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)
"As I was saying," she says, switching gears like only a woman can. "I went to speak with Barrett and he somehow managed to make the credit card company clear all my debt."
"He did what?" I wouldn't be surprised if this is how Barrett decided to ease her burden on my behalf, but I'll have to make arrangements for that amount of cash.
She blinks in my direction. "Why do you look like that?"
"Like what?" I ask, my heart racing. I saw the balance on that damned card, and I might be able to come up with the total, but that's going to take moving some stuff around.
"Like you've seen a ghost. You're pale."
"I'm fine. It's a little warm in here," I say, reaching for the bottom of my sweatshirt and pulling it over my head.
Despite the fact that I probably now own every penny of her debt, I can't concern myself with it when I notice her checking me out after I pull the sweatshirt over my head.
"You're looking a little warm yourself," I tell her.
"I'm fine," she says, but her voice tells me differently.
The sexual attraction between us has never been an issue, and as much as I love that aspect of what we've done, I want so much more from her. I can only hope that eventually she'll be able to see herself with me and not just for some after-dark fun times.
She turns back to work on cooking, and since I know how easily I'll get distracted staring at her ass, I speak again.
"You were saying about Barrett?" I prompt as I toss my sweatshirt into the chair at the small kitchen table that doesn't have the little booster seat in it, making a mental note to get one for my house so I'm prepared if she ever brings Larkin over there.
"I no longer have to make payments. He said that he threatened to take them to court for making a widow pay back debt that was created before I was even put on the account. He doesn't know that he'll be able to get back all the money I've paid in over the years, but, honestly, I'm just ecstatic that I don't have to choose between gas for the car and paying what I can on the card."
"That's great news," I say.
It's also a very plausible story. Barrett went above and beyond thinking that one up. I'll have to get with him to get all the details.
"I may have to send him a bottle of whiskey to say thank you," she says as she crouches to read the measurement of water as she fills her measuring cup.
"He doesn't deserve anything with how he acted at the wedding," I remind her.
She turned to look at me, her lips forming a sad smile. "It's obvious the man is trying to work through something, but he changed my life today."
"He likes Johnny Walker," I tell her because I'm not going to stand here and argue that although the lie sounds great, it wasn't Barrett who changed her life. At this point, so long as she's happy, she never has to know that I'm the one who is actually paying off her debt.
"Not having those payments has given me a lot of flexibility. It means I don't have to cave and take Larkin back to the Kennedys for Nora to watch her through the week. I went over there today to speak with them about it."
"How did that go? Are you sure I can't help you with anything?"
"It's mac and cheese and chicken nuggets, Walker, not a gourmet meal. I'm fine. It went okay, I guess. I have some concerns. I think Leo is really sick, but I didn't feel like it was my place to ask him about it. I laid down the law and told them that I'd be keeping Larkin with Madison because she needs the socialization. She'll be a gremlin when she starts school if she stays isolated."
"She's a precious angel and would never act like that," I assure her.
I chuckle when she glares at me. "You haven't seen her upset, or hungry, or tired, or a plethora of many different emotions. She’s a great kid, but she's just as prone to an attitude problem as I am."
I bite my lip to keep from smiling too wide.
"I have to make my own confession," I tell her. "I had a conversation with them this morning."
"I know," she says, her back once again to me as she stirs the mac and cheese in a small pot on the stove.
"They came up to me at the diner. It's not like I went looking for them."
"I didn't think you did."
"I didn't go knock on their door and give them the riot act," I continue, needing her to know I didn't go out of my way to talk about her behind her back, although she knows I did that with Barrett.