Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Well,” she says, turning once at the bottom of the stairs. “Worth the wait?”
“Get in the truck before I change the plan to staying home.”
She laughs and grabs her coat, and Paige hollers from the couch that we look like we’re going to prom and to have her home by eleven.
I take her to a place a few towns over, on purpose. Not the flashy spot downtown where everyone knows us and will want to talk about town politics, the show, or the new menu items introduced at the café this week. I take her to a quieter place, with velvet cushioning in the booths, where the only light comes from the dim lamp on our table, and where there’s a guy on an upright, playing the strings like, he’s making love to them. This is the type of place where no one will ask for a selfie, or post online that Liam Page is out on the town.
Mira, my longtime manager, told me about this place, and spoke very highly about their no cell phone policy in the restaurant. That was most of the reason I picked it. I wanted to be able to take my wife on a date and not have it broadcasted to a million people. Especially JD because he’d hit up my phone about wearing a condom and reminding me to treat my “date” to a nice dinner before I bang the fuck out of her.
The other reason is the look on Josie’s face when she walks in and sees it for what it is, a place nobody’s going to bug us. She squeezes my arm and doesn’t say anything.
We order too much. We always do. She steals off my plate even though hers isn’t empty. She’s done this as far back to when we were teens. What she doesn’t know is I’d starve before I told her no. Josie’s the only one though. No one else can touch my food.
We talk about nothing, which is the whole point. Not the kids. Not the babies, not the shop, not the show. Her. Me. The trip to the coast we keep saying we need to take since Harrison and Katelyn haven’t been out in a while. I know it’s killing them, not being with Peyton and the babies, even though Elle and Ben travel between here and California. They also love the beach, and I know it’s hard to give up. Harrison surfs every morning and has been teaching Oliver. I imagine he has Jett and Sonny in the water already. The only water Beaumont has to offer is a lake. It’s a nice lake. It’s just not the same.
“We should do this more,” she says, around a bite of my steak. I know this isn’t a jab at me not being home. Even when I’m on tour, and she’s with me, our nights are on a tour bus, in cramped quarters. We’re with our friends though, making memories and those have been just as important in our lives. Now that I’m home, there’s no reason we aren’t doing this.
“That’s the idea. I’m told it’s a ritual now.”
“Says who.”
“Says me. I’m establishing it. Tonight. Us, a table, no one allowed to bother us on date night. I really like this place, no phones. Paige and Noah know where we are in case of emergency, that’s enough.” I top off her wine. “I’ll make a standing reservation.”
“And if they’re booked?”
Why is she always testing me?
“I’ll have to make friends with the owner.” I shrug and top off my glass.
“Or buy the restaurant.” Her eyebrow rises, another test.
“Don’t tempt me.” I set the bottle down. “I think we have enough projects going on right now.”
She nods and takes a sip of her wine. “Thankfully, we have a good project manager to oversee everything. You just write the check.”
“Easy peasy.” I hold my glass up and wait for her to do the same. “To us and a new routine that benefits us.” The glasses clink and we drink.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?”
“Why would I need to do that?”
Josie lifts one shoulder. “To take advantage of me in your truck.”
The way she says it goes right to my dick. I adjust as discreetly as possible and clear my throat. I’m visibly uncomfortable. That gets me her real smile.
Josie’s hand moves slowly across the table until her fingers are playing with mine. “We own the land the water tower is on.”
“This is true.”
“And it’s been a really long time since I rode you in your truck.”
Heat spreads everywhere. With my free hand, I tug at my collar and adjust the top button. “Jojo.” My voice carries a hint of warning.
“Rockstar.”
I chuckle and lean forward, hiding the bulge in my trousers. “You know, all you have to do is ask. I’ll give you whatever you want.”