Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 47200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
“I didn’t get a lotta sleep last night. Too excited to see my old buddy again… But can you believe it? I actually thought he had eyes for you for a second there. Crazy, huh?” he snorts, but I’m not laughing.
“What do you mean, Dad?” I ask in a level voice but feel a chill run over me.
“It’s nothing, honey. Dad was overtired and trying to blame his friend. Forget I mentioned it, and don’t say anything to Big B, will ya? I just called to make sure your hand was okay,” he says, and I can hear someone calling for him from his end.
“Look, honey? I gotta go. I’ll see you tonight… And don’t dress up again, alright? It’s just Brandon and me,” he adds before hanging up.
That magic feeling I was just having?
The one where it’s Brandon and me, forever?
It’s still there, sure. But after dad’s phone call, it’s got a big wet blanket hanging all over me.
“I just wish I had a place of my own,” I growl to myself.
Dad still doesn’t realize I am not a kid anymore. I’m an adult. Living under someone else’s roof and having them treat me like I’m still five most of the time is truly annoying.
It would be a lot easier to keep things from my dad if only Brandon and I had someplace else to go.
Dad goes to work, sure. But I’m sure even Brandon wouldn’t really want to fool around with me the way I know he wants to in his best friend’s house.
If only there was some way to keep it a secret and still have Brandon on tap?
Hmmm.
Now that’s wishful thinking.
I’m just glad I wasn’t imagining things or going crazy.
A girl really does just know when she gets the eye from a man, especially one as amazing as Brandon.
CHAPTER TEN
Brandon
I don’t want to leave May on her own, but if I’m going to keep up appearances with her dad, I have to play along.
For the rest of today, at least.
After tonight, May and I might just be able to get some of the privacy I know we’re already craving.
I never actually said to Steve I’d be staying at his place, did I? He just assumed I was.
And once I pull up out front of the real estate agents on the way to meeting him for lunch, I wince a little, knowing that I really am risking our friendship.
Not just by doing what I’m doing with May, but doing it right under his nose.
It’s early days for May and me. I only just kissed her.
When I claim her properly and take her as my own, there’ll be no hiding that fact from anyone.
But first things first, the keys to my new house.
And yeah, it’s the one that just sold right next door to Steve’s place.
My big news was going to be that I’m moving back to town permanently, with the house and me actually living next to Steve as a way to be closer to May and my best buddy.
But I can see now that this would never be a smooth ride when I was handed the keys and signed the final papers.
It’s almost as if I thought deep down that a guy like me would never stand a real chance with a hot, younger girl like May.
My original plan, if you’d call it that, was to be closer to her, needing to see her more than just once when she graduated.
I wanted and needed to see her every day.
I know I’ve told her how I feel, but I’m still not sure she understands just how fucking hard and deep I’ve fallen for her.
Suddenly the house next to her dad’s, which seemed like the best idea at the time, is coming back to bite me on the ass.
Sure, I can have May. But the tradeoff is I have to have my future ex-best friend, her dad, as a neighbor who’ll probably end up hating me for the rest of my life.
But that’s how I strongly feel about her. How much I know in my gut that she’s the one, that we’re destined to be together.
I’ll even let go of a lifelong friendship for her if that’s what it’s gonna take.
But as much as I hope it doesn’t come to that, I know Steve well enough to know that what I’m doing will hurt him more than anything he’s lived through so far, even more than when May’s mom left when she was still a baby.
It’s stuff I can’t dwell on, though. As much as I dread the day he’ll find out, which will be sooner rather than later at this rate, I still feel my chest exploding every time I think of May.
She’s all I can think about for a new reason.
She’s gonna be mine, no more wondering and what if.