Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
My mind started racing with all the lies I’d been told. I couldn’t believe it.
The people I trusted the most lied to me. They shattered my hopes and dreams, and now, I was left to pick up the pieces of their betrayal.
7
SEVEN
“It can’t be,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It can, and it is.”
“But I thought you were gone.”
“Right back at ya.”
“Oh my God.” Tears filled her eyes as she whispered, “It’s really you.”
“Yeah, babe. It’s really me.”
I stood there staring at her with the weight of eight years and a million unanswered questions resting on my shoulders, and it was all I could do to keep my knees from buckling beneath me. The only thing keeping me standing was her.
Time had been kind to her. She had grown into a beautiful woman, even more beautiful than I remembered. It was hard being so close to her. It had been so long, and all I wanted to do was take her into my arms and hold her tight.
But it wasn’t the time or the place.
Her eyes flicked over me, then to Goose and Memphis, before locking on mine. “How did you…”
“Rooks.” Surprise marked her face, making it clear she had no idea that he’d reached out. “He messaged me earlier. Told me about your father.”
She didn’t respond.
She just stood there with this strange look on her face.
Not sure of what to make of her response, I added, “I’m sorry to hear what happened.”
“Yeah, me too.” She quickly wiped the tears from her cheek, then glanced over at Memphis and Goose. Her back stiffened as she gathered the nerve to walk past us and over to her door. She placed the key in the lock, and as she turned it, she said, “I can’t do this right now.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry, but it’s really not a good time.”
“After eight years, that’s all I get?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just a really bad time.” She gave me a slight shrug as she opened the door and started inside. I took a quick glance inside and was surprised to see a pair of kid’s shoes and a football next to the sofa. Before I could get a better look, she shifted her step, blocking my view. “I’ve got a lot going on with what happened to Dad and taking care of Mom, and I just can’t handle this right now.”
“Okay, fair enough. Just tell me when I can see you again?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Well, I’m not leaving until you do,” I shot back, my voice harder than I meant it to be. “It’s been eight years. I think I deserve five minutes.”
I stopped myself from saying anything more, but the weight of what I’d already said hung in the air. Her eyes snapped back to mine, brimming with tears now. “My father was just murdered, Holt. I was there when it happened. I heard it. I saw it. I watched him die right there in front of me.”
“I didn’t know.”
“That’s only the beginning.” The tremble in her voice faded as she continued, “I was questioned by police, someone’s been following me, and Dad’s office was ransacked when their house was just broken in to. It’s all I can do to be standing here right now, so you’re just gonna have to believe me when I say I don’t have the mental capacity to deal with you showing up here alive and well.”
“Damn. That’s a lot to unpack there.” I didn’t like the fact that someone had been following her and that her folks’ place had been broken in to. There was no doubt that it had something to do with her father’s murder, and I wasn’t leaving until I knew she was safe. “Who was following you?”
“Holt. I don’t want to get into all this.”
“Who was it, Tallie?”
“I don’t know. The police know about it and are looking into it. That’s all I can tell you.” She ran her hand across the back of her neck and sighed. “So, please. Just let me go do what I need to do.”
“Okay, fine.” For a moment, all I could do was stare at her, at the woman I had once loved so fiercely and had longed for all these years. I couldn’t even bring myself to be angry that she’d asked me to go. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a card with my number on it. As I handed it to her, I said, “Call me. Sooner than later.”
She nodded, then took the card from my hand and closed the door.
The sound of the lock clicking into place felt like a punch to the gut, but I didn’t fight it. I kept my word and left. We were almost back to the truck when Goose clapped a hand on my shoulder and said, “That didn’t go the way I was thinking it would.”