Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
She opens her mouth and then closes it again. She shrugs. “Why shouldn’t I? Like, do you have a reason why I shouldn’t go on a date?”
Because you belong to me. That’s what I want to say. No, to hell with that, I want to scream it. I want to take out a billboard right in downtown Whiskey Run and tell the whole damn town that Chrissy Aiken is mine… but I know I can’t do that. “I can think of at least twenty reasons why you shouldn’t go on this date, but I’m not going to try and stop you.” I suck in a breath and blow it out. “I won’t stand in your way.”
She reaches for the door, but I’m still blocking it. She laughs. “But you are standing in my way. I’m already going to be late, Gabe.”
Reluctantly, I step to the side and open the door for her. She sits down, and I lean down to look at her. “Call me if you need anything. You got your phone? What about the mace I got you?”
“I have it.” She starts the car, puts on her seat belt, and then looks up at me again. “Are you going to show up at the Whistler?”
“Some of the guys were going to meet up there later.” I hold my hands up. “I won’t interfere. But I’ll be close if you need me.”
“Gabriel.” She huffs in frustration.
I stand up and back away. “I promise. I won’t mess with your date.”
She laughs, and it makes me thankful that she at least finds the humor in it. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”
“Drive safe, Chrissy. See you soon.” With that, I shut the door and stand in the driveway and watch her back out.
It gets harder and harder to watch her walk away from me. I can’t keep this up. Somehow, someway, I need to find a way for Chrissy and me to be together.
5
CHRISSY
I SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH MY FAMILY.
That’s what I’ve been thinking for the last hour.
I should have listened to my gut and skipped this date because it’s proving to be one of the worst dates of my life. Not that I’ve been on a lot, but the few I have been on have been way better than this one.
If I have to listen to Roger say one more thing about how much money he has, or the country club he’s a member of, or the brand new Porsche he bought with cash, I’m not going to make it. I’m going to have to excuse myself and walk out of here.
It’s not in me to be rude, but Roger is on my very last nerve. He’s been rude and condescending to the waitress, and any time I try to carry on a conversation, he cuts me off like he doesn’t have the time—or the desire—to hear me talk.
Finally, as if he’s noticed my lack of conversation, he stops and smiles at me. “So tell me about you, Christine.”
I barely resist rolling my eyes because I’ve told him at least five times to call me Chrissy. I’m not going to correct him again because I doubt he’s going to listen. “Well, let’s see. You want me to tell you about me?”
I wait to see if he’s going to respond and if he says no because at this point nothing will surprise me. When he nods his head, I tell him, “Well, let’s see—”
Before I can get anything out, he leans forward. “Is it true you’re related to King?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “He’s my brother.”
His eyes light up. “Your brother? You know, I’ve heard that he was hiring an in-house doctor for his company. He wants to offer services for his employees and their families.”
I hate where this conversation is going. I’ve had numerous people befriend me to try and get close to someone in my family. It's either so they can get their car fixed by Dom, they want to date one of the boys, or they want to work for King, and they’re trying to use my relationship with my brothers to get them in. I would never ask any of my family to do something for me as a favor like that. I mean, they would do anything I asked of them, but I would never put them in that position.
I look around the room and notice Gabe coming in the door of the bar. He spots me instantly, and I smirk at him. I’m actually a little surprised it took him an hour to get here. I turn my head back to Roger, wishing this night would end. “Yeah, King is hiring a doctor.”
He smiles like the cat that just caught the canary. “Can you put in a good word for me?”
“Actually, he asked me to work with him on a list of applicants, and he’s already narrowed it down to two doctors.”