Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Let’s try this again,” Zack says smoothly, shoving his hands in his pockets and giving her a devastating smile. “Hey, Indie, you’re fucking beautiful. I sure am sorry about your grandparents. They were the best. How’s business?”
Indie laughs and brushes her hands down the front of her black apron with the Sundae’s logo on the chest.
“Business is great. I own the shop now, but not much has changed around here. Do you want your usual?”
“You remember my usual?”
Indie taps her temple and winks at him. “I remember everything. Tuck, do you want your usual too?”
“Yes, please.” I laugh at my friend, who’s watching the pretty brunette as if she’s the most amazing thing he’s ever laid eyes on. “She’s fifteen years younger than you,” I mutter so only he can hear me.
“Fuck off,” he mutters back.
Less than five minutes later, we’re sitting at a table in the empty ice cream shop, and he’s barely taken his eyes off Indigo.
“Do you want me to leave you alone with her?”
“Yes. Go away.”
I snort and scoop up some espresso ice cream. “So, what’s happened that brought you home for a whole week? You don’t usually spend that much time here. You must have really fucked up.”
He blows out a breath and scoops up his huckleberry ice cream with sprinkles, takes a bite, and then spins his cup in a circle on the table.
“I didn’t fuck up. I’m just tired, man.”
“Don’t tell me you’re over being famous. Because that would be a lie.”
He doesn’t meet my gaze for a minute, and then he shrugs one shoulder and takes another bite.
“I’m between projects, and I wanted to slow down for a week. LA is sucking the life out of me, one sunny day at a time.”
“You could move home. Base out of here.”
He nods. “I’m thinking about it. Maybe. After this next movie, I’m taking a year off.”
My eyebrows climb into my hairline. “No shit?”
“No shit. My agent’s pissed, but creatively, I need a break. I have to keep my body in shape for the costume for this film, and it’s fucking rigorous. If I have to eat another chicken breast, five goddamn times a day, I might kill myself. If my trainer knew I was eating this ice cream, he’d rip me a new one.”
“Yeah. Being the coolest superhero ever invented must be really tough. I feel so sorry for you.” My voice is monotone, my face sober, and Zack flips me off. “Not to mention the women who fling themselves at you. Weren’t you with a lingerie model at the last fancy thing you went to?”
“Yes, and that’s not the point.”
I snort and finish my ice cream, then toss the cup away. “I know you work your ass off. What you do isn’t easy. Take the year. Hell, you could retire. You don’t have to work another day in your life. Your grandchildren don’t have to work if they don’t want to.”
“It’s not really about the money anymore,” he admits.
“Filthy rich people can say that,” I reply.
“You just keep reminding me how much I missed you,” he says.
“Okay, I’ll stop giving you shit. What’s it about then?”
“I enjoy the work. I always have. But Hollywood is a shit show. I’m thinking about taking a step back. I’ve always been private, but I need to kick that up several notches. My publicity team is scrambling because I’ve already shaken things up, and they’re putting pressure on me to rethink everything. But the thing is, I don’t care if I’m making their lives harder. Things will calm down.”
“What do you need from me?”
He smiles softly. “You know, after more than fifteen years in the business, you’re still the only true friend I have? You, your family, this town are what’s real. I don’t need anything more than that.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I check the time. “Except home. I have a new vet intern coming today. They’ll be staying at the ranch for the next year or so, working under a local vet.”
“I don’t remember you doing that before.”
“Because I haven’t.” I shrug as we stand from the table, and I give Indie a wave.
“Have a wonderful day, gorgeous,” Zack says to her, making her roll her eyes. “I’d like to spank her perfect ass for that.”
The last sentence is muttered, but I snort.
“Please don’t break any hearts while you’re in town.”
“Impossible. So, this is your first intern?”
“Yeah. Trent Fisher, a large-animal vet I’ve worked with quite often, is mentoring her and asked if she could work on my ranch. I can use the help, so I thought I’d give it a try.”
“Good luck with that. You don’t exactly love having strangers around. I’m gonna go see your dad.”
My dad was more of a parent to Zack than his own was. Of course, my dad has a habit of bringing lost people into our fold. It’s his way. And I love him for it.