Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
In truth, Brooks and Xavier did spend a lot of time conveniently missing throughout the day, but they at least had an obvious excuse. The men were over the top in love and like Jules and me, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. However, since they’d gone public with their relationship, no one questioned their prolonged absences.
I envied them for that. Not just their bravery in confronting a town full of people who saw only two men sinning, not two people in love and as deeply committed to each other, if not more so, as a lot of straight couples. Curtis’s announcement about his marriage to his beloved Del had tongues wagging too, but Curtis didn’t give a shit what other people thought. Jules and I would be facing the same reactions when it was time for us to announce our own relationship.
The man striding toward me may have survived prison and looked scary as hell even when he wasn’t angry, but I wasn’t afraid to stand my ground. I wasn’t about to out my relationship with Jules solely for the purpose of saving myself from a pounding. My only hope was that the man wouldn’t fire me on the spot because that would complicate things for me and Jules.
“Hey,” I began even before Xavier reached me. “I hope you don’t mind, but I borrowed your truck and trailer to go pick up this beauty early this morning. I’ll pay you for the gas—”
“I don’t give a shit about gas money,” Xavier snapped. “I want to know what the fuck you did to upset Jules because when my guy’s best friend is upset, my guy is even more upset.”
“Wait. What?” I asked in confusion. Had Jules told Brooks about us and Brooks told Xavier? If he had, then why was Xavier pissed? Why would Brooks be upset? Hadn’t Jules explained what he and I meant to each other?
“Look, Xavier, I don’t know what Jules told you… or Brooks, for that matter, but I swear to God, the last thing I’d ever do is hurt him. Yeah, we got off to a rocky start, but we figured some stuff out and I like to think that we’re at least… friends now.”
The word “friends” had gotten stuck in my throat, but since I didn’t know how much Xavier knew, I had to be careful about what I said when it came to my relationship with Jules. “If I’ve upset him, I’ll apologize. I’ll apologize to Brooks too if that’s what it takes, but I promise you, I’d never hurt Jules. In any way.”
Xavier didn’t say anything. I felt like the man was a human lie detector and I was his subject. Since everything I’d said was true, I stood there and kept my eyes on Xavier the whole time.
When his body relaxed, I carefully expelled a breath. “Look, I know I’m behind on my work, but—”
“You really have no idea, do you?” Xavier said softly.
I shook my head. “Idea about what?”
“Fuck,” he muttered. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. My gut began to churn as Xavier went from a rampaging bull to a docile lamb.
“What?” I asked as the dread began to enter my bloodstream. “Tell me, damn it. Is he hurt?” I practically yelled. I didn’t give him time to answer. Instead, I practically threw the mare’s lead rope at Xavier and hurried toward the house.
“He’s not in there!” Xavier called.
I came to an abrupt stop. “You’re lying,” I responded and began walking again, albeit much slower this time around.
“I wish to God that I was.”
My brain refused to accept Xavier’s words, but when Brooks opened the screen door that led into the house, I instantly knew. Brooks had his arms crossed, and his eyes were puffy and red like he’d been crying. I quickly scanned my surroundings and noticed for the first time that the Range Rover was gone. Had it been there when I’d left in the early morning hours so I could go pick up the mare?
“What’s going on?” I demanded, no longer caring about keeping up with any kind of ruse. To Brooks, I said, “Where is he?”
Brooks just shook his head slowly.
I spun around. “Where the fuck is he?” I snarled as I strode back to Xavier. “If you’re keeping him from me—”
“We’re not, Flynn,” Xavier said gently.
His look of regret was like acid eating away at my insides. “No,” I said adamantly. “No, he wouldn’t do this to me.”
My faith in Jules overrode logic. I practically ran back to the house. “Jules!” I called as soon as I reached the porch. I didn’t care who the fuck heard me. I had only one objective.
Brooks moved aside when I reached the screen door. More acid ate away at me. If the man wasn’t trying to stop me from entering the house then what did that mean?