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)
When she falls into a silence, I do the same. One thing since I've lost my vision that has been hard to deal with are my thoughts. I mean, yeah, not being able to see is the worst, but the thoughts in my head are somehow even easier to get lost in now. I can go from being fine one minute to feeling as if I’m about to lose my mind the next.
In the span of twenty minutes, the time it takes her to cut my hair, I’ve managed to work myself up until there’s no talking myself down.
She’s flirting with me because she wants a tip.
She’s not really interested in me.
My dick starts to work again and half the town is here to witness it.
Olivia is quiet now; I’ve offended her somehow.
Fuck, I’d give anything to see her face.
All of it whirls around in my head, and I can’t make sense of any of it. A pressure builds on my chest, and I know I need to get out of here. She announces we’re done and undoes the Velcro from around my neck. When the gown lifts off me, I reach into my pocket for my wallet. I have no idea how much money I take out, but I get up and drop bills on the seat I just vacated and hold my hand out. “Cane?”
“Uh….” she stutters before I feel the metal in my hand. “Here you go.”
“Thanks,” I grunt and then walk away, trying to recall the direction of the door.
“Want to sit outside?”
“Yeah,” I tell Davis, who has popped up beside me.
He gets me outside and directs me to a bench. “We’ll be out when I’m done.” He’s not happy with me, and I can’t blame him. I was an asshole to his fiancée’s friend, and she didn’t deserve it.
“Yeah,” I repeat, already kicking myself for my rude departure.
CHAPTER 2
OLIVIA
Do not follow him out that door, Olivia.
I repeat it to myself again, but it doesn’t stop me from looking at him longingly out the big front windows. I’m drawn to assholes. That’s sort of my thing, but I also know how to handle them. And even though Jason was rude to me, I don’t think he’s an asshole. At least not the typical one.
He came in here trying to keep his face void of all emotion, but I could tell he wasn’t comfortable. I saw how he felt when I touched him. I affected him, and damn if he didn’t affect me too. I watch him out the window. Davis is talking to him as he sits on the bench outside.
“What happened?” Abby asks me, and it’s then I realize she’s been standing in front of me, snapping her fingers in front of my face.
I shake my head, trying to figure out my thoughts, but I can’t even begin to think straight. He’s a man who is lost. That much is obvious. And I should forget about him, but already I know I can’t.
“Tell me about Jason.”
Abby scrunches up her face, and I figure she’s going to tell me her lips are sealed, but she leans forward. “He was there with Davis when he got hurt. He was one of the mercenaries. That’s when he lost his sight.” She holds her hands up. “That’s all I know, really. Well, except that Walker brought him and the others here.”
“For rehab?” I ask, wondering how long Jason will be around.
Abby nods. “Rehab… but Davis said Jason will have a job here too, if he wants it.”
I suck in a breath and bite my lip. So he may be staying in Whiskey Run… for a while at least. Before I can ask anything else, Davis is standing in front of us. “Sorry about that. You ready for me?”
I blink up at him. Shoot. “Uh, yeah, sorry about that. Let me clean up real quick and I’ll be ready.”
I grab the broom and make quick work of cleaning up my station. After wiping things down, I gesture to the chair. “Have a seat.”
He gets in, and Abby and I both laugh. I hit the knob that lowers it. “You really are a big guy, huh?”
Abby just smiles, and Davis looks at himself grimly in the mirror. After wrapping the cape around him, I ask, “All right. How would you like it cut?”
He scrunches up his nose. “Short.”
I nod. “Like one guard short, or four guard short?”
Abby holds her hand up. “Four guard, definitely.”
Davis just smiles. “You heard the lady. She knows what she likes.”
I want to roll my eyes, but I don’t. If anyone deserves happiness, it’s Abby, and even though I may be a little jealous that she’s found a man like Davis, I won’t begrudge it to her.
Abby is talking to a woman in the chair next to us, and I’m silent as I wash Davis’ hair and then sit him up. I don’t do any small talk or anything, I’m straight down to business, lost in thought.