Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Cheyenne made a miserable sound in her throat before continuing. “I never intended for him to leave. Hell, he wouldn’t even speak to Max. Which is saying something because it’s not often that those two don’t speak. They’re the type of friends that end up sitting on their porch when their ninety-five and yell at the neighborhood kids to get off their lawn.”
“It was me. I’d pissed him off, and he needed a break.” Shiloh sighed.
“What are you talking about?” Cheyenne asked.
“I told him in a voicemail that he’d have to choose Jolie or me. I left it in a note on the kitchen table before y’all got me drunk that night after James’ was arrested.”
Coming further into the room, I watched Cheyenne’s lips purse. “They have an extremely weird relationship. When Max and James were younger, they had another friend, Briggs, who’d died. Everyone used to call them the Three Musketeers. One night, while on his way home from a party, Briggs was hit by a drunk driver, and killed. That drunk driver was Jolie’s father. James hated how the school treated Jolie, and he befriended her. I’d always thought that Max felt the same until recently. Max doesn’t like her at all either. He says she’s manipulative, and uses James any way she can.”
“I can definitely see that. The only times I’ve seen her are when she’s needed something from him.” Shiloh concurred.
Feeling that it was time to set their illusions straight, I came into the room and stopped behind the back of one of the couch. I placed my arms down on the back and leaned in to take the pressure off my leg.
“Let me tell you girls something about Jolie. I don’t love her, nor have I ever loved her. I feel bad for how she was treated after Briggs’ death, and I try to help her out any way I can. I am aware of how she tries to manipulate me to get what she wants. However, when I look at Jolie, I see a stray beaten dog who hasn’t been treated nicely in a long fucking time. She’s manipulative because she doesn’t know any other way to be. If she’s not that way, she’s treated like a stray dog again. I have never been, nor will ever be, in love with her. I’m in love with you, Shiloh. There’s a large difference between the way I am with her, and the way I am with you.” My eyes were on Shiloh as I said the last few statements, and I watched as her eyes lit with happiness.
“James...” Shiloh started to say before I interrupted her.
“As for you,” I said turning my gaze to Cheyenne. “I am your older brother. I have four years on you. I am thirty-one damn years old. I do not need you interfering with my love life. You could’ve cost me something great. Something that meant the world to me. How easy is it to find someone that fits well in your life when you have a kid to think about? To add on to the fact that you brought one of my greatest friends into it is even worse. I’ve trusted Sam’s judgment for many years. If I wouldn’t have, I’d have been dead. I think next time you need to think about the consequences of your actions before implementing those actions. You put a strain on a relationship that was nearly twelve years in the making. I’ve always trusted him to be straight with me, and it really hurt to know that he didn’t approve of me and Shiloh being together. It’s killed me the last month not to be around her, but I only did so out of respect of the man I trust most in the world.”
The sound of Janie’s bus stopping outside of the house stopped me from any further explanation, so I hobbled to the door and opened it with a wide smile on my face. I waved to Mrs. Kowalsky who was watering her petunias. Again.
I forced myself not to limp so I didn’t alarm Janie, and I waited with my arms crossed against my chest for her to notice I was home. It didn’t take long.
She’d just gotten to the bottom step of the school bus when she spotted me standing next to her bike. “Daddy!” She shrieked and launched herself off the bus and sprinted across the yard. Only she didn’t come to me, she veered off at the last possible second and shrieked, “Shiloh!”
I could only laugh. I was happy she liked Shiloh because she was going to be seeing a lot of her. Shiloh started to head inside with Janie wrapped up in her arms when we heard the distinct sound of pipes pulling on to our street. Shiloh froze, as did I, as we watched Silas pull into our driveway and shut off the bike.
When he stood up, you could tell he was hurt by the grimace of pain on his face as he swung his leg over the bike. His face was a shadow of pain as he took the painful steps toward us.
I knew it was bad just by the grim expression on his face. Something was seriously wrong.
“I need you to call Sam over here now. I’ve already called Sebastian. He’ll be here in less than an hour. Got any beer?” Silas asked.
“What is he doing here?” Cheyenne snarled.
“Daddy, are you okay?” Shiloh asked as she inched closer to him.
“Not now, baby. I need to sit down or I’ll fall down. Show me where, ‘cause once I sit I won’t be getting back up again.” He said with strain evident in his voice.
“You can lay down on the couch. Daddy sleeps there all the time. Sometimes he lets me color on him while he does.” Janie supplied.
“That sounds perfect, Caroline. I appreciate it.” Silas said as he walked stiffly to the couch.
“Nobody calls me Caroline. I only get called Caroline when I’m in trouble.” Janie snapped.