Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
He pauses, and I’m holding my breath waiting for his response. “Yeah, I have a job for you, but you’re going to have to work for it. I’m not handing you anything.”
I nod in understanding. “I will. I promise.”
The desk groans under his weight again. “Okay, so I’m going to have you start a new therapy. Don’t ask me what it is, just be here tomorrow at ten in the morning. Also, the specialist will be in town this week or early next week. He’s just stopping in as a favor to me, and it may be last minute, but I need you available when he’s here.”
“Yeah, I got it. No problem.”
He claps his hands together. “All right, good. Anything else?”
I stand up and know I should go, but I have to ask. “And if I do it… if I take control of my therapy and put in the work, I’ll have a job?”
Walker clasps me on the shoulder. “Yes, and I hope you get your shit together, Hawk, because I have the perfect job for you.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask, but I don’t. All that matters now is even though I’m still living in darkness, my future seems a little brighter. Things I want are within reach; I just have to make it happen. I nod my head, thank him for his time, and walk out of his office.
After saying bye to Brooklyn, I go to the main lobby and sit down. I have so much to do, but for the first time in a long time, I feel an urgency inside me. I want to get my life together.
I pull my phone from my pocket. “Hey, Siri, call Abby.”
I put it to my ear and wait for her to answer her phone. “Hey, Jason, you okay? Is Davis okay?”
“Yeah, everyone’s fine. I need a favor.”
She pauses. “Uh, okaaaay. What can I do for you?”
“I need Olivia’s phone number please?”
There’s another long pause, and I can’t blame her. That first day I met Olivia, I wasn’t nice to her. “Please, Abby. She came to see me today.”
“I know. I mean, I knew she was coming to see you.”
I run my hand over my face. I still can’t believe I’m sitting here while she’s out on a date with another man. “Yeah, well, she left before I could get her number.”
“Uh, Jason, you should probably know. I mean, she’s…”
When her voice trails off, I grit my teeth. “You mean she’s on a date right now? I know. She told me.”
“And you still want to talk to her?”
Fuck, is the douchebag she’s out with more important to her than I thought? “Yeah, I want to ask her out.” I need her number, and I’m not above begging. “Please, Abby. I promise I won’t hurt her. It kills me to think she’s out on a date with someone else, but I’m not going to cause any problems. I just want her to know I’m thinking of her and that I want to go out with her.”
She blows out a breath. “Okay, fine. But you better not make me regret this, Jason Hawk. Olivia is one of my very best friends, and even though she comes across as some badass, I don’t want her hurt.”
I nod, anticipation already fluttering in my chest. “I got it. I understand. You have my word.”
She rattles off the number, and I repeat it back to her. She tells me she’ll text it to me too, and only when I hang up the phone do the nerves set in. I’m doing this. I’m really doing this. I’m going to go after the woman I want because I can be the man that I once was. I have to be.
CHAPTER 10
OLIVIA
Jason Hawk is a fool. Did I want him to stop me from going on this date? Yes, I did. But he didn’t. I stood in that damn parking lot way longer than I should have. I kept watching for any sight of Jason, and I told myself if I saw him, I’d go to him, but he never came. At the ten-minute mark, I left.
Now here I sit.
The Steakhouse is probably the fanciest restaurant that Whiskey Run has to offer. It’s known in town as the place you go for dates and special occasions. I’d much prefer to eat at Red’s Diner, though.
“So I’m thinking after dinner, we can go back to my place. We can rent a movie… have a drink.”
Rick is looking at me, and I feel as if I’m under a microscope. He wants to know what I think about his suggestion, but we haven’t even been served our entree yet. I already know I’m going to tell him no, but instead I shrug my shoulders and take another sip of my wine.