Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Damn it.
Chapter 31
Daphne
I’m just finishing up making a batch of gingerbread for Crank to take with him to the clubhouse. Cammie is in her room playing on her Leapfrog tablet, so I was feeling a little lonely. Baking always helps me get out of my head. Honestly, Cammie may be asleep. She helped me and Crank water all my flowers outside, then played on her swing set. Crank even put her in her wagon and pulled her all around the yard. She’s had a great day. The only thing that would have made it better is if Eli was here with us.
The doorbell rings as I take the pan out of the oven. Crank comes in. I frown. “I can get it,” I tell him, taking off the oven mitts I have on.
“Until we know what’s going on with the club, it’d be better if I do.”
I stare at Crank and barely stop myself from rolling my eyes, but just shrug and turn back to my gingerbread pieces. They’re going to be perfect. Gingerbread can be tricky because you don’t want the outside nor the inside to be dry. It’s a delicate balance.
“Who in the hell are you?” I hear Dane’s voice snap. If you had asked me a little over a year ago, I would have told you that despite everything he’s done to me, I couldn’t hate him. This last year however has been an eyeopener. I don’t know how I ever cared for him at all.
“Who the fuck are you?” Crank growls and I can tell he intimidates Dane because he takes a step back. Dane goes to the gym, so he’s in good shape—something he held against me because I could never lose all of the baby weight from Cammie. I can’t count the number of times he referred to me as fat and letting myself go. I pull myself back into the here and now when I hear Dane’s reply.
“I’m Daphne’s husband. Now, what are you doing in my home?”
I look at Dane, thinking the man must have lost his ever-loving mind. “You aren’t—”
“That’s funny, because I’m here because Skittles’ old man wanted someone watching over her because he had to go out of town. Now I’ve seen them two together and I don’t see Daphne wanting someone like you at all. You’re not man enough.”
I have to fight to hold my laughter. The look on Dane’s face is one I haven’t really seen before. I hate that I can’t fully enjoy it. “Dane is my soon-to-be ex-husband. He’s the one that knocked up my ex-best friend, then informed me I was boring, lazy, fat, didn’t care about my appearance, and not the type of woman a man like him should be seen with because he needs a woman of refinement and taste,” I explain, listing every complaint he had about me the day he told me he wanted a divorce. I do it counting them off on my fingers, while smiling with great glee at Crank. Once his words nearly destroyed me, but if Eli looks at me and sees value, if he loves me, then I don’t give a shit what Dane thinks about me. He never deserved me anyhow.
“You’re shitting me. Is she like a Playboy centerfold?” Crank asks.
I scoff. “Hardly. Hang on. I get my phone out, open the Facebook app, and then search for Serena’s profile. Here you go,” I murmur, handing my phone to him.
“Damn man, has she put you in the poor house with all the work done on her face and tits?”
“She doesn’t have work done,” he denies at once. “Really, Daphne, is this the kind of trash you hang out with these days?”
“Sorry, Dane. You know how us little people are. All I was ever good for was to put you through law school and wait on your ass while apparently you were fucking around me with my ex best friend.”
“So bitter. You really should work on yourself more.”
“Hey man, let me ask you something. If your new chick falls out of bed, does she bounce up to the ceiling?”
“Oh my God, Crank,” I laugh, picturing that in my mind.
“What? he asks, clearly having a lot of fun taunting Dane. “It’s a real question. Those tits are bigger than a basketball.”
“What do you do? Own strip joints?”
“I’m a lawyer and I’m preparing for a run as Circuit Court Judge. You should watch how you speak to me or anything about my fiancée. I’m not a man you want an enemy of.”
“I’m just asking legitimate questions. This chick could impress people connected with a strip joint.”
“She’s not a fucking stripper!” Dane growls. I know I should stop this, but honestly, I’m enjoying it way too much.
“Oh! I know! A female wrestler. She’d make a hell of a lot more money if you entered her into those fights where water and Jello are used. You could let the crowd vote on what shakes harder when she jumps, her tits or the Jello. I bet people from the crowd would pay extra to lick the Jello off her—”