Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
The universe is kind to me and Chloe shifts the conversation away to how much she enjoys having Ledger fill in at the club so Dev can spend more time at home now. We finish up brunch and as the day winds down, I walk Chloe and Dev to the door.
“Thank you for coming,” I tell them, giving Chloe a quick hug. “Call me if anything happens.”
Chloe nods. “Listen, prance Roman around on your arm and the tabloids should quiet down. They’re just trying to intimidate you because they know you have a shot at winning, and the DA doesn’t want to see Bane walk.”
“Because they’ve already labeled him guilty.”
“I didn’t lead the investigation, but I know they’ve got a solid case.”
“Just be safe,” Dev says. “I don’t like this situation. It’s got bad karma written all over it. I like the idea of Roman keeping an eye on you. The Delgados are shady as fuck.”
I sigh. “Yeah.”
Chloe places a hand on my arm. “Before I forget, I want you to come to our house on Friday night. We have something to discuss with everyone. So, we’ll make dinner.”
I nod. “I’ll be there.”
Roman and Ledger join us at the door, and I give Ledger a hug goodbye.
“You’re crazy for going through with this,” Ledger says with a laugh. “But he’ll take care of you.”
“I can take care of myself,” I tell him, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Nobody says you can’t. But Roman is an extra layer of security,” my brother says. He pulls me away from the others. “Are you still considering visiting Dad?”
Learning that our mother was murdered and didn’t commit suicide has made me think a lot about visiting our father. For years, I blamed myself for so much of my mother’s passing. I thought my father blamed me too. Or blamed us. I don’t even know where my father’s head has been since he’s learned the truth. When I mentioned these thoughts to Dev, he didn’t appear keen on the idea of connecting with our father.
I nod. “I think it would be good.”
He gives a quick nod and leads Chloe out the door. Ledger says goodbye to his brother and follows them out.
Roman shuts the door and stuffs his hands into his pants pockets. “Why do you and Dev look so serious?”
“I need wine for this,” I say, and head toward the kitchen.
“That bad?” He follows me.
“It’s never too early for wine, right?” I select the Sauvignon Blanc and grab two glasses.
“It’s after one. I think it’s definitely a good time for wine.”
“Want some?” I pop the cork and pour us each a glass. After I’m done, I put the bottle back in the fridge. “I’ve been thinking a lot about visiting my father.”
We settle onto stools at the island.
“Dev doesn’t agree?”
I raise the glass to my lips and take a sip. Roman watches the action closely as he mimics my movements. “He doesn’t.” I set the glass down and trace the stem with my fingertip. “It’s been so hard to think one way about a person’s death and then learn something entirely different happened.”
“I get that. It must have been hard on your father.”
“It was hard on all of us. You remember?” Roman’s family was there for ours when the news of my mother’s suicide came out. Roman and Ledger would spend days talking to Dev about losing our mother. I never really had anyone to help me through it all. I wish I could have spoken to my father about it.
Roman turns toward me. “Yeah, I know. But I meant your father went through a different suffering.”
“What do you mean?”
“Imagine loving somebody, being that person’s soulmate, and instead of just walking away, they feel the only way out is by killing themselves.” He shakes his head. “I know your mother didn’t really kill herself, but it’s what you all believed for many, many years.”
I chew on my lip, contemplating his words. What must it have been like for my father to lose my mother? I was too young back then to understand it all. I was too wrapped up in my head to care about anyone’s feelings but my own. For years, I blamed myself for my mother taking her own life, thinking it was because of the fight we’d had a few days before.
“You’re right,” I say. “I think it’s time we spoke.”
“I want to be there for you when you do. If you want me to go, I will. Or I’ll be here, waiting with a bottle of wine, or hard liquor, whatever you need.”
I give a tiny laugh. “You don’t need to do that, Roman.”
“I want to do that.”
I lift my glass and take another sip. “I appreciate it. What about you? How are your parents? Whenever I go to Magnolia Ridge to visit my father, you could stop by your parents’ house.”