Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Jogging to the kitchen, I pick it up to see my delivery has arrived. “It’s here,” I tell Beatrice. “Come on.” She gets up and walks off the boat with me. Both of us walk down the dock to the gate.
“Vivienne,” the guy on the bike confirms, and I nod my head. He kicks the stand down before walking to the front of his bike and opening the basket. He takes two brown bags out, holding them by their handles. “Have a great day,” he says while handing me the bags.
I’m about to turn around when I spot Xavier walking back. Beatrice barks at him, and he just smiles at her. He changed out of his sweat shorts and now is wearing beige khaki shorts with a blue sweater with white stripes over his chest. His sunglasses cover his eyes, and two canvas bags are in his one hand. “What is this?” he asks when he gets to the gate as I hold it open for him.
“I ordered something,” I tell him. “Last night before I went to bed.” We walk down the ramp and side by side to the boat, with Beatrice in the middle of us. “I just have to grab my bag, and I’m ready,” I inform him and hand him the two brown bags in my hands. “These are for you.”
He looks at the bags and then back at me. “It’s a little something to thank you for today, and a little something for Ms. Queen B,” I say quietly.
“Come on over when you’re ready,” he says to me, chuckling and walking away to his boat.
I get back on my boat, grabbing the bag and tucking my cell phone in my back pocket. I stop mid step before thinking if I should warn someone. I quickly pull up Julia’s contact because I know she will ask me the fewest questions. I press the phone button, and she answers after one ring, except it’s Chase. “Hello.”
“Hey.” I close my eyes. “Why are you answering Julia’s phone?”
“The question is why are you calling Julia’s phone?” he counters, and I just groan.
“I’m about to head out, so I just wanted to give someone a heads-up,” I say, omitting all key details. “I’ll check in later tonight.”
“Hold on a second,” Chase replies, laughing. “You are going out and wanted to give someone a heads-up. Who are you going with?”
“You aren’t my dad.” I laugh. “And even if you were my dad, I wouldn’t answer.”
“You wouldn’t have to answer because he had us all microchipped when we were young,” Chase jokes, laughing. “Now, who, what, where, when, and why?”
“Me. On a boat, today, because I want to,” I answer. “Signal is dying,” I add, hanging up the phone.
The phone buzzes.
Julia:
You better check in, don’t make me activate the phone chain.
I groan out loud at the stupid phone chain that was started once when I said I was going to Alexis’s house after school in sixth grade. I did go to Alexis’s house, but then we went to the mall. When I got home, every family member I knew was in the living room with the police. From there, they put in place the family phone chain. It’s only been activated once since then, and that was when Franny’s sex tape got leaked.
Putting my phone away, I make my way to his boat. His sunglasses now off, I can’t help but smile when I see him. “Hi,” I greet, waving nervously. I put my bag on the couch as he walks over to me. “What can I do to help?” I offer, looking at him and trying not to get lost in his eyes. “Keep in mind, I know absolutely nothing,” I remind him, and he laughs.
“That’s not true.” He shakes his head. “You know loop de loops.”
I laugh. “I do.”
“How comfortable are you with untying the lines and then jumping on?” he asks me, and I follow him outside. I think about how hard it would be. Untying should be easy, but jumping on the boat, now that may be a problem.
“Well, worst case, I fall in the water,” I say to his back, and he stops and looks over at me.
“No, worst case, you get tangled in the motor, and then we have bits and pieces of you in the ocean.” He folds his arms over his chest.
I try not to laugh at him by rolling my lips. “I really think you need to stop reading those mysteries.” He tries to keep a serious face, but he can’t help the laughter that comes out of him. The sound settles me a bit, making me less nervous.
“I’ll be fine, and if not…” I walk off the boat and stand in front of him. “Save yourself,” I whisper softly. He turns, shaking his head as he disconnects the power and the water. My eyes follow him everywhere, taking mental notes about everything he is doing.