Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 67138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
“Leo,” Ettie admonishes.
“You’re right, Sunshine,” Leo agrees. You would think the bastard would be contrite, but no such luck. He looks up at me and grins. “That was date one hundred and fifty-seven.”
“Leo!”
“What?” he says, laughing. I don’t say shit because this is really date one hundred and eighty-seven. All those women and not a one of them so much as fired a spark inside of me. It’s depressing enough that I just want to wallow in my sadness and accept my fate that I will live the remaining days of my life like a damn eunuch.
“You’re having so much fun enjoying Stark’s failures that I think I have a headache tonight.”
“Ettie—”
“A permanent headache. I’ll probably have it until Stark finds his mate.”
“You don’t mean that, Sunshine.”
“But I do,” she says, nodding her head yes.
“It’s no use, Ettie. You and Leo might have a special connection but there’s no way I’m going to have that. It’s just like you said. This whole dating thing has been a failure.”
“Oh, stop. I didn’t mean failure like that.”
“There’s only one way you can mean failure, Sunshine,” Leo responds, making me sigh.
“I meant failure as in it just hasn’t happened yet, Stark. It will. You’ve got to keep the faith.”
“I don’t think it’s going to happen. Leo is right. If it hasn’t after all this time, it’s just not in the cards. All the women I’ve met have been extremely nice and there’s just been nothing between us…”
“I didn’t realize you were a quitter. Maybe instead of Stark, you should have picked a different name,” Ettie mutters.
“Like what?”
“Eeyore,” she says, sliding off Leo’s lap.
“Hey, where are you going?” Leo growls, clearly not happy that she’s moving.
“What kind of name is Eeyore?” I ask her, ignoring Leo.
“It’s perfect for a quitter. Though, it’s a tossup as to which of you two are acting like the donkey’s butt.”
She walks away, leaving Leo and I are left staring at each other.
“What is she talking about?”
“Hell, if I know,” he responds, “But, you have to admit she’s got a cute ass when she walks away.”
“I don’t—”
“On second thought, never look at Ettie’s ass. I kind of like you and I’d hate to have to kill you.”
“You are completely insane. Although, I’m sure you already know that.”
“Whatever. Have you spoken to Oracle lately?”
“Has anyone talked to Oracle? He barely comes out of the dungeon anymore,” I mumble.
“That’s true. I’m worried about him. Ettie said he’s been carrying on conversations with himself more and more lately, too.”
“Do you think he’s going crazy? Well, you know, more than he already is?”
“I hope not. We need everyone we can gather if Scar makes another appearance.”
“Do you think he’s close? I figure he is as far from here as he can get.”
“Maybe, but I’ve got a very bad feeling that we haven’t seen the last of him.”
“Well, aren’t you just a bowl full of jelly, today.”
“What does that mean?” Leo asks, staring at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“You know, like Santa? His belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly when he’s happy and laughs.”
“Sometimes, Stark, I worry about you.”
“I worry about myself, too,” I admit.
“Are you truly giving up on this dating thing?”
“I don’t know. It sure seems hopeless.”
“You should try at least once more. What have you got to lose?” Leo asks, and I narrow my eyes at him.
“Are you just encouraging me so that you can continue to give me shit?”
The bastard just smirks and leaves the room—no doubt he’s going to go find Ettie and prove to her that she can’t tell him no.
Lucky bastard.
3
GRACE
I’ve been on edge all day. My anxiety just gets stronger as the hours pass. It doesn’t help that I worked the morning shift, and because one of the waitresses called in sick, my boss made me work overtime. I got here at seven this morning and it’s now eight at night. My legs are killing me, and my feet hate me—all while having a headache that makes it feel like my eyes are going to explode. I want nothing more than to go home and crash. I’m even going to try and zonk myself out so I can sleep. Right now, getting trapped inside of a nightmare with Fang Boy is preferable to being here with a headache. I close my eyes and look up at the ceiling, rubbing the back of my neck, in hopes of easing the tension causing the headache. It’s a hopeless cause, but I’m desperate. Life has never been simple, but for some reason, it feels as if it’s getting harder every damn year. Tomorrow is New Years and I know it’s horrible, but I’m dreading it. I don’t know when I became the person who’s afraid of what tomorrow is going to bring, but that’s definitely the only way to describe me. I hate who I’ve turned into, but there’s nothing I can do to change it.