Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Needless to say, when he left, I was a mess, which led to me ignoring the calls coming in from Miranda, who I knew was worried, because I was late for work—when I’m never late. But I needed time to attempt to pull myself together. And I thought that I did a good job of hiding my lack of sleep and red-rimmed eyes with makeup. But as soon as I walked into the salon, Miranda took one look at me and dragged me bodily into our boss’s office.
Even though I had no desire to talk about the previous evening, it didn’t take much prying from her for me to break down and tell her what happened. As my best friend, she was baffled by Eli’s change of heart and angry on my behalf. But more than anything, she was concerned about me.
For obvious reasons—mainly the fact that I couldn’t stop crying—she didn’t want me to stay at work and attempt to fake being happy all day with clients, so she told me she would reschedule all of them for me. At first, I tried to put up a fight, but I knew Polly, our boss, would not be happy about me working in the state I was in. Not because she would be concerned about me upsetting the clientele, but because she would want me to have time to cry and be sad. So, I agreed to go home, pack a bag, then go to Miranda’s apartment.
So that’s exactly what I did. After getting enough clothes to hold me over for a few days, I came here and laid on the couch all day and felt sorry for myself until Miranda came home with her son Kingston. It was good to be around them. It also stung being around Kingston and the reminder of what I might not have if I decide to stay with Eli.
“Aunt Emma!”
Turning my head, I barely have time to brace before Kingston comes running at me full speed and throws his tiny body against mine, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
“You’re still here!”
Squeezing him tight, I swallow down the tears the best I can. “I told you I would be.” I kiss the side of his head, and he pulls back to look at me, resting his hand on my cheek.
“You sleeped on the couch?”
“I did.” I look over the top of his head at his mom as she walks into the living room with a soft smile on her face.
“Did you sleep okay?”
“Yeah.” I sit up, holding Kingston, and he rests his head on my shoulder like he did when he was a baby. “Eli messaged.”
“What did he say?” she asks as I get up and follow her into the kitchen with Kingston still clinging to me. I place him on one of the stools and give him his iPad when he reaches for it, along with his headphones.
“That he’s going to let me have the apartment and stay with Ben while we figure things out.”
“That’s generous,” she says carefully, but I still hear the undertone of concern in her voice. I know she likes Eli. I know if he and I were to one day get married, she’d happily stand at my side without a worry. Or, she would have. Now, she’d likely be worried I was giving up something important just to keep him.
“It will give me some time to figure things out, and I won’t be in your hair while—”
“Don’t you dare even finish that sentence,” she cuts me off, passing Kingston a banana that she peeled.
“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“That you don’t want to be in my hair, since I’m seeing Tucker.”
“Well, you are seeing him, and I don’t want to be in your hair,” I tell her, and her eyes narrow. “You can’t exactly enjoy your new relationship with me sleeping on your couch.” I hold up a hand when it looks like she’s going to argue. “It will be okay. And I’m actually relieved that I’m not going to have to look for an apartment right now while I figure out what I’m going to do.” Really, I thought about going down and staying near my sister in Florida for a few days to clear my head, but I need to work so this is better.
“What do you think you’re going to do?”
I let out a breath and shrug. “I don’t know.”
“Like I told you yesterday, you don’t have to decide right now.” She takes the oatmeal she made for Kingston while we were talking out of the microwave and adds milk, butter, and some honey.
“I know.” I rub my lips together. “This would be so much easier if he was a jerk.” Her expression gentles.
“Eli is a good guy, and I know you love him. You just have to decide if that’s enough.” She walks around the counter to Kingston and places his oatmeal in front of him.