Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 26959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Before she got to the front door, it opened, and her mother came barreling out.
“Ahhh, my girl is here,” her mom screamed and wrapped her in a bear hug. “I am so happy you’re home, sweetheart.” Sasha felt the air leave her as her mother squeezed her to the point of pain.
“Mom,” she wheezed out. “I can’t breathe.” Her mother released her but kept her hands on her upper arms.
“I’m sorry. I just feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Well, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” Rian’s deep voice came from the front door, and Sasha felt her smile widen.
Her mother let her go, and Sasha bounded toward him, and he embraced her in his big, muscular arms.
He grinned down at her. “You look good. Happy and healthy.”
She nodded. “I am happy.” Pulling back an arm length, she eyed her brother. “Construction has beefed you up.”
He flexed his arms in the way men do when trying to be masculine, and she rolled her eyes again. “What’s going on with this?” She flicked her finger along the light beard he was sporting.
“You like that?” He grinned and ran his hand over the beard.
“You wear that well. I love it.”
“The girls dig it.” He nudged her shoulder and gave her a wink.
Rian helped their mom get her bags out of the car, despite her telling them not to worry about it. The three hour drive had sucked every ounce of energy from her, and all she wanted to do was sit on the old brown couch in the living room and visit with her parents.
Her dad came in from the backyard wearing his “Kiss the Cook” apron and Ray-Ban sunglasses.
“Princess.” He took his glasses off, and she ran up to him. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” Sasha inhaled the scent of him and loved that he still smelled like Old Spice after all these years. She was so glad to be home and surrounded by her family.
After eating an overly large meal and visiting until she couldn’t keep her eyes open, she said good night to her parents.
“Walk me out?” Rian wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. They stopped at the front door, and Rian turned her so she faced him. “I’m really glad you’re back. It’s felt like too damn long, especially since you rarely returned my phone calls.” He pulled his brows over his eyes, trying to seem angry, but she knew he really wasn’t.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I was so busy wrapping things up for the move back home.”
He pulled her close for a hug. “Having you back and close to the family makes me feel better.” Rian usually didn’t talk so emotionally. It was nice to hear.
He opened the screen door before she could respond and shut it behind him. “Let’s hang out tomorrow. We can hit up Shake’s. I’ll buy you a greasy-ass burger and cherry limeade.”
Her grin was instant. The memory of all the times they’d gone to Shake’s filled her mind. And on those heels, so were the images of the other two who’d tag along with them.
“I’d like that.” The thought of Tanner and Jonas had her throat tightening, but she kept her smile in place.
The last thing she needed was for Rian to wonder what the hell was wrong with her after only being home for less than twenty-four hours.
4
Shake’s was packed when Sasha and Rian stepped inside the next night. Back in the day, it used to be a family restaurant, but over the years, they had slowly changed it until it was now a sports bar where most of the younger generation hung out.
The music was annoyingly loud, and scantily clad girls ground their crotches against the men on the center of the dance floor. Right off the bat, she could see many of the guys who filled the bar were part of the construction crew.
They seemed to be an entirely different breed of men from the average citizens of Hayven Hill. Their bulging muscles, tanned flesh, and steeled expressions spoke of hard labor.
She followed Rian as he wove through the people. Many of them stopped to talk with her brother or slap him on the back. He found an empty table in the corner, and they sat.
The server, a girl Sasha thought she had gone to high school with, sashayed over to their table and smirked at Rian. She cocked her hip out and puckered her lips, and Sasha couldn’t help but feel embarrassed for her. The way she looked at her brother, though, told Sasha enough to know they were very well acquainted.
Bleh.
“Hey, Rian.” The waitress, Michelle, according to her name tag, dragged her tongue over her bottom lip. Her breasts were all but in Rian’s face, and by the look her brother gave Michelle, he liked it a little too much.