Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“The storm ain’t a joke,” I said, popping a squat on one of the barstools, front and center.
“Imagine trying to land a plane in this,” Tris said as he sat down next to me. “We just flew back in a little while ago. Pilot must have been shitting himself.”
“Good God. Even I would have been shitting myself if I had to be on a plane in this storm,” Sam said. “Glad you landed safe.”
“I may or may not have seen my life flashing before my eyes,” I admitted. “You know, once or twice or maybe about a dozen times.”
“Well, you picked a good place to wait it out,” Red said. “What can we get for you two?”
“Shot of whiskey and a beer chaser for me, give me whatever you’ve got on tap that’s good,” I said.
“I’ll do the same,” Tris said.
“Copycat,” I told him.
“I’m going to be tasting it on your tongue anyway,” Tris said, lifting an eyebrow. “May as well get the same drink.”
“Ooo-wee!” Sam shouted, his eyes going wide as saucers. “Excuse me? Hello? 911 Operator, I think I’m going into shock—Tristan, did you just say what I think you said?”
I tried to hide the smile that was creeping onto my lips, tucking my head down and looking at the bar top. But it was no use. Tris was already reaching over the bar, high-fiving Sam.
“Seems like you two had a particularly good trip to Colorado,” Red said. “The mountain photos looked beautiful, too.”
“Fuck the mountain photos,” Sam said. “Sounds to me like you guys got into a lot more fun than just hiking.”
Just then the bar phone rang and Sam answered, getting into a discussion with someone who was planning a bachelor party here at the tavern in a couple of weeks. I felt some combination of pride and bashfulness all at once, knowing that Tristan was clearly in the mood to be bold tonight.
It was one of the things I’d always loved most about him, though.
As we sat at the bar, I drank more and more while Tristan switched over to the non-alcoholic lime and mint soda that Liam was having. Tristan was already looking out for me, knowing that I wanted to unwind after the chaotic flight and offering to be the designated driver for tonight.
With every beer I had, I was less and less able to stop myself from feeling what had been pressing inside me all night. He’d told me he was falling in love with me. It seemed unreal. How could it be real?
And why the hell did he have to say it right before he was moving to another state?
But the blurrier my world got, the more I focused on him. Even just watching Tris talk and laugh with Red, Sam, Liam, and Perry was comforting for me. I could remember when Tris had just moved to town, and it seemed like he had something to prove to everyone he spoke with. Hell, at the time, he had something to prove even to himself. He wanted to prove that he wasn’t a fuck-up—to show people how fun or kind or knowledgeable he was.
There was none of that now. Tristan Wood was fully himself, comfortable in his skin and a goddamn natural at making conversation. At one point, Liam challenged Tris to a quick game of pool, and I watched them play on the other side of the room while I lounged at the bar, idly talking to Sam.
“He was saucy earlier,” Sam said to me, his voice low and full of mischief. “You two really did have some fun in Colorado, didn’t you?”
“Too much fun,” I said.
“No such thing.”
“I think Tristan would agree with you.”
Sam waggled his eyebrows. “So Jack Damien cracked a straight guy, huh?”
“I don’t know about that,” I said, shifting on my seat. Across the room, Tristan had just sent a billiards ball across the pool table with a clean thwack, and I couldn’t stop watching how good his ass looked as he bent over to form his shots.
“It’s good that you’re having a little fun with your friend before he moves,” Sam said.
I paused, racking my brain for what I could even say. “Have you ever taken a huge risk before?”
“Honey, my whole life has been nothing but risk-taking,” Sam said.
I snorted. “My whole life has been avoiding risk-taking.”
“And how’s that worked out for you?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Pretty good. My contracting business is successful. I like my life. I’m not going hungry.”
“But how about your love life?”
“It’s been… fine.”
“Gee, that’s what everyone longs for, right?” Sam said sarcastically. “A love life that’s just fine? Tepid? Average?”
“Okay, sure, my love life has been a little lackluster,” I said.
Sam looked from me to Tris and then back again. “Well I’d say, if someone treated me as good as Tristan treats you, I’d go for it. No matter how much of a risk it might be.”