Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
And I’m not sure why I even considered that he might have something to say to the woman he said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. I don’t know where things go for me from here and I’ve been pondering it all day.
Since Steeles don’t divorce, maybe I won’t ever get free of Derek. But maybe Derek also won’t get over what happened yesterday. Maybe he doesn’t believe me. Maybe he’s trying to find out if I’m telling the truth or not. Maybe he’s punishing Aaron anyway. That thought makes me ill, so I can only hope that my walking away from him directly after hanging up on Derek means that Aaron is safe and sound if he’s still in the city and preferably, that he’s already gone back to Kansas City.
The day drags on with being alone with my thoughts. Or maybe feeling like I’m alone is an illusion because maybe I’m under surveillance. I don’t bother to unpack anything other than some more clothes.
I send a text to Alannah at five o’clock.
Proof of Life Request?
She immediately responds
Alive.
I send a heart. She sends one back. And I’m glad it ends with that because I don’t know that I want to talk about my train of thought with anybody.
At midnight, I’m in the kitchen getting a glass of juice when I hear footsteps.
He comes in. His eyes give me a dark sweep that generates a feeling of static in the air. He walks to the pantry and pulls out another bottle of bourbon, then walks down the hall away from me.
When I go up, I notice the door is closed to the room he stayed in last night.
I toss and turn in bed alone, still wondering if there’s been any fallout from my outing the other night beyond my “husband” giving me what is evidently the silent treatment.
I’ve ascertained he left extra early today by looking at the alarm app and seeing the garage and gate opened and closed before six o’clock. And I’ve been left with the babysitter again. Ken’s blue SUV is inside the gates now alongside a van with the logo of a security company. Unsure of what this might mean, I start coffee.
It doesn’t take long to realize external surveillance systems are being installed. What I don’t know is if they plan to come inside or not. My thoughts are that either everything is being upgraded or maybe there’s no internal surveillance yet. Is that about to change?
After drinking a third coffee by the fireplace while watching more leaves fall, I’m feeling jittery. I start spending my pent-up energy by getting to work on vacuuming with the new-looking fancy vacuum I find in the hall closet. Not far into mopping the kitchen floor, I hear the doorbell.
I’m thinking security techs are about to come in, but instead, it’s Grace Steele. Ken is behind her with garment bags. There’s no security van outside now.
“Good morning,” she greets, looking at me with what feels like scrutiny. I’m not sure if it’s because of how I look or if it’s got to do with her brother’s current feelings about me, which I’m assuming are just… disdain?
I step aside for Ken who walks into the dining room and sets the garment bags on the table. He gives me a nod and backs out, closing the door behind Grace.
She’s dressed in a pretty blue pantsuit, face full of makeup, jewelry, her blonde curly hair loose and flowing down her back.
I’m wearing shorts and a tank top. My hair is in a top knot, my face is makeup free. I’ve got bags under my eyes due to three nights of very little sleep.
“Derek’s not here,” I tell her.
“I came to see you,” she advises. “And bring you some options for the party tomorrow.” She gestures to the garment bag stack.
The party tomorrow. Shit. Shit.
“I’m not sure that I’ll be coming tomorrow,” I tell her.
She shakes her head curtly. “It’s mandatory. Even Sabrina is coming. Do I smell coffee?”
I gesture down the hallway and start walking. She follows me to the kitchen.
“So, this is the house, then. This is adorable, Chloe,” she says, looking around. “Can I have a tour? Then we’ll have coffee and go through the clothes.”
“I mean, sure you can have a wander if you want. I’ll make a fresh pot for you. I’m already juiced past my usual max, and this is old.”
I go to the kitchen and fetch the carafe, then pour the remnants into the sink. Grace moseys around, looking out windows, then disappears from my view.
A party for about four-hundred people to celebrate Derek’s parents fortieth anniversary is the last thing I want to attend. The idea of coping with that makes my stomach churn unpleasantly. I’m not sure Derek would even bring me, considering we haven’t spoken.