Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 87911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“Do you think I should forgive him? The video wasn’t his fault, I get it, but can I go through all of this again? I’m so confused when it comes to him. What would you do?”
“I can’t tell you what I’d do, Chloe. This is all on you, and I won’t be responsible for making such a life-changing decision for you.”
“Thank you, Mom.”
“No, thank you.” Lily chuckled. “I’m going to be doing a lot of thanking. I can’t believe this happened to me.”
“I’ll take care of you.”
“I’m not exactly a lightweight, honey.”
“I’ll be there to help,” Eagle said, joining them. He held a small bouquet of flowers. They looked like wild ones, her mother’s favorite.
“Eagle, what a pleasant surprise.”
“Alfie is getting us all some food at the café. You care to join us? Hospital food in bed, or in the café.”
“Sounds like fun,” Lily said.
Chloe saw her mother’s blush. The color in her cheeks suited her.
“Are you joining us, Chloe?” Lily asked.
She saw the begging in her eyes without saying a single word. “Sure, why not? It could be fun.”
Eagle pushed her mother, and they followed the hospital signs toward the café. It was a rather large room and incredibly loud, but she liked it.
For Chloe she hated places where you could hear a pin drop as it always reminded her of that night at the fair.
Alfie had found a booth, and he’d also gotten plates of food.
“I think I ordered everything,” he said.
Chloe bent down and put the locks on her mother’s wheelchair. She was about to slide in beside her, but quickly moved, sitting beside Alfie so Eagle could sit with her mother. She would have to get used to being around Alfie if she wanted this to work with her mother.
“You’re looking better, Lily,” Alfie said.
“Thanks. Apart from the legs, I feel better. Until I look in the mirror and see how bruised I am. The pain meds they’re giving me are working wonders.”
“You’re not taking too many?” Eagle asked.
“Of course not. You know me, I like to keep my wits about me and prove I can handle pain as good as any man.”
Chloe laughed. Her mother was a bit of a hard ass when it came to pain. Lily didn’t like to take any medication unless it was absolutely essential.
“It’s what I adored about you,” Eagle said.
Everyone at the table paused, and Chloe knew she had to get this to work for them.
Turning her attention to the vegetable lasagna, which she’d seen written on the board entering the café, she took a bite. It was a little overcooked, but she wouldn’t complain.
“I heard your breakfast date got crashed,” Lily said.
“Trust Ian and Riley to invite themselves,” Alfie said. “I can’t shake them.”
“They’re okay.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “They’re friends, right, and I’m guessing friends can be crazy and drive you insane. All the good stuff people love and hate.” She had to shut up as she was just talking for the sake of it.
“Will you be asking her out again?” Lily asked.
“Mom!”
“I’d really like to. I feel we left a lot unresolved this morning,” Alfie said.
“Speaking of shit that’s unresolved, here you go, son.” Eagle threw a set of keys across the table. “The bike’s at the clubhouse.”
Alfie looked at the keys in wonder and then at his dad. “Is this? This is the key to my bike?”
“Yeah, about that. I overreacted, and I’ve been working on it with Nick’s help. I finally got it finished last month. I’ve been meaning to, you know, find the right time to tell you.”
“This the bike you got back in high school?” Chloe asked.
“Yeah, but Dad trashed it after what happened.”
“You trashed his bike after you spent all that money getting it built for him?” Lily asked.
“You knew about my bike?” Alfie asked.
“I saw it when he came riding across my lawn with it before he gave it to you. Told me how he’d been a bit of a mess with you and wanted to make it up. Some father-son, bonding stuff. You really trashed it? Why? Why would you do that to your son?”
Eagle looked at Lily, the two sharing some kind of moment, and it wasn’t comfortable either. Lily glared, and Eagle looked embarrassed.
“I trashed it because he needed to be taught a lesson. We’ll talk about it another time.”
“Don’t worry about it, Lily. Honestly, I deserved it.”
“No, you didn’t,” Lily said. “You were just as much of a victim as Chloe. What happened between the two of you should have remained private, but it didn’t. Eagle had no right to trash your bike, and I shouldn’t have pushed you away either. For that, I’m sorry.”
Silence fell around the table, and Chloe started to feel a little sick. She hated tension or conflict. It was another reason she had run like hell and not looked back.