Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
“Oh God. I need air.” I brush past both men and rush from the room, ignoring Lucas calling my name.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Lucas
“Shit.” I run a hand through my hair, torn between rushing after Rainey and dealing with her pissed-off brother.
“That’s one way of putting it,” Hudson says, a scowl on his face.
Of all the ways for my relationship with Rainey to come out, getting caught lip-locked in the Thunder storage room never crossed my mind. Hudson stands glaring at me, and I meet his gaze head-on. The twins are twenty-six to my twenty-nine but they’re solid, muscular, and protective as hell over Rainey. The same as her father and Jack.
“Look, I know you’re pissed and I know better than to tell you not to mention this to Jack. Just know it’s not a fling. Not for me.” Those are the only words I’m giving him. “Now, I need to go find your sister. And, by the way, I’ll be back to pick up the items she wants for the party.”
I push past her brother and rush out the door, going back the way I came, knowing I have to find Rainey. Stepping into the muggy sunshine, I see her getting into her car, and I jog to catch her before she drives away.
“Rainey!” I call as I stop by her side of the vehicle and knock on the window.
She pulls it down instead of opening the door and getting out of the vehicle. Her eyes are red-rimmed, her skin is pale, and it breaks my heart to see her so upset.
“I promise you, we’ll work this out,” I say, and I’m determined to do just that.
She shakes her head. “I thought we could tell Jack about us together. On our time. Now things are going to blow up before the anniversary party and with everything else going wrong, it’s the last thing I have time to deal with.”
“Get out of the car. I want to talk to you.” I grab the handle and with a sigh, she clicks the unlock button. I open her door and extend a hand. She places hers in mine and I pull her from the vehicle, directly into my arms.
I wrap my hands around her waist and keep her against me. “Did I just hear you say you thought we could tell Jack about us together? As in, you weren’t going to walk away when the anniversary events are over?”
She blows out a long breath. “I didn’t think about it, exactly. I just knew it was going to be hard, if not impossible to… separate when things were over. And I knew Jack’s return would speed things up. I just didn’t know he’d be home so fast.”
I have to laugh. “He’s been gone for a while. He had to return sometime.”
“I know.” She presses her palms to her eyes. “But it’s too soon.”
I grasp her wrists and lower her hands so I can see her face. “Maybe it’s exactly the right time. I can deal with your brother, Rainey. I can even face your parents.”
She wrinkles her nose, confusion on her face. “What do my parents have to do with anything?”
“We need to talk, but I don’t want to do it here. Are you in the mood to hit up the food truck again?” Hopefully we can find a bench to sit on while I explain my concerns about her family, what they really think of me and how it could impact us.
“But what about the boxes from the storage room? I wasn’t thinking straight when I was going to drive away without them,” she says.
“How about this: you said the ones you want have sticky notes on them, right?”
She nods.
“I’ll load them up and bring them to your office. Then we can go eat and talk.”
She throws her arms around my neck and hugs me tight. “Thank you!”
I know how much her family means to her, and I have no idea what she’ll do if her father and brothers really don’t approve of our relationship. But she deserves to know what’s on my mind and think things through before she has to face them.
A couple of hours later, the merchandise is loaded in the back room of her office. I put the last box down and turn to see her lining the empty goodie bags on the long tables set up along the wall by the new window in the back.
As if sensing my gaze, she turns. “Lucas?”
“Yes?”
“I was thinking. Maybe we can order in food and fill goodie bags while we talk? Kaylee texted me that her sister was in a minor car accident but she’s at the hospital with her. And I have a feeling she’ll need to watch her niece, at least for tonight. I need to do these bags alone so…”
I walk over and brush my knuckles over her cheek. “You already know, if you need me, I’m here. I just need to let Tristan know I’ll be in late tonight.”