Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 118459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
Although I’m not even sure what is going on with Crew and me. I only know that when I look at him now, I don’t hate him. How could I? But not hating him scares me.
I will always love Gage, so it isn’t that. More than anything, I don’t want Everleigh to get the wrong impression by us living there. I don’t want her to ever forget Gage or to think that somehow, he wasn’t the most important man in the world to us. Because he absolutely was. I will love Gage Gentry until the day I die. But we were parted by death, not by choice.
“I’m pretty sure Crew likes you there, too. He called me last night, crying like a little baby.”
“He did?” Ever giggles.
“He did.” Will sighs dramatically. “He was pouting like a little girl.”
“Uncle Crew is not a little girl!”
“No, but he can sure act like one.” Will winks. He grabs her blanket-covered leg and shakes it a little, making her laugh. He then turns to me and sits beside me on the couch. “How are you doing?”
“Hanging in there.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Will watches me intently. He’s extremely handsome, a mix of ruggedness and playfulness that women find endearing. He’s silly most of the time, cocky and simple, but I’ve seen him serious a few times before. It always kind of throws me off to see him this way without his grin and jokes. I wonder how much better I’d know him if Gage was around. How many more times I’d fix brownies for a Red Sox game while they sat around and discussed batting averages.
“Thanks for bringing this stuff by.”
He shrugs likes it’s no big deal.
“What? Were you just in the neighborhood?” I laugh.
“Nah, I was really on the other side of Boston. So it was kind of a pain in the a—” He looks up to Ever who’s engrossed in another episode of her show.
“She’s heard it before.”
“I bet. Especially now that you’re staying with Crew.” He says it in a way that I know he’s leading me, but I stay quiet. Will runs his hands through his hair. “He won’t be by tonight, I don’t think.”
My shoulders sag. As much as I hate to admit it, I’ve been hoping to see him. I miss him. “That’s all right.”
“Jules, if he could be here, he would. It’s killing him not to be here. Believe me when I say that. He’s just . . . working on getting everything figured out financially, you know?” he says with a quick glance to Ever. “Just give him some time. Everything he’s doing is for the two of you.”
“The diner I work at part-time is having a benefit for us this Sunday. They said they put together a fund for us, too. I’ve got a few more calls in for loans now and the doctors are appealing. I don’t know what else to do.”
The corner of his lips turns up and he places one hand on my knee. “There are no guarantees, but I think Crew has some things worked out.”
“I know he took on a side job.”
Will laughs and stands up, an awkward smile on his face. “He did. And it’s gonna be a hard-hitting three months.”
I put my head in my hands. “I hate he’s doing this. I hate he’s halting his life because of this.”
“Hey,” Will says, patting me on the head until I look up. “Crew is right where he wants to be, all right? Don’t feel sorry for that mother—” He catches himself and shakes his head.
“I know. But that doesn’t make it any easier to accept. So many lives are changing . . .” I look up to my daughter again and she’s licking a piece of taffy, her tongue darting out tentatively. I hope it doesn’t make her sick.
“They are. But that’s how things go, right? Things change.” He looks me right in the eye. “When you love someone, you’re willing to make sacrifices for them. And what Crew’s doing right now . . .” A dark cloud flashes across his face before he shrugs and grins again.
I eye him warily, not sure where he’s going with this.
“Did I say something wrong?” He laughs. When I fail to laugh in return, he says, “I’ve been around from the beginning, Jules. Just remember that.”
That’s true. He’s been around since the first day I met the Gentry boys. And he’s known Crew longer than I have, which seems funny because I can’t remember a time in my life, really, that didn’t include him in one form or another. Will has seen every change in my relationship with both Gage and Crew. If anyone understands the complexities of the situation, it’s him.
The door opens and Macie walks in, her eyes on a chart. “Hey, ladies,” she says cheerfully before looking up. Once she does, her face falls. “Oh. I’m sorry . . .”