Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 122219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Clearly, some closure was needed between us, yet I wasn’t allowed to even bring that up due to rule number three.
But since I returned to Honey Creek, I noticed her. I noticed her so much that I’d find myself dreaming about her some nights simply based on the small times I’d crossed her during the daylight. Avery had the kind of smile that made others want to smile, too, though most of the time, her smile was reserved for a select few. When one unlocked her smiles, it felt like finally making it to Narnia. A gift that kept giving. Yet when she wasn’t smiling, she was grimacing. Still, her grimaces were oddly attractive to me. She made resting bitch face seem sexy.
Her deep brown skin was smooth and always moisturized. She wasn’t one to wear makeup, and if you looked closely enough, you could see the two small birthmarks resting against her left cheek. I, myself, always looked closely enough.
Her black natural hair sat slightly below her shoulders when she let it down, but she usually had it tossed up in a messy bun on top of her head. She was also a professional at wearing oversized clothes that didn’t show off her body, but a few months ago, I saw her at her sister’s wedding. She wore a tight black gown that reminded me of how remarkable each curve on her body had been.
“Nathaniel?! Hello?! Earth to Nathaniel,” Avery said, waving her hands in front of me.
I snapped out of the trance I had found myself in as I fell into her eyes. “Uh, sorry, repeat that?”
“I said rule number five is to learn about who these kids are. They’re good kids, and I don’t want them to feel overlooked. Having you here will help them get the attention they deserve in a way I couldn’t do alone.”
“Did you just say you’re happy I’m here, Coach?”
“Oh, shut it, Nathaniel. See you tomorrow afternoon. We’ll go over the details before practice. I’ll meet you in my office at three.”
“Looking forward to it, Coach.”
“Don’t,” she said before marching out of my office.
8
AVERY
“Rumor has it, there’s a new coach on your team,” Tatiana mentioned when stopping by my house after I returned home. She always stopped by a few times a week with food. It was her love language. Plus, she worked at Alex’s restaurant, Isla Iberia, which meant she usually brought some of the tastiest treats.
“That rumor is true.” I sighed as I stepped to the side of my door to let her in.
She headed straight for the kitchen and started to put her containers into the fridge. “That’s a fun twist.”
“If by fun, you mean annoying as fu—”
“Language.” She pointed a stern finger my way. “My virgin ears can’t hear the word ‘fuck’ out loud,” she joked.
I smiled and took a seat on the barstool in front of the countertop. If I knew anything about Tatiana Silva, it was that she had a filthy mouth and a vibrant wardrobe. Her closet dripped with neon colors, and her mouth dripped with f-bombs.
I opened one of the containers. “What’s this?”
“Slow-roasted pork belly bites over jalapeño slaw. It’s heavenly,” she cooed. “But be warned, it’s from the Pierce Meat Butcher Shop.”
“That’s fine. I just hate Nathan, not his brothers,” I said as I picked up the piece of pork belly and took a bite. My eyes rolled backward from pure bliss. Thank goodness I didn’t hate his brothers. That meat was tender and delicious. However I was certain it had more to do with Alex and less with the Pierce brothers.
“Dang, that’s tasty,” I said.
“I work at the best spot,” she agreed. She leaned against the countertop and smiled my way. “So you and Nathan Pierce. How do you think it will be working with him?”
Hell.
A pain in my ass.
I shrugged. “It will be fine.”
“He’s handsome, isn’t he?” she asked, popping a piece of pork belly into her mouth.
I had to remind myself that Tatiana didn’t know about Nathan’s and my short-lived past. If she had known, she wouldn’t have been so freely speaking of his praises. Or maybe she would’ve. Tatiana often gave people second and third chances.
I wasn’t.
“I didn’t notice,” I lied.
I did notice how handsome Nathan had been. I noticed so much that it made me want to vomit. I just wish I could un-notice.
“How could you not notice? I know you’re an engaged girl, but woman to woman, I think we can both agree that he hit the lottery with his looks. Did you witness that man walk away, too? He has the perfect, plump baseball butt.”
“Tatiana, too much info.”
She shrugged and opened another container. “I’m just saying. I like his butt. I envy his butt. It made me almost want to do squats to tighten my own. But then again, the thought of working out makes my eye twitch, so I started watching The Office again for the eighteen-millionth time.”