Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
She eased open the door, and I stepped into the bathroom. By the time I made it downstairs, she was gone.
I headed downstairs to eat the lunch she brought, but as soon as I turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs, I heard a shrill, bloody-murder scream coming from outside. So I pulled on my boots and ran out the front door toward the barn where the screaming was coming from. Just as I reached the door, Eve hysterically fled the barn.
I caught her, and she buried her face in my chest.
“Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!” Her body shook.
“What are you doing? Is there a bear in there?”
She shook her head, but it was more like a violent shiver, teeth chattering, breaths short and fast. “It l-looked at m-me … its e-eyes are … ohmygodohmygodohmygod!”
I released her and slowly opened the barn door. There wasn’t anything except … I chuckled. “Eve, are you talking about my deer hanging from the rafters?”
She stared at me with wide eyes, both hands covering her mouth as she slowly nodded.
“I’m draining the rest of the blood. I plan on taking him down later today. What are you doing in the barn?”
Her hands slowly dropped to her side. “Snooping,” she whispered, wrinkling her nose.
I closed the door.
“Snooping for what?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. Just snooping. Haven’t you ever just snooped?”
I couldn’t help my grin. She was stubborn and childish, yet sexy as hell, and I ate up her attitude like a bowl of hot buttered popcorn.
“Do you feel bad when you kill animals?” she asked.
I closed the door and leaned against it, sliding my hand into my pockets. “No. I feel grateful for the sacrifice.”
“Do you think I could kill a deer?”
I chuckled. “Baby, I think you can do anything you put your mind to.”
“Will you take me hunting with you?” Eve was full of surprises.
I shrugged. “Eventually.”
Her face lit up. “Really?”
“Really.”
She squealed and threw herself at me, arms around my neck, mouth fused to mine. Opposites were supposed to attract, but I had the female version of myself and felt damn happy about it.
“Did Eve say yes?”
“Coach interrupted,” Drew said, warming up on the field the next day with Terrell, his wide receiver.
I turned. Drew’s back was to me, but Terrell saw me.
“I’ll see if she wants to go to a movie tomorrow night. Remind her what she’s missing.” He threw the ball to Terrell and made a dick-stroking gesture. “She’ll say yes by the end of the night.”
Terrell cleared his throat, eyeing me over Drew’s shoulder. Drew turned.
I widened my stance and crossed my arms. “What’s the preacher’s daughter missing, Drew?”
Did I see the hypocrisy in my question? Of course. I’d self-reflect later.
“Nothing. I was asking her to homecoming yesterday, but you interrupted. Totally cool, though, Coach. She seems to like your kid. Think he can put in a good word for me?” He caught the ball when Terrell threw it back to him.
“Why would someone who’s graduated want to return to a high school dance?” I asked.
“Can ya keep a secret, Coach?” Drew asked as though we were friends.
I didn’t have to answer because he was dying to tell me anyway.
“Eve and I were a thing last year, but only a few people knew. We kept it private because she didn’t want to deal with her dad—”
“Pastor Jacobson,” I corrected.
“Yeah, Pastor Jacobson finding out. She was really into me. And I’ve heard she’s not with anyone at the moment.”
“She’s a runner, Drew. You’ll stand a better chance of her saying yes if you can prove you’re a runner too. Everyone to the track!” I hollered.
“They already ran,” Rod, my assistant coach, said.
“I’m aware.” I took the ball from Drew. “Go,” I nodded for him to run while I passed him the ball.
He hesitated for a moment before jogging fifteen yards away. I threw the ball so hard that the second it hit his hands, he dropped it and winced, rubbing them together while shooting me a look.
I smiled.
I arrived home to surprise company. My brother’s car was parked in the drive.
“Daddy! Eve got me a puppy, and we made caramel apples!” Josh barreled toward me the second I stepped into the back door, and right behind him was the puppy.
“Don’t worry,” Peter said. “I’m making Eve take the dog back. The Wilsons had a litter and were giving them away. I don’t know what Eve was thinking. Sorry.”
The aroma of chicken noodle soup hung thick in the air. My brother Fred, his wife Anne, and Pastor and Mrs. Jacobson were gathered in the kitchen, sipping apple cider while Eve stood at the stove, stirring a stock pot of soup.
She turned, resting her chin on her shoulder while offering a tiny grin and wrinkled nose.
“Surprise.” Fred held up his cup of cider as though their unannounced visit warranted a toast.