Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
He lets out a laugh, warm and teasing. "Is that right? 'Cause I heard you were mooning over Todd Sharp at the donut shop this morning." My stomach does a free fall, and I swear under my breath. His voice softens a bit, a hint of brotherly concern beneath the teasing. "You should know better than to doubt the grapevine's power, sis."
"That freaking grapevine!" I moan, clutching the steering wheel like it's my lifeline. "Please don't tell the others. They'll never let me live it down." I'm practically begging, imagining the torment I'll endure from Hudson, Tanner, and Cole.
He chuckles, the sound rich with victory. "I don't know, Mags. It’s hard to keep secrets in our family." His drawl is extra thick, the way it gets when he's got the upper hand. My heart sinks. I know this game, and I'm about to lose.
"What do you want, Silas?" I ask, desperation creeping into my voice. He stays quiet, letting me stew. I can almost hear him relishing his triumph. "Name your price," I grumble, knowing I'm cornered.
He laughs again, light and easy. "Now we're talking. How about you take my turn with Aunt Matilda this week?"
I groan, long and loud. Our Great Aunt Matilda’s weekly spa visit is a nightmare that involves hours of listening to her inappropriate comments about the male staff. But what choice do I have? "Fine," I say, defeated. "I'll do it."
Silas's chuckle is smug, and I know he's probably doing a victory dance in his head. "Pleasure doing business with you, sis."
"Yeah, yeah," I mutter. "Just keep your mouth shut, okay?"
"Scout's honor," he promises, but I can still hear the laughter in his voice. He hangs up, leaving me to my misery.
I drop my head against the steering wheel, sighing like a deflated balloon. It’s time to figure out how I'm going to avoid Todd Sharp and the mess he's made of my heart.
I’m driving down Broadway Street, debating how I’m going to make the first move in my quest to woo Maggie, when I stop at a stoplight and glance to the side. Hell, yes. I almost fist-bump the air when I see the universe is on my side. Her black SUV is in front of the Diamond in the Rough Salon. I make an illegal U-turn, pulling into the parking lot like a man on a mission.
I park next to Maggie's SUV and can’t help but notice how her black beast of a car makes my old truck look like a rusty hunk of junk. I take a deep breath, attempting to calm my buzzing nerves.
Damn it. I've never set foot in one of these overly feminine places before. Should I casually stroll in and pretend I'm bumping into her by chance? Hell no. She’d see right through that. Maybe it's best to just hang out here until she emerges. How long can a spa appointment possibly last, anyway? Turns out, it’s an excruciatingly long time. Two hours later, I'm kicking myself for choosing to wait in the truck, sweltering under the relentless Texas sun in the heat of spring. The air is thick and oppressive, sticking to my skin like a second layer, and the dashboard feels like it could fry an egg.
I’m about to head in when my phone buzzes. The name that pops up freezes me. Fucking hell. My coach. I can almost see his permanently pissed-off face staring at me from the screen.
Grouchy asshole
When are you heading back to San Francisco? Need to finalize.
Short and blunt, just like the bastard. I stare at the message, my thumb twitching over the screen. Someday soon, I’ll have to deal with both my coach and my agent, but today isn’t that day. That’s a worry for another day. There’s only one thing I care about now.
I tap my fingers on the steering wheel, brainstorming my next move. Spotting me outside a salon might be a surprise for her, almost like I'm some kind of obsessed fool. But I want Maggie. No, I need her more than I need my next breath. I spent the entire night restless, trying to plan my next move. Ultimately, I had to acknowledge I’m going to have to take things as they come.
Another fifteen minutes pass slowly. Then twenty. I rub my hand across my jaw, trying to get rid of the ghost of that night four years ago. My decision to walk away was supposed to make things easier for both of us. Instead, I ended up miserable with a championship ring that doesn’t mean a goddamn thing without her.
The door finally opens, and I feel the jolt of adrenaline shoot through my soul. Maggie steps out, and she's not alone. A tiny, elderly woman barely comes up to her shoulder, and the two of them are chattering away. I take a deep breath and slide out of the truck, my boots crunching on the blacktop. I tower over them as I approach, trying to look confident and casual and probably failing at both.