Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
“That was a great sendoff, wasn’t it?” Kingston was saying. “Good food. Good music. Little August making two memorial videos and having a live feed for friends who couldn’t be there. I’d say she could have followed her mom into the business, but after hearing that eulogy she wrote, I think she made the right career choice. I’ve never been that inspired to do more with my life while wanting to cut my heart out at the same time.”
“Same here.”
“I wish I’d said yes more often.”
That was the line that stuck with me most, though everything about her speech had been unforgettable. So had the backyard, which August and Morgan had transformed for the occasion. The crowded tables surrounding the pool, each covered in turquoise linen and topped with a glass bowl filled with sand, seashells and white candles. The shining memorial cards fluttering on colorful ribbons in trees glowing with fairy lights. The stories. The laughter. The way Morgan and August ended up floating fully dressed in the pool at the end of the night, arms wrapped around each other as they listened to Sam’s favorite songs.
I’d sat there all evening. Watching, listening and grieving. And wondering if there was anything in particular August was wishing she’d said yes to.
“Now even with all that,” Kingston went on. “it’s still not finished yet. If I had to deal with that with my folks? That staggered grieving? Waiting that long for closure? It would fuck with my head. I’m not sure how Morgan’s done it.”
“Yeah.” I was more than ready to change the heavy topic to something less depressing. “So, what did you really want to talk about?”
“A man can’t bring breakfast to his friend without hidden motivations?”
“Sure. It makes perfect sense that you were dying to eat fast food behind my garage during the hottest month of the year.”
Kingston dropped his coy act and leaned in, his brown eyes lasering into me. “Okay, fine. I want to know why you haven’t jumped at my offer yet. You’ve been on your sister’s couch bed for a week and I’m sure Bernie’s driving you insane. Why wouldn’t you want to stay in my guest room until you find a new place? It’s giving me a complex. Plus, my townhouse is surrounded by great views, if you know what I mean. There’s a pair of single ladies I’ve already got my eye on with you in mind.”
Sighing, I polished off my sandwich and wadded up the wrapper before stuffing it into the bag. I should have known he wouldn’t be satisfied with an “I’ll think about it.”
Oscar came around the other side of the building with a biscuit in hand, headed for the shed where our new mascot had taken up residence a few days ago. The red-coated Lab was shy, though obviously not starving, and the other mechanics had taken a liking to her, so I’d let her stay for now. Though we should get a vet out to see if she was chipped and healthy.
“I appreciate the offer,” I finally said, “but I have a feeling I’d cramp your style. I’m older and set in my ways now. And since Phoebe’s taking time off for the next month, I’m left doing all the paperwork for the garage, the yoga studio and the icehouse. Not to mention trying to cover her shifts and looking for a temporary manager at the place. I don’t have the extra energy for anything but sleep lately. I’m not good wingman material anymore.”
“You’re the one that needs a wingman,” Kingston said matter-of-factly. “I do fine on my own, even as a boring college professor. I can’t believe I left all those black-tie affairs and red carpets behind to hang out with you, my oldest friend with no sex life who’s refusing my offer of free room and board.”
“You didn’t come back for me, but if it makes you feel any better, I turned Morgan down too. She’s in another country, and I still said no.”
Mostly because I hadn’t wanted to deal with her dogs. Tilly and Angus shed on everything, barked at nothing and liked to poke people in inappropriate places with their invasively long snouts. Every time I thought about getting a dog to go with the new house I was searching for, memories of those two expensively bred furballs made me hesitate.
I glanced over at the Lab again. She was quiet and sweet. That could work.
August had a quiet dog too. He wasn’t sweet, but he liked me. It was more than I could say for his current caretaker, though that was my fault because of the way I’d treated her when she first came back to town.
“So, it’s not only me you’re rejecting,” Kingston said in a speculative tone. “You’re just a picky old bastard who deserves your sister’s sleeper sofa?”