Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“You have some explaining to do, young lady,” Mom hisses, and I close my eyes.
“I will explain, but not right now,” I say quietly, and her eyes narrow.
“Why not right now?”
“Because it’s way too complicated to explain over the phone.” I turn down the volume so that anyone walking by outside the bedroom door won’t hear.
“Are you in trouble?”
“No.” I shake my head franticly. “Not at all. I just….” Oh Lord, what do I say? “I got a job, and that’s my boss, Jace. I’m with him right now at a work thing,” I whisper.
“Your boss.”
“Yes.”
“And he needs you to give him a towel, and he calls you cupcake?”
“Like I said, it’s complicated.”
“Is this like one of those new sex things?”
“What?” I can’t help the hysterical laughter that bubbles out.
“I read an article where people meet up to have sex and role play.”
“Oh my God, Mom! Ewww, no. That is not what this is.” I feel my own face get hot. “He’s my boss, and he needed my help this week.”
“You got a job?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you get a job? You’ve always loved having the summer off. Are you okay? Did something happen?”
“Nothing happened. I just thought it would be good to get out of the house like you suggested.”
“Do you want coffee?” Jace asks, stepping out of the bathroom in nothing but a pair of basketball shorts, then his eyes come to where I’m sitting on the floor. “What are you doing down there?”
“Talking to my mom.” I look at her on the screen. “Can I call you back?”
“You don’t have to get off the phone with your mom,” Jace says gently, and I wonder how I got myself into this situation. Oh, right. I’m a money-hungry, greedy idiot.
“Let me see him,” Mom urges, and I don’t want to—really don’t want to—but I still turn the phone in his direction.
“Hi, Mrs. Beaver.” He gives her one of his charming smiles, and I swear I hear her sigh.
“I feel at a disadvantage,” Mom says, then adds, “You know of me, but this is the first I’m hearing of you.”
“Penny.” He makes a tsking sound. “Always so full of secrets.” He winks at me, and I glare at him while I hear my mom laugh.
“She has always been good at keeping things to herself,” Mom agrees, and I turn the phone back around.
“Well, now you’ve met. Can I call you when I have a few minutes this afternoon?”
“You better.”
“I will. I love you.”
“Love you too, and nice meeting you, Jace,” she calls out.
“You too, Mrs. Beaver.” Dropping my phone to the ground at my hip, I cover my face with my hands.
“You never told me that your mom was sick,” Jace says softly, pulling my hands from my face, forcing me to look at him. The expression on his face almost has me climbing into his arms. It’s soft and filled with a warmth that I wouldn’t expect from him. Then again, there’s a lot of things about him that I wouldn’t expect.
“She’s not.”
“Baby, I know what someone who’s gone through chemo looks like. Grandma was sick a few years back.”
“She was?” I ask, and he nods.
“My mom finished her last treatment a few weeks ago, and she’s cancer-free now. I mean, she has to go for some monthly treatments when she gets back from visiting my aunt just to make sure the cancer doesn’t come back, but no more chemo.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah,” I agree, and he reaches out, touching the bridge of my nose. “No bruise.”
“Thank goodness.” I touch where he had and find it’s still a little sore.
“How about some coffee?” he asks, and as I start to nod, a horn blasts, making me jump.
“What was that?” I glance back at the window behind me.
“It’s Monday.” He stands and holds out his hand. “Today, the competitions begin.”
“Did I just enter The Hunger Games?” I watch him laugh, then he holds up two fingers and brings them to his lips. “You’ve seen that movie?”
“Of course I have.” He leads me out of the room and into the kitchen, where everyone is up and about.
“Oh good, you guys are awake.” Janelle walks over and takes hold of my face, then she smiles at me after finding me bruise-free. “Are you ready for the fun to begin?” She leans up and kisses Jace’s cheek.
“I’ve got some work to catch up on, so it’s gonna be you guys and Penny until this evening.”
Darn, that news shouldn’t upset me as much as it does.
“All right, honey,” Janelle says, not even attempting to hide the disappointment in her voice.
“Here, cupcake.”
I turn my attention to Jace, and he passes me a cup of coffee that’s made just the way I like it. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, cupcake.” He dips his chin and kisses the side of my head, just like he did this morning when he didn’t think I was awake. And just like this morning, my heart does an extra-happy little thump.