Page 1 of Charlie Beck Says I'm His

Chapter One

Missy

“You’re coming.”

I pressed the phone against my shoulder to keep it to my ear and tossed a treat to Bandit. “No, I’m actually not, Shelby. I have things I need to do today.” I placed the lid to the treat jar back on and shuffled into the living room.

“Like what?” Shelby demanded. “I know you’re not working today.”

“So if I’m not working, that means I have all the time in the universe?”

“World,” Shelby laughed. “You have all the time in the world if you’re not working.”

“Wrong,” I drawled. “I have things I need to do today and can’t come to the reopening of Chicken Biscuit.”

“Is it because of Charlie?” Shelby asked softly.

“Who?” I laughed. I flopped on the couch and kicked my feet up on the ottoman. “I don’t know who you are talking about.”

“Charlie Beck, Missy. The guy who you were hooking up with, and then you guys broke up, and it broke your heart, but you didn’t tell him it hurt because why would you tell anyone what you’re actually feeling, right?”

“Oh, him,” I muttered. “I haven’t seen him in months, Shelby. That is all water under the bridge. He’s busy building his chicken empire, and I’m,” I looked around my small apartment, “living the good life with Bandit.” More like surviving and growing a tiny human in my stomach, but no one knew that besides Bandit, and he wasn’t telling anyone.

“Bandit is a good boy, Missy, but I think you need a little bit more in your life than a dog,” she reasoned.

I rolled my eyes and leaned forward to pull a dog bone poking me in the back that had been buried in the couch by Bandit. “I have you and Wilder,” I muttered. I tossed the dog bone to Bandit, and he leaped to catch it. “And have you not heard the saying dogs are people’s best friend?”

“Man’s best friend, Missy.”

“Whatever,” I mumbled. “I’m good, Shelby.”

“You know this is a big day for Wilder, too, right? He is part owner of Chicken Biscuit.”

How could I forget? Wilder had saved the day for Charlie and Chicken Biscuit. Though he had also made things ten times more stressful for Charlie, and Charlie broke up with me because he couldn’t deal with the restaurant and me, apparently. I was the thing he had to let go of so he could focus on Chicken Biscuit.

“Will Wilder be wearing one of those white paper Chicken Biscuit hats today?” I asked.

“Only the cooks wear those, Missy.”

“Oh, well, then I don’t think I can make it.”

“The only way you will come is if I have Wilder wear one of those hats?” she laughed. “You know he would never wear one of those.”

I leaned back into the couch and smiled. “I hope you have a great time at the reopening, Shelby, but if Wilder isn’t in one of those hats, then there isn’t anything there for me.”

“You’re crazy,” she laughed.

No, I was smart. I knew Wilder would never wear one of those hats, and so if that was my condition for going, then I knew I wouldn’t have to be there. “I need to get going, Shelby. I’ll call you later tonight to see how everything was.”

“Wait,” Shelby called. “If I make it happen, then you better haul your biscuits down to the Chicken Biscuit.”

“Sure, sure,” I drawled. “I’ll be there with wind chimes on if you make it happen.”

“Bells,” Shelby laughed. “You’ll be there with bells on.”

“Those, too,” I muttered. “Later, Shelby.” I ended the call and dropped the phone on the couch.

“There is no way in hell Shelby is going to get Wilder in one of those paper hats,” I told Bandit.

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