Doughn’t Let Me Go
Page 24
I study her hard, waiting for the moment of recognition to hit…but it never comes.
The woman Foster Marlett is on a date with is not his wife.
I glance back to him, confused as hell and looking for answers, but he’s still grinning at me like there’s nothing wrong.
Okay then.
“He’s been…?” he prompts.
Right. I was talking.
“Preoccupied,” I finally say. “You know Winston and his…well, extracurricular activities.”
“He’ll never settle down.”
“They said that about you too.”
“Yeah, well, look how that turned out,” he says quietly.
I glance at the woman across from him, a million questions rolling around in my head.
Who is she?
What is she doing here?
Where has she been?
Who am I? That’s one secret I’ll—
Okay, fine, this isn’t Gossip Girl, but still.
She’s not the woman Foster married. So, who is she?
Furthermore, is Foster here to stay or just visiting?
And what did she want to add to her order again? Onion rings?
“I didn’t—” Foster starts.
“I think that’s all we’ll need,” the woman says, cutting him off and blinking up at me with a thinly veiled irritated grin.
“Right.” I give her a tightlipped smile, picking up what she’s putting down. “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”
“Do make sure it’s right back,” she adds as I turn.
I gnash my teeth together, working hard to not let anything else accidentally slip out of my mouth tonight, and make my way to the drink station to grab her soda.
“I lied before. Randy is a troll compared to that fine specimen,” Drew says in my ear, sliding up next to me and looking out over at the floor. “Who is that?”
“Crazy. She is crazy. She ordered a salad with no dressing and then added a side of onion rings. Who does that?”
Drew sighs. “Number one, it’s called balance. Number two, we both know I was not talking about the woman, though she is ridiculously gorgeous. Who is that guy? It looked like you know him.”
“Are you even paying attention to your customers when you’re out on the floor? Or are you spying on me the whole time?”
“Yes.”
I narrow my eyes at her non-answer. “Right. Anyway, I do know him. Or I did.”
“Cool, cool, cool. But how? And who is he?”
“He’s…”
I stare back out at Foster, trying to find the words to describe him.
Growing up, he was a pain in my ass. Always there to help Winston tease me. Always there to make me feel like the third wheel. Always there to make all my sleepovers extremely awkward because “Oh my god, I didn’t know the Foster Marlett was gonna be here!”
He was always there.
But after Mom died, it didn’t feel like that anymore. He was my confidant. He became my best friend as much as he was Winston’s.
And suddenly I was glad he was always there.
Until he wasn’t anymore.
Leaving without much warning, he headed to California to be with some girl he’d only just met that summer.
Then it was like he had never been there to begin with.
As if he knows I’m thinking about him, he glances over, sending me a smile I don’t remember being so…charming.
Foster and charming—ha!
More like Foster and annoying, or Foster and please leave me alone before I strangle you.
He’s always played the brother’s best friend role to a T, and that’s all he’s ever been. Just…Foster. I’ve never spent time looking at him before, never noticed his smile. Or his eyes. Or, well, him.
But now? Yeah, I’m definitely noticing him.
And not just because he’s still staring at me.
I give him a small wave and, though it takes a moment, he turns back to his date.
I don’t look away yet.
I can’t.
It’s strange to see him here, especially since I can’t believe he’s the same Foster I’ve known since I was thirteen and covered in zits and horrible makeup.
He never looked like he does now. He didn’t have those arms, that facial hair…or that deep, rumbling voice that makes it sound like he’s reading me one of my beloved audiobooks.
“He’s…what? Hot?” Drew interrupts my thoughts. “Yes, I can see that, Wren, but I want to know more.”
Fine, I’ll give her that much—the Foster sitting before us is hot.
But he’s married and my brother’s best friend who I’ve known way too long, which means even if I did find him attractive beyond his obvious transformation, he’s off-limits.
“He’s Winston’s best friend,” I tell her, pulling my eyes from Foster and his newfound hotness. “And he’s just okay looking. I wouldn’t call him hot.”
Drew smiles like she sees right through me, because she does.
“You’re full of shit. That man is dreamy. I can’t believe Winston has friends who look like that. We are talking about your brother Winston, the man whore, right?”
“The one and only.”
“Good lord,” she murmurs, still staring at him. “I want to lick his stubble.”
“Are you in heat or something? You seem hornier today than usual.”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” She waves me off. “Anyway, tell me more about this ‘best friend’ Winston has. What’s his name? Why haven’t I met him before?”
“His name is Foster and—”
“Foster? His name is Foster?” She nearly explodes. “Even his name is hot!”
I heave a sigh. “Seriously, Drew, you’re wearing me out today.”
“I’m sorry.” She chews on her bottom lip, looking worried for a moment before waving her hand through the air. “Okay, not really. How dare you hide him from me!”
“He hasn’t lived here for years. He’s been in California.”
She lets out a low whistle. “California has done him good.”
My eyes drift back Foster’s way.
They slide over his tan skin, the biceps begging to be let free from his sleeves. The new tattoo covering his forearm. The stubble Drew wants to lick.
She’s right—California has done him good, which makes me wonder why he’s back in town after being gone so long, after leaving me with a hole the size of the fucking moon inside my heart. He was my best friend and he left me. Never really said goodbye either.
What the hell is Foster doing here? And why is he sitting in the middle of my father’s restaurant with a woman who definitely isn’t his wife?
Other titles by Teagan Hunter:
A Pizza My Heart
I Knead You Tonight
Doughn’t Let Me Go
Let’s Get Textual
I Wanna Text You Up
Can’t Text This
Text Me Baby One More Time
We Are the Stars
If You Say So
Here’s to Tomorrow
Here’s to Yesterday
Here’s to Forever: A Novella
Here’s to Now
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Acknowledgments
This book feels like a massive milestone. It’s book fifteen in five years.
That’s nuts to me.
If you would have told me five years ago I’d be doing this full-time, writing until my fingers ache and listening to strange voices inside my head, I’d have laughed right in your face.
But here I am, living my dream.
And it’s all because of you.
So, thank you.
If you’re a new reader, I appreciate you giving me a chance. Even if
you didn’t end up liking Doughn’t Let Me Go, thanks for reading. Just giving me the opportunity to try and make you laugh is a big feat considering I never thought I’d be here.
If you’ve been around for the last few books, then thank you for the continued support and allowing me to keep making you laugh.
And if you’ve been with me since the release of Here’s to Tomorrow in 2015… Wow. We’ve come a long way, huh? I wish I could hug you and thank you for sticking with me (especially in the beginning) and for always being there, letting me introduce you to new characters over and over again. It truly means so much more than I could ever tell you.
Can’t wait to see what the future brings! Here’s to the next chapter!
With love and unwavering gratitude,
Teagan
About the Author
TEAGAN HUNTER is a Missouri-raised gal, but currently lives in South Carolina with her Marine veteran husband, where she spends her days begging him for a cat. She survives off coffee, pizza, and sarcasm. When she’s not writing, you can find her binge-watching various TV shows, especially Supernatural and One Tree Hill. She enjoys cold weather, buys more paperbacks than she’ll ever read, and never says no to brownies.
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teaganhunterwrites@gmail.com