Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
No matter how much time I want to spend with Walker and how much debt I have to pay off, what kind of example am I setting for Larkin if I say nothing while someone berates me on a daily basis?
Chapter 35
Walker
As she drives away, I replace the anger on her face yesterday with the grin in place when she backs out and drives away.
I knew she'd notice the heat coming from the vents because Boone told me it was something he had to fix. Actually, he suggested that I sell the whole damn car to the junkyard because everything that could go wrong with it had already happened. He was surprised that the damn thing was still running sometimes.
I knew she'd never accept a new car, so I asked that he fix what he could. He grumbled about wasting time, but he got it done. The man might be cranky on his best days, but he's not a swindler. He charged me a lot less than he should've with the amount of work listed on the invoice, but I think that had more to do with helping Claire than helping me.
There were wires and wire harnesses that had to be replaced. He changed the battery and the alternator was going bad, causing her cranking issue. The list was endless.
Boone drove the car to her house this morning because as much as I wanted to spend time with Claire, I didn't want to put her in a position where she was forced to offer me a ride. I knew it would make her late for work, and although Corbin probably wouldn't have minded, I knew it would stress her out.
I climb into my truck and head to The Brew and Chew for breakfast, a genuine smile on my face when I place my order with Ruth. When I ask for coffee, I realize I missed an opportunity by not bringing her one from the house.
I pull out my phone while waiting for my food to arrive, reading an article on the current economic crisis.
As always, my food arrives quickly and, after thanking Ruth, I dig in.
I'm a quarter of the way through a fantastic omelet and halfway through an article on the expectations of being a stepdad when a shadow blocks out some of the light directed at my table.
I look up, expecting to see Ruth there, but I lock eyes with Nora and Leo Kennedy instead.
I sit back in the booth, chewing my bite of food and taking a sip of coffee, waiting for them to speak. Nora glares at me like I'm the most distasteful person she's ever laid eyes on, and Leo looks like he wants to escape but the punishment that he'd get from his wife isn't worth it.
"Good morning," I say, knowing it's only going to make her madder. "Would you like to join me?"
I sweep my hand, indicating the other side of the booth I'm occupying. Nora looks like I just cussed her in church, but Leo looks like he's battling between taking the seat and standing.
"You need to stop poisoning Claire against us," Nora snaps. "It's your fault we haven't seen our granddaughter in several days."
The shit hit the fan at their house yesterday morning, so it really hasn't been days. Nora isn't rational on the best of days, so there's no real point in arguing with her.
I know she's gearing up for more when she looks over her shoulder in order to determine who might be paying attention. It must be my lucky day when she smiles, realizing there's no one worth worrying about within hearing distance of us.
"We offered that girl so much when she first came to town," Nora says, her voice a whisper. "She was ungrateful then, and she has continued to be that way since."
I know people have different viewpoints of how a situation went down, but Nora is delusional if she's expecting me to believe they welcomed a pregnant Claire with open arms. I know better, having gotten that information straight from Claire rather than relying on the biased whispers I'd heard around town after she stepped foot in Lindell for the first time.
I continue to stay quiet. Arguing with them would serve no purpose, and I know without even asking that Claire wouldn't be impressed if I attempted to put Nora in her place. I can't include Leo in it because it's obvious the man doesn't even want to be here.
"She goes around town just raking up the kindness and good graces from everyone in this community. She's a professional at getting people to feel sorry for her when I know she's either sitting on that huge sum of money she got when our precious boy died or she squandered it all away. Either way, she doesn't deserve all the attention and empathy she's getting. I heard what you arranged yesterday. The woman doesn't need a tree. She's manipulating you just as much as she's exploiting your kindness."