Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“I guess this is the best you’re going to get.”
She zipped her duffle bag and left the restroom to find Jody mumbling to himself again, wondering if she should start to be concerned about the amounts of times she found him speaking to no one. She decided to let it go figuring it must be a strange habit Jody had. Hell, she was known to talk to herself from time to time as well.
“Your turn.” While sliding the bag under the counter, she was aware of Jody’s assessing gaze as he slid his own bag out from under the counter.
Sophie rolled silverware, waiting for the minutes to click by. She was putting the utensils away when Jody came out of the restroom.
Struck speechless, she was terrified she had swallowed her tongue when he bent next to her to put his bag away. Then the faint hint of his cologne only heightened her awareness of him.
Moving away from him, she started closing the register to give herself breathing room. If she stayed close to him, she wouldn’t be able to keep from rubbing against him, begging to be stroked.
She couldn’t blame women who came to the restaurant, constantly seeking his attention.
“I guess I’ll take off, unless you need me to do something for you?”
She did, but nothing she would let him do unless she wanted to end up a basket case like Baylin.
“No, I’m good. Have fun tonight.”
“You, too.”
Thankfully, she was able to hold on to her restraint until Jody left.
When he had walked out of the restroom dressed in nice jeans lovingly hugging his body, her reaction had almost slipped under her guard. The black sweater molded to his upper body, except around the neck, where the turtleneck was bunched like a thick gray scarf. He slayed.
It just wasn’t fair that Jody could be that good looking and confident enough to wear a stylish sweater that not many men would be able to pull off.
As she was closing the register, she saw Joel crossing the street.
She went into the kitchen to grab the sandwiches out of the fridge, when the sight of Jody’s sandwiches still there made her realize he had forgotten them. Taking them out, she went back out front.
She was pulling out her purse from under the counter when Joel came inside, carrying a cooler.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Sophie glanced down at the cooler. “I made sandwiches.”
Joel’s eyebrows arched. “That’s a lot of sandwiches.”
“They aren’t all for us. Jody accidentally left his behind. I thought if we see him, we could give them to him.”
“Accidentally? Sure, we can do that.” Joel didn’t sound happy.
“Is there a problem? I thought you and Jody are friends?”
“Jody and I have never had a problem before.”
“Before? Did something change? Jody said you play video games together.”
He gave her a half-smile. “Neither of us is used to losing.”
Her expression cleared. “I see. Which one of you lost?”
Joel placed the sandwiches in the cooler. “No one yet. The game is ongoing.”
“It must be a heck of a game.” Picking up her purse, she came around the corner.
Joel had changed out of his uniform and was wearing a dark green button-down shirt and black jeans. He looked extremely attractive. The short sleeves of his shirt highlighted his muscles. Typically, she was more attracted to men who looked like Joel. He didn’t have the perfection of Jody’s features, nor was he as big as Jody. Joel would be a quarterback, while Jody would crush anyone in his path.
Both types wouldn’t have given her a second glance. She was flattered that Joel had asked her to go to the music festival, yet she couldn’t help wondering: why?
Deciding to just enjoy the night, she let the thought slip away. Did it really matter why Joel had asked her out? She didn’t want to overthink his intentions. It was just a date.
She locked the restaurant, and Joel escorted her to his car. When he held the door for her, she slid inside. Then Joel placed the cooler in the trunk while she put on her seat belt.
“Is the festival going to be crowded?” she asked once he pulled out onto the road.
“Everyone in Treepoint will be there.”
“You didn’t have to work?”
“No, I worked all the Christmas holidays. Greer is stuck having to work tonight.”
Sophie didn’t miss the satisfaction in his voice.
“Do you and Greer get along?”
“Put it this way—no.”
Sophie laughed. “I have to admit, he takes getting used to.”
Joel made a scoffing sound. “No one gets used to Greer; they just get tired and give in to him. Everyone in town jokes that he’s going to live forever because when Death comes for him, Death will leave him behind because he doesn’t want him in the afterlife.”
She was wiping tears of laughter away when Joel found a parking spot. He hadn’t been joking—the park was filled. The colorful array of blankets on the ground and the different-colored food carts had her itching to get out of the car. When was the last time she had done anything just for fun?