Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Her face remains unchanged. “I don’t know you, don’t want to know you, and don’t have the time.”
“Wow, be still my heart.” I grin at her. “I’m actually a hoot to be around.”
“I’m sure.” She looks around the room, and I get the feeling that she honestly doesn’t like me. Which is crazy—I’m a cool dude.
“I have to admit, I’m a little sad my roomie doesn’t want to be my roomie.”
She looks over her shoulder at me. “I’m sure you’ll get a new one.”
They’ll surely not be as hot as Austen, though.
She grabs her cup and heads for the door.
“Have a great day, Janie,” I call after her.
I watch as her shoulders tighten, and then she lets them fall before walking out the door. Once she’s gone, I will myself not to wonder when she’ll be back or if I’ll see her tonight. One thing is for sure, if she’s not ready to spend millions on an apartment, she won’t find one downtown. Hope she’s ready to commute; Lord knows I’m not. Plus, there is no way I’m dealing with my sister on a daily basis. I’m not going anywhere, and I kind of hope she isn’t either. If I’m honest, that isn’t smart. I should want her to go. I shouldn’t want to get to know her.
But I do.
nine
Austen
Snap. Snap. Snap.
I try anything to get my mind off that moment that transpired between Dimitri and me this morning. A moment the likes of which I know will continue to happen if I continue to live there. No matter what, though, the image of Dimitri in a low-hanging black towel is seared into my brain. The water pebbled along his skin, his hair dripping, and toothpaste along his half smirk were downright unfair. His abs were taut, and the trail of hair down his stomach was distracting as all get-out. Hair dusted his thick, strong chest, and his gold cross hung in the middle like a hypnotic pendulum. When I was able to pull my gaze from it, I’d met his eyes…and wow. Lord, they were so bright and full of all things filthy. He is very confident, very full of himself, and drives me beyond crazy. Primarily because I don’t think I can move out and I will be subjected to his antics daily. Since he has made it clear he isn’t moving out, I may be stuck with him. And his low-hanging towel, half smirk, and gold chain.
There must be a real God out there who can help me.
Snap. I pause the second snap because I know the God I was raised to believe in isn’t real, and I shouldn’t punish myself because of his thoughts of me. No real God would want what I was put through to happen to a person. I ignore my need for the pain along my wrist as I look through the realty app for a one-bedroom close to the arena. Every moment I’ve been able to since I left the apartment, I’ve been looking, and I’ve come up with nothing. I know Peepaw would pay for anything I wanted, but between the new arena and my sisters, I don’t want to ask for anything else from him. He took me in when he didn’t have to. Also, he’s said multiple times that the drive isn’t that bad. I know he’d tell me to drive it, and I don’t want to. For me, it is that bad. I hate it. I enjoy getting up at a decent time and taking my time to get to the arena. I also don’t want him to know about the misunderstanding. I don’t want him to know that I stayed the night with a man in the other room.
Snap, snap, snap, snap.
Ugh, I’m in a jam, for sure.
I’m sitting outside Elli Adler’s office, looking through different apartments that are well outside of my budget and that I know I can’t afford, when the receptionist says, “You can go in, Ms. McDavid.”
I smile a thanks as I tuck my phone into my bag and head inside the office. Elli Adler sits behind her desk as Shelli sits in front of it, her legs crossed and looking miffed. Whew, power comes off them in terrifying waves. Both so gorgeous, both so confident in themselves, and no one can tell me differently. They are exactly what I was told they are—hockey royalty.
They both look at me, and Elli welcomes me with a smile. Man, Shelli is Elli’s twin. Elli’s eyes are green, but her face shape, her hair, and her lips have been passed right down to Shelli. I smile widely as Elli says, “Ms. McDavid, it’s a pleasure.”
“Pleasure is all mine,” I reply, taking her hand. She gives it a strong shake. “Thank you for this opportunity.”
She waves me off. “I’d do anything for your grandpa. He was a very close friend of my uncle.”