Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
He smirked as he stared ahead. “Jenna, if I didn’t want to hang out with you and your kids, I wouldn’t have called you. Or texted you, which was just my lead-in to call.”
My stomach clenched. I suddenly became hyperaware of every pulsing beat of my heart.
“And if it wasn’t obvious already, we never had plans to come here today. I was lying.” He looked at me then, adding with sincerity in his voice, “I’m sure this is okay.”
I pressed my lips to baby-soft hair, hiding the smile I couldn’t help. Then I playfully narrowed my eyes at him.
“What?”
“Is this really your favorite spot to get ice cream?” I asked.
He looked ahead, mouth twitching.
I never got a response.
Chapter Eight
NATHAN
One Week Later
Wake up, Nathan.”
I opened my eyes and blinked into the darkness of my bedroom. Labored breaths left me, and my heart was pounding. I knew it was early, yet I was already wide awake and restless. I always was when I woke from a dream. From that dream…
Turning my head on the pillow, I reached for my glasses and slipped them on. I stared at the alarm clock on the nightstand until the fluorescent numbers came into focus: 4:27 a.m.
I still had another hour until I’d be forced to get up. I was opening at the restaurant today. I supposed I could go downstairs and work out now instead of waiting, but I found myself stretching for my phone instead. The screen glowed above me as I studied Jenna’s number. My thumb hovered over the icon to call.
I wanted to talk to her. Exercise cleared my head, but my conversations with Jenna stilled that gnawing ache inside me, among other things. I liked talking to her. Even if I didn’t tell her about my last memory of Sadie and the guilt I had over it, I knew I’d feel better simply listening to her voice. I could imagine our dialogue.
She’d ask about Marley, because she always did. She’d wonder if my daughter was awake yet and how her night had gone. Did she go to bed for me okay and It’s easy, isn’t it? Once you’re comfortable with her, she’s comfortable with you. She’d have excitement in her voice. My bond with Marley affected Jenna profoundly. It was pure and selfless and went beyond contentment for us. I wanted to know what exactly it meant to her, but before I could ask, she would wonder about me.
Maybe she would think something was wrong since I was calling her so early. I was sure she’d be able to tell without me saying a word, because she had this uncanny ability to read my discomfort. She did it that first day in my office. She’d do it now.
The call would connect, and Jenna would ask if I was okay. She’d wonder if it was Sadie, and if I told her Yes…how did you know? She would say something I needed to hear.
But I didn’t want to wake her. Jenna would try to hide her sleep-heavy voice from me. She wouldn’t want me to feel bad for reaching out, but I would. I didn’t want to talk to her about this anyway. I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. I closed out of her contact info and pulled up my texts, reading the message I’d ignored yesterday out of habit.
July 4th 4:00. Hope to see you and Marley.
I dialed the number instead of responding. The call connected on the third ring.
“This can’t be Nathan Bell calling me right now. I must still be asleep. I should still be asleep, you rude motherfucker. Do you have any idea what time it is?”
I chuckled and sat up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. “Hey, man. I…” My tongue froze inside my mouth. I scrambled for words. They sounded foreign to me.
What the hell was I supposed to say to my best friend after shutting him out for nearly two years?
I ran a hand through my hair, clearing my throat. “Hey, man,” I repeated. It seemed like a good place to start.
“It’s good to hear from you. Even if it is early as shit.”
I chuckled.
“You all right?”
“Yeah…sorry. I know I should’ve called sooner.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
He was giving me a pass. One I didn’t deserve.
“No, I know it’s been too long…I’ve been meaning to reach out.”
“Seriously, man. I could go ten years without speaking to you, and it wouldn’t change a damn thing.”
My mouth twitched. “You’re wrong, Davis.”
“How am I wrong?”
“Ten years? You’d be bawling your fucking eyes out right now if I put that much time between calls. Admit it.”
He was silent for a moment, and then he broke into quiet laughter. “Bastard.”
I stood from the bed and swiped the switch on the wall, illuminating the room in soft light. Then I slouched into a nearby chair. The leather was cool against my back.