Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
He stopped her from rushing away, lifting her onto the counter. “Calm, baby. I checked my calendar. My first meeting isn’t until after lunch.”
She breathed out a sigh of relief. “You’re right. That’s good.”
“Let’s get you something to eat. You’re too pale for my liking.”
“I’m fine.”
“I’m going to make you better than fine.”
“Wow, I’m about to develop cavities from how sweet the two of you are.”
Faith jolted. She’d forgotten that Cammie was even here. Glancing over, she saw that her friend was smiling at them. But her smile didn’t really meet her eyes.
Something inside Faith was starting to burn and grow. She’d always thought she’d be friends with Cammie forever. But she’d changed. Cammie she used to know wouldn’t have spoken like that.
The old Cammie would have been happy that Faith was happy.
“Sorry, Cammie, forgot you were there.” It was mean, but she couldn’t help herself.
She was feeling like a voodoo doll who had been stabbed one too many times and was about to snap.
Reuben helped her down and she wandered over to the table. Cammie was dressed in a tight black skirt and a white sheer shirt. Her hair was a smooth ebony wave down her back.
She’d expertly applied her makeup, so you could barely see that she had a black eye.
Faith felt like a total mess next to her.
“Sit down, baby. I’ll get you some breakfast.”
She nodded, giving Reuben a small smile. Cammie glanced away.
“How did you sleep, Cammie?” she asked.
“Great, thanks to the drugs Reuben gave me.”
“Are you going into work?” Faith asked. She was dressed like she was.
“No. I called to let them know I’m not going in.”
Reuben put a plate filled with soft scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon in front of her.
Faith smiled up at him. “Your housekeeper has been by?”
“Yep.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “Eat up, baby.”
She stared up at him adoringly. How could she not?
He wasn’t an easy man.
Nor was he a perfect man.
But he was her everything.
A cup of coffee was placed by her hand. He leaned in to whisper to her. “I tested it so it’s not too hot.”
Turning, she kissed him to say thanks.
“Yep, there’s another cavity. Are you going to cut her food up and feed it to her as well? I mean, she’d like that. She loves being treated like a baby.”
Faith sucked in a pain-filled breath.
Usually, when someone said something awful to her, she’d run away. Try to hide her wounds.
But not this time. Enough was enough.
“The fuck did you just say?” Reuben snarled.
Cammie paled and leaned back.
“I have this, Reuben,” Faith told him.
“Baby.”
“I have this. Please.”
Reuben clenched his jaw. “All right, but if she hurts you again, I won’t hold back.”
Cammie bit her lip.
Yeah, she really didn’t want Reuben to unleash on her.
“Why are you being mean?” Faith demanded.
Cammie’s eyes widened in shock. “What?”
“You’re being mean. I understand that last night was awful. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. But that doesn’t give you the right to be mean.”
That felt so good. Well, in a way it was awful because she’d been friends with this woman since they were both young. And it hurt that Cammie could be so awful.
Faith also thought that perhaps Cammie’s offer to live with them wasn’t so much about helping her out as it was about using her.
“Did you want me to live there? Or was it just about the money?”
Cammie tried to hide her reaction, but Faith saw her wince. Then she rubbed her ear. That was her tell when she was about to lie.
“Of course it wasn’t. You’re my best friend and I wanted to help you.”
Faith was vaguely aware of Reuben stepping away to lean against the counter behind her. Giving her space but not leaving.
And she was grateful for that.
“Cammie, you forget how long I’ve known you. Remember in Mrs. Ferguson’s class how someone stole all the candy out of her drawer? They questioned the ten of us who had been in the classroom during break. I knew it was you because you rubbed your ear. Just like you’re doing now.”
“You never told.”
“Of course not. Because best friends have each other’s backs. They don’t let their husband put their best friend in a horrible basement or use them because they need the money. Or make them feel terrible for finding a man who dotes on them.”
Cammie sucked in a breath. “I don’t know when I turned into this person. I really don’t. Eric, he . . . he’s not the same man he once was. He gets angry so easily.”
“Is this the first time he’s hit you?” Faith asked. She wished she could reach over and take her friend’s hand. But she wasn’t sure she could handle being rejected.
Cammie couldn’t meet her eyes. “It’s happened a couple of times before. But he’s under a lot of pressure! And sometimes I get too pushy and demanding.”