Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 61576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
The look in her eyes is killing me. I’m doing my best not to smile as she processes. “Jake, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
I reach out and gently stroke her cheek with the back of my hand. “Yes, Sadie. I am. I’m saying I love you.”
I didn’t realize until now just how badly I’ve been wanting to say those words to her. But saying it now is almost like getting an enormous weight off my chest. This woman is my everything, and I’ve been blessed since the moment she entered my life.
I reach out and stroke her cheek gently. My treasure. I’ll protect her for the rest of her life. Nothing will ever happen to her.
She smiles back and tears begin to flow from her eyes. “I love you too.”
49
Sadie
One week later…
I feel like I’m flying now when I walk.
There’s a spring in my step as I come out of my doctor’s office. I just had an IUD removed, and I’m a tiny bit sore, so normally I would probably be in a bit of a bad mood, but not today. Today I know I have my man to go home to, and that makes everything better.
That’s made the last seven days at work all better too, despite those shifts being some of the worst I’ve had in recent memory. Instead of having to work the whole evening knowing I’d have to go back to my house alone, I knew I had Jake waiting for me, and that made everything all right.
He even came to visit me during two of those shifts when he wasn’t out on jobs of his own. He ordered some fries and a shake and sat at the bar, and whenever I had a second or two when I wasn’t doing anything, I would go over and chat with him.
Julia loves him, and so do the guys in the kitchen. I introduced them to him finally after he came by the second time.
I worked a mid-day shift today and am on my way home now. Jake said he has something planned for us tonight, as neither of us have to work. He wouldn’t say what it was, though. He wouldn’t even give me a hint when I asked, so I’m kind of anxious to see what it is.
I pull into the driveway, grab my purse, and hop out of the car. I take the steps and slide my key into the lock when I hear a voice behind me.
“Hello, Sadie.” Instantly my blood goes cold in my veins. I don’t even have to turn to know who it is.
Howard.
Fear grips my entire body. I swallow hard and feel my chest tighten. It’s a voice I haven’t heard in a little over two years and a voice I was never supposed to hear again. My mouth is starting to run dry as I turn and look, hoping that maybe I’ve just imagined it and I’ll just see nothing there but my empty lawn and I can head inside, text Jake, and we can go out for whatever surprise he has planned.
But that’s not what I see.
What I see is Howard and Tiffany, two of the most important people from my old life, standing on my lawn staring at me like a couple of weird possessed zombies out of a horror movie.
Howard looks awful. His clothes are all ratty, just like Jake described. His jeans are full of holes, and he’s wearing a Vegas sweatshirt that looks like he got it out of a dumpster.
Tiffany, who was once a very pretty brunette with nice curves, now has awful bleached blond hair, a terrible fake tan, and looks like she could use about ten pounds on her at least.
Both of them are glaring at me like a couple of hungry coyotes.
“What are you doing here?” I ask slowly, my voice low and quivering. “The judge granted me a restraining order after you stole all my money–”
“Our money, Sadie,” Howard snarls. He motions to Tiffany, who takes a few paces toward me. “That’s why we’re here.”
“Oh, you want more money!?” I ask, bursting out laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding! You gambled away everything you stole from me and left me with nothing, you piece of shit!”
Howard’s eyes narrow just like they used to when we would fight. I glance over at Jake’s house. His truck isn’t there. I really shouldn’t be mouthing off like this, but I can’t help myself. These two shouldn’t be here. My ex-husband and ex-best-friend. It’s like re-opening an old wound, and the pain is horrific.
“Hey, watch your mouth!” Tiffany snaps.
“Shut up, bitch!” I snarl. “No one’s talking to you!”
Tiffany lunges forward and swings at me. Somehow, I manage to dodge whatever she was throwing—a slap or a punch, I’m not sure, but it goes over my head, and I rush past her out of the way and down the lawn.