Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
She was a sweet girl. Hardworking. She never partied or did anything crazy. In fact, she seemed to love cooking and baking. Every time he was there, she always had something to eat. It wasn’t always good, but he knew she tried her hardest.
He pulled up onto the driveway and slid off his bike. He never wore a helmet, and like every time before he’d gotten off his bike, the front door opened up.
There was Kelley, in a Christmas sweater, arms folded across her chest, and waving at him. She was so damn cute.
“Hey, Kelley,” he said.
“Hey, Crow.”
She stepped out of the way, and he saw a box of Christmas decorations out in the hallway.
“What’s all this?” he asked.
“Oh, that is just for me to start putting them up outside. I went shopping the other day. I got some amazing bargains.” She clapped her hands. “Do you want to see?”
“Another time. I could really use a coffee.”
This always made her smile. He loved beer and good whiskey, but when he was around Kelley, he was more than happy with a hot cup of coffee.
“I’m on it.”
She spun on her heel, and that was when he saw she had already started decorating for Christmas. He’d been told that she spent Thanksgiving alone, which he hated. He’d been an hour’s ride away, but he was determined not to get too close.
Over the last five years, he knew she was making up for stuff she didn’t get with her mother. Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, every celebration she could do, she did. It was sweet and sad at the same time.
He had a feeling Kelley got lonely, but she didn’t like to impose on anyone, and he could understand that.
Her love of Christmas was intense. The Christmas tree was up in the sitting room. Fairy lights were wrapped around parts of the banister, along with tinsel and streamers. Festive cookie tins were everywhere. She was immersed in the Christmas spirit. He loved it. And he was a little ... in awe of her. He had never been one for Christmas.
Following her into the kitchen, he saw that even here, she had decorated. In that moment, he couldn’t help but think she would make one hell of a mom.
The coffeepot was already on, and she pointed to a covered cake tray with brownies on it.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“You perfected them?”
“Yep. I told you I wouldn’t give up, and I didn’t, and look at them.” She let out a little squeal. “Do you want to try one?”
She had come to discover he had a sweet tooth. In fact, Crow had come to discover he had a sweet tooth, which was very much news to him.
“Sure.”
She clapped her hands, and then rushed to serve him some. “Do you want ice cream?”
“Why not?”
She looked so at home and at peace. This is what he loved to see.
She flicked the fridge closed, then moved toward him, serving him a brownie with a dollop of ice cream and a nice, hot coffee.
Before he’d even taken a sip of coffee, he tried the brownie. Now, over the years, he’d tried ones that were still gooey, some that were so hard they nearly shattered his teeth. There were a lot he had gotten through. This one was delicious.
Kelley let out an excited laugh and threw her arms around him. “See, I told you I wouldn’t give up.”
When had Kelley gone from being a teenage girl to a beautiful woman?
Chapter Two
Crow was staying until the New Year. Now, from time to time, he came for a few days and left. This was for a month.
Kelley didn’t know what to do to gain the attention she would like. Crow didn’t know this, but from the moment she had met him, away from all the violence and general chaos, she had fallen for him. At first, it was clearly just infatuation. He’d been her hero and she loved him. Simple as that.
Only, it wasn’t quite as simple as that. It wasn’t simple at all.
She expected to get over her little crush. It hadn’t gone anywhere. No, little by little, the crush had built, and the best times of the year were the ones when Crow was coming to visit. She always tried to play it cool. That was her jam. The truth was, she wanted him so badly. But she didn’t want to just be another in a long line of women.
She was in love with Crow.
He didn’t feel anything for her.
Putting the last of the chocolate chips on the shelf, she looked at the baking section and knew it wouldn’t be long before it was a mess again. She took great pride in her work. The shelves always looked great, and when she could, she’d straighten things out, giving everyone the best shopping experience of their lives. That was what she kept telling herself. Only, she knew it was to distract herself from what she really wanted.