Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
His forehead creases. “She never told me about that.”
Oh, big shock. I’m sure she doesn’t even remember. “And do you see all this?” I wave a hand over the bags. “I took her shopping today, because she was going to go to school in one of those sweaters when it’s over ninety degrees. I convinced her to get clothes she would feel more comfortable in. I want to help make her life easier and better than it’s been.”
“It’s the least you can do,” he mutters.
“I know. It is the very least I can do. And it’s not like I think I’ve made up for anything, because I know I haven’t. What I did, you can’t make up for in a week. But I want to keep working on it,” I conclude, making him stare me straight in the eye. It’s the simplest, true thing I know.
His jaw is still tight and his eyes narrow when he folds his arms. “And how does she feel about this?”
“I mean, it was hard as hell to convince her to go shopping today—on your card,” I add, because I don’t want him getting on my ass about that, too. “I thought you wouldn’t mind, because it means she’s not going to get heat stroke in her clothes.”
“Of course.” He waves a hand. “Whatever she needs.”
“She didn’t want to do it, but she ended up having a good time. She was feeling really good about herself. She was happy. Have you seen her looking happy since she moved in?”
“This does not absolve you,” he growls.
“I didn’t think it would. I’m just saying, I’m working really hard on making up for what I did. There’s no excuse. I can’t defend myself. I can only try to make up for it, because I really want to.”
He looks about as surprised as I feel. Hell, I wasn’t planning on saying any of that. I didn’t even know I was thinking it. But now that it’s out in the open, I feel how true it is. All I want now is to make her life a little better every day. One day at a time, until she’s everything I know she can be. I want her to give herself a chance.
Finally, Dad scrubs his hands over his face. “But you still sent those photos out.”
“I didn’t, I swear to God. It was somebody else—I was over at Kellan’s. I’ll give you the names of the people who were there, and they’ll tell you that one of the girls took my phone and went through it, probably because I told her off since she already bullied Elliana before you ever left for your honeymoon. I told her to get lost, and she was pissed. I would never have sent those pictures around to anybody. It’s bad enough I took them.”
“It’s terrible that you took them.”
“I know, Dad. Believe me. I know.”
He takes a deep breath before he starts to pace in front of the coffee table that sits between us. “Tell me one thing. Tell me you weren’t getting ready to hurt her when we walked in.”
My skin is crawling with humiliation. Talk about bad timing. But I feel worse for her. She looked like she wanted to stop breathing. “I was not getting ready to hurt her,” I murmur. “I will never hurt her again.”
He’s still staring at me like he’s processing that when the front door opens. My heart lodges in my throat, and I jump to my feet, expecting to see Elliana again. I just want to ask if she forgives me. I’ll beg if I have to.
But instead of two people walking in, there’s only one. Irene runs her hands under her eyes, glaring at me. “I do not even know what to say to you, Carter.” She goes to Dad, holding her arms out, wrapping them around his waist. “I’ve never seen her that upset. My poor baby. She doesn’t deserve this.”
“Where is she?” Dad looks over her shoulder, through the doorway leading out to the entry.
She pulls her head back, looking up at him. “I took her to a hotel. Best Western down the road. She needs some alone time.”
My jaw is practically on the floor. “You left her alone?” I can’t believe it. She comes in here, acting all tearful and heartbroken, but she left Elliana by herself?
“Excuse me.” Her eyes are gleaming when she turns my way. Like she was just waiting for an excuse. “Last I checked, young man, you are in no position to question anything I do. Some kind of sick pervert who would take advantage of an innocent girl like my Elliana. I can’t believe you would ruin our happy family like this.”
“Wait a second.” Dad holds up a hand like he’s calling for silence, staring at her the way I’ve been. “You left her? I thought the point was to support her. So she knows she’s not alone.”