Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Her eyes brightened, and her shoulders relaxed. She cracked open two beers before she made two plates and brought them to the kitchen table. “Bean puree, roasted vegetables, and grilled steak to go along with a fresh loaf of rustic-style garlic bread.”
It was odd-looking, but the smells coming from the plate were delicious. “Wow, this looks and smells incredible, Tor.”
“Good, that’s what I was going for.” She raised her beer bottle. “To a good meal with an old yet new friend.”
We tapped our bottles together, and I was oddly touched by the ceremony of her toast. It wasn’t something we did often on missions or on leave, but I appreciated the effort. “Cheers.”
She took a few bites, eyeing me nervously between each one before she set down her fork and folded her hands in her lap. “So, the Matchmaking Brigade is back in action, and they’re competing on who can match the most young people.” She recounted what she overheard in a slightly panicked manner. “Because there are stakes, each woman will be relentless in pursuing all the singles in town…unless we pretend to be a couple.” Her eyes widened as if something just occurred to her. “Shit, unless you’re looking to be matched. Sorry, it just never occurred to me. My bad.”
It was cute that she was worried, so I lifted a hand and shook my head. “I don’t. You’re good.” It was early days, and I was still hopeful that PT would work and have me back in the field well before summer. “I have my reasons.”
“Right. Okay. So we’re doing this?”
I nodded slowly. “We are, but it’ll only work if we’re mission ready.”
Her dark brows dipped in confusion. “What does that mean exactly?”
“If we’re going to pretend to be a couple, then we need to act like a couple and know each other.” Truthfully, I was curious about who Torey was as a woman. We grew up together, but we weren’t friends; she was always my kid sister’s best friend.
Now she was my girlfriend.
My fake girlfriend.
“Okay.” She sipped from her beer bottle. “Tell me about the Army. Who’s your best friend?”
Her question surprised me. I didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t that question. “We call him Crazy Boy, but his name is Jared. He’s a mixed-race dude with green eyes and an insane love of Metallica. Brave and crazy son of a bitch. The guy can fix anything out in the field too. He’s a good dude to have your back any time, any where. We’ve been friends since the day we arrived in the Army.”
“That’s cool. Where is he now?”
“On another mission.” Without me, but I kept that part to myself.
“So what are you doing here?” She leaned in close. “Are you undercover?”
A slow smile spread across my face. “I’m not a cop, Torey.”
“Right.”
“You saw why I’m back, I was shot.”
She gasped. “But you’re all right? No fragments swimming around in there?”
“None,” I assured her.
Torey relaxed and her face lit up with a smile as she told me about baking bread and social media for a few companies in Holiday Grove. “Nix wants to make me a partner, but the bakery is hers, and it would feel weird to join in. Right?”
“Not if you’re doing work worthy of a partner. Don’t sell yourself short.”
“I won’t,” she promised and studied me again. “Okay, so you can’t talk about your super-secret government work, but what do you do in between missions? Do you stay at whatever base is close or do you travel and have adventures?”
This was one of my favorite topics, and I leaned in close, smiling. “I love travel adventures.”
Her eyes lit with excitement. “Tell me everything!”
That’s exactly what I did. I shared stories about my adventures in Athens, Rome, Barcelona, Berlin, and Paris. We laughed and drank as we got reacquainted. Hell, it was one of the best dates I’d had in years. I hadn’t laughed or talked with a woman so much in too long.
“If not for the bombs and bullets, I’d be jealous.” She tilted her head to the side. “I’m glad you’re all right, Ry.”
“Me too.” By the time dinner and dessert were over, three and a half hours had passed. It was late, and I needed to get home, but I’d had about two too many beers to drive.
Torey walked me to the front door, placing her delicate hands on my chest. “I would offer to let you stay, but after that kiss earlier, I think it might be a bad idea.”
I liked that she was straightforward, honest about her reasons. “Yeah, you're probably right.”
Her smile returned. “Noah is going to drive you home. He’s the local rideshare. Seventeen, in need of money to help him get out of town, so he’s also motivated. You’ll be safe.”
I grunted and she laughed.