Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“Law school isn’t cheap.”
“Don’t I know it,” I muttered. “That’ll be a big chunk of change.”
She spread her fingers into a frame shape. “The Jake picture is becoming clearer.”
I cocked my head, curious. “How so?”
“That’s the other reason why you’re so driven, isn’t it? Paying for their schools?”
Family was private to me, and I didn’t delve into the details with many people. Same with my job—I preferred to keep it on the down-low. But I didn’t mind sharing this with Ruby. Maybe it was that she was so different from Rosalinda. Ruby seemed to quiz me out of genuine interest, not a hidden agenda to learn my weak spots. Rosalinda had peppered me with questions to unearth my vulnerabilities, find a way to steal from me. Ruby wasn’t working for the enemy. Her motives centered on the case and with me.
“Yep. My family is one hundred percent my reason. They are all my reasons.” I rubbed my hand across my tattoo, tropical leaves, trees, and flowers. It was time to share this with her. “My parents loved the Caribbean. Went there all the time. Took us on vacations there, when it was just Kate and me, before Kylie and Brandt were born. They said it was their happy place,” I said, with both fondness and sadness all at once.
“You got that for them,” she said, understanding immediately.
“I did. Reminds me of them. Of us. As a family.”
She reached for my arm, ran her soft fingers across my ink. “It’s beautiful,” she said, reverently.
“Thank you. I love it too.”
A boisterous family entered the restaurant, pulling my attention away from Ruby for a moment. As I turned my head, I caught a glimpse of someone hanging by the edge of the crowd. The sharp nose, the cut of the jawline—the profile snagged a memory and I studied him, trying to place him in my mental contact list.
Then Ruby spoke, softly, and with a smile in her voice. “Thanks for sharing.”
“You’re a good listener,” I said.
And like smoke in a breeze, everything vanished but her, and I returned my attention to the woman across from me.
She rested her chin in her hand, her soft blue gaze intent on me. “You really are like their father.”
When she said that, my heart pounded against my chest like it was connected to her. Because she not only got me, but we were on the same wavelength.
The waitress arrived with our dinners and set down the plates. After she left, Ruby picked up her sandwich and returned to the conversation. “What kind of lawyer does Brandt want to be?”
“Prosecutor. He wants to save the world.”
“Is that because of your parents and what happened to them?” she asked and took a bite of her panini.
“He doesn’t want to see that happen again. He wants to fight back. Find justice.” I bit into my sandwich too. Delicious.
“It’s kind of amazing how you both have the same intense focus and drive. But then it’s not that surprising, either, I suppose. Is he like you in other ways?”
“Meaning is he charming, witty, and good-looking?”
She laughed. “Is he?”
“He is. I can say that about my little brother, right? He’s a handsome guy.” I grabbed my phone and scrolled to my photos. As we ate, I showed Ruby pics of the whole crew—my favorite people in the universe.
While we scrolled, a note flashed on the screen from my little sister.
Kylie: Almost ready for the test. I just have one problem that’s driving me crazy. It’s on frictional forces and I want to CRY.
I showed it to Ruby. “See? This is what I mean about Kylie. Nervous wreck. Poor kid.”
Ruby furrowed her brow. “Is that for her physics test?”
When I nodded, she finished chewing, then set down the sandwich, took a drink, and said, “I won’t pretend I’m a rocket scientist, but I know how to work my way through frictional forces. I could help her.”
I stared at her like she’d dropped a birthday present in my lap. “You could?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “I could and I would. Want to call her and I can walk her through how to solve that type of problem?”
“You’re an angel,” I said, and she beamed.
My heart raced with giddy excitement, a surge of joy I hadn’t felt in ages. I blinked, as if I could chase away this foreign feeling, but it had no plans for departure. Happiness had lodged inside me, and that was terrifying and wonderful at the same damn time.
As she talked to Kylie, I told myself this feeling was relief at my little sister getting the help she badly needed. I tried to convince my brain that my heart wasn’t hammering against my rib cage over the caring way she spoke to my sister, or how she’d talked about my siblings over dinner, or the genuine joy she’d shown while spending time in the ocean with me an hour ago.