Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
“Squad car?” But wait. Yes. He’d been arrested. “I need to bail him out.”
“No.”
Heather spoke, but it was Bren who put my phone in front of me. I had no idea where it’d been. I’d thought I had it. Bren said, “He’s at the police station, and according to Heather, Godlike Lawyer Logan Kade—”
Heather added, “He got him out.”
Bren stopped, but added, relenting, “Okay. Godlike Lawyer Logan is taking care of Zeke. We have no idea why Zeke did what he did, but let’s all be honest. It’s not the first time Zeke’s been arrested, and it won’t be the last. This is kinda what he does.”
Taz shook her head, leaning forward to speak around me, “That’s not true, and no offense, Bren, but you don’t know the real Zeke. You never have.”
Bren was trying for patience here. I was in my whole glaze thing, but even I could tell that.
After a second of silence, Bren added, her voice a little tight, “Okay. Zeke was ‘the enemy’ when I first met him and through college, he remained an asshole, but I’ll admit that he became a likable asshole.”
Taz said, “He’s different with Blaise, and he’s been different for a long time. I’ve always thought Zeke’s been kinda lonely.”
My head folded, but I started to look in Taz’s direction. She wasn’t wrong. He’d admitted something similar to me, and I’d noticed it too. It was what made me start looking at him in a different light.
“Okay. I’ll—”
“I like the little dipshit myself,” Heather added, putting her phone away. “And we have someone coming to take over for Ava.”
I lifted my head up. “Zeke’s in love with me.”
“You two have been living together and bonking for two months. This is actually surprising to you?”
It was. It really was.
“I think it’s great.”
I gave Tasmin a small smile.
“Me too.” Heather gave me a smile, but hers was wide and proud. “Now. We need to make as many of those vodka spritzers as we can before Derek gets back.”
“You called Derek?”
“Told him it was sort of an emergency. We needed a girls’ night. He’ll be here in ten.”
Ten minutes. The bar was not going to be tended to for ten minutes. That couldn’t happen. I started to stand up.
“No!”
“No.”
“What are you doing?”
I paused at all of their reactions. “Shock aside, I can still work. I’ll make those drinks—”
“No way, you won’t.” Heather was busy grabbing the vodka and all the mixes. “If I do it, we can claim some ignorance. I don’t know what I’m doing, but if you do it, we’ll have to pay. Brandon doesn’t let his sister get free drinks, so shhh. Sit down. Let me fool around back here, at least for five minutes.”
“You make ’em, and we’ll squirrel them away in the back.”
That was a horrible idea.
Heather brightened up at Tasmin. “That’s a great idea!”
Tas beamed back. “I know. That’s why I’m here.”
Bren sighed.
Heather paused. “We know you’re worried. We know you’ve always felt like you needed to protect Ava, but I’ve known Ava and in some ways, more than you ever have. If there’s anyone tough enough to handle Zeke, it’s her. She has been through some extreme stuff, like extreme extreme, and you’d never know it. She’s tough. Hella smart. Adaptable and she’ll outlast us all. That’s what I know about Ava. To me, it’s no wonder Zeke Allen fell in love with her. He was probably falling for her already back when you went to high school. I wouldn’t be shocked. He came in here sometimes by himself and sat in her spot, just so she’d be his waitress.”
“He did?” A warmth was spreading inside of me.
“He did. His boy was falling for his own shy girl at the time so who knows, maybe Zeke decided to take a back seat until everyone was okay, also something I wouldn’t be shocked about. For whatever reason, he decided to finally make his move. I’m happy for it. Happy for him. Happy for you. As long as he doesn’t fuck it up, I think both of you deserve some happy.”
I was blinking back tears. The warmth was spooning in my chest, making me smile like an idiot at her.
Taz sniffled. “That was the best speech.”
“Thank you.”
Taz leaned forward. “But you know what would’ve made it even better?”
Heather swore. “Gah. You’re right. Drinks.” She got to work, but eyed Bren as she did. “Sure you don’t want one?”
Bren shook her head. “I can’t. I—” She stopped herself, cursing under her breath. Her hand had been going to her stomach, and all of us figured out why.
“NO WAY!”
“OMG!” Taz was screaming.
Heather was screaming.
I was smiling and beaming, but still feeling my own happy. Heather ran around, hugging Bren, who cursed again, but nodded. She admitted, “No. I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I’m not pregnant. Just being cautious.” She fell quiet, but a little smile came out. “I didn’t mean to let it slip that way. We’ve been trying for another one.”