Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Brenda looks at her husband, and Rick’s eyes widen, so I continue, “Zach asked me to check in on them, but if that makes you uncomfortable—”
Rick stops me again. “I’m sure Abby will not be happy that her big brother thinks she needs looking out for, but yeah, son. We’re fine with you being around both Abby and Alexis. We know you, Davis. Maybe better than you know yourself. You would never hurt them.”
I nod my head because he is right about that. I would never hurt them. Brenda gets up, and I stand. She’s practically on her tiptoes to put her hand to my cheek. “Well, I’m glad that one of my boys is home. Now we need to get the other one here, and the family will be all back together again.” I don’t know what to say to her. I know she wants Zach home, but unless he’s changed his mind, he’s always talked about staying in.
“I need to start dinner. The girls will be here in a little while, and I promised to make fried chicken.”
“That’s my favorite.”
She laughs. “I know it’s your favorite. It’s Alexis’ too.”
Before she can walk away, I ask, “Abby said something about mowing the grass. You think I could do that before she gets here?”
“Aww now, I can cut our grass. If someone hadn’t hidden the key, it would’ve been done already.”
Brenda takes the key out of her pocket and hands it to me. “Thanks, Davis. Afterwards, if you can put it on the trailer, that would be great. Abby’s going to take it and cut hers. Her lawn mower’s in the shop being serviced.”
“Absolutely,” I tell her. When she walks away, I turn to Rick. “If you really don’t want me to cut it, I won’t. But I was actually looking forward to it. It reminds me of when Zach and I would do it when we were here. I miss doing things like this.”
He sees right through me but shrugs his shoulders. “Go ahead. Thank you, Davis.”
I grip the key in my hand. “No problem. I’m happy to do it.”
I make my way to the garage, ignoring the pain in my leg where the prosthetic digs into my skin. With my hands on my hips, I take in deep breaths, relieved that I told them and they didn’t run me off. Now I just have to make sure I don’t fuck this up.
CHAPTER 5
ABBY
When we pull into my parents’ house and see Davis on my dad’s lawn mower, I try not to stare. I really do. But how could I not? I was not prepared for shirtless Davis. It’s been record high temperatures this past week, and I literally want to sit in my cold air-conditioned car just to cool myself down. Davis is built like no other man I’ve ever seen. He’s a big guy, really big, in fact, and the way his muscles flex as he turns to wave at us has me swallowing hard.
When I get out of the car, all I can do is wave at him and hustle Alexis up the walkway and inside. Luckily, she’s not asking a thousand questions because I already told her he’d be here today, so it’s no surprise. The cold air hits me, but it’s not enough. “Are you thirsty? I am. Let’s get a glass of lemonade.”
“Yummy! Lemonade,” Alexis yells as she bounds to the kitchen. Thank goodness she has no idea what her mother is thinking right now. I try to pull myself together, but I’m fanning myself as I walk into the kitchen. My mom looks up as she finishes pouring Alexis a glass and smirks at me. “That Tennessee heat is a little hotter today, huh?”
“Scorching,” I answer her as I take the glass.
I look out the window, and my dad is sitting on the back porch. “How’s Dad doing?”
Mom laughs. “He’s been following poor Davis around since he got here. We were both happy to see him today.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask, but I don’t have to because my mom says, “He told us… about the last two years. It makes me feel worse that we didn’t force him to see us, but we can hopefully make it up to him now.”
“I don’t think he expects...”
She interrupts me. “Oh, I know he doesn’t. He doesn’t want anything from us, but maybe he should start. Your dad and I tried to explain to him that he’s like family to us. We need to start acting like it.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, well, you’re off to a good start. I mean, you already have him doing chores.”
She laughs, and before I can stop, I’m laughing too. It doesn’t take long until we’re both laughing so hard Alexis is asking us what’s so funny.