily, though, Tessa was dedicated to the bit. She kept bridal magazines next to her bed. She’d even gotten a little flyer from the closest florist that she’d marked up with her favorite bouquets.
Hell, she even made sure she put a fresh, half-empty glass of water on the opposite nightstand each evening, just in case Nancy dropped by.
Nancy was still digging around in the closet when Tessa came bustling in. Gone was the long-sleeve tee she had on when she’d left that morning. In its place was a black tank top. Her hair, which had been down, was pulled back and wet at the root.
“Sorry I’m so late. I was trying to work off those fruit snacks on the treadmill. What is—oh,” she said, trailing off as if she was noticing Nancy for the first time. “Hey, Mrs. Bird,” she called, all easy smiles, making me painfully aware that I hadn’t seen a smile even close to that in two weeks.
“You don’t need to work anything off,” I said, walking over and wrapping my arms around her. “Love your body just as it is,” I added, letting my hands sneak to the top of her ass as I pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
“Stop!” she said, whacking my chest playfully. “I’m all sweaty. And, yes, I do. I have to try on wedding dresses soon. Did you hear the good news?” she asked, turning a sunshine-bright smile to Nancy, then thrusting out her hand to show off the ring.
Nancy’s curled lip moved from us to Tessa’s hand.
“It’s like he snatched my dream ring right out of my head. Without me ever having to tell him. He’s so intuitive.”
“Where’d you get the money for that?” Nancy asked, making me fight the urge to snap at her. “I’ve been saving for a long time. For a new couch,” I said, waving toward it. “Then I fell for her, and, well, we spend more time in bed than on the couch anyway…”