Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
“Really?”
“Yup.”
“Thanks.” A relieved smile spreads over my face.
“I’m back, kiddo.” Remy’s deep rumble sends a shock of fear straight through my stomach. Did he overhear what Juliet and I were talking about? I doubt he’ll find the “premeditated sexcapade” thing as adorable as Juliet did.
“Everything okay at the bar?” I ask.
Remy flops a large pink envelope on the table and waves his hand in the air. “Yeah, it’s fine.” He steps over the bench and sits across from me.
Juliet picks up her cake and stands. “I’m going to find Vapor.” She squeezes my shoulder. “If you need me…”
“Thanks.” I pat her hand and flash a grateful smile.
“What’d you guys talk about?” Remy asks after Juliet leaves.
“Nothing,” I answer too fast. I reach under the table and smooth my dress over my legs.
Remy nudges the pink envelope across the table. “This is for you.”
“Me?” My eyes widen, and I eagerly rip the sealed tab open. Inside, there’s a bunch of papers. “My financial aid forms! Wait.” I stuff them in the envelope. “You went and talked to Dad? When?”
“Couple days ago.” He taps the envelope. “If you need anything else filled out, just tell me. We came to an understanding.”
That doesn’t sound good. “What does that mean?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Did he…” Am I really going to let Remy know how pathetic I am? “Did he ask about me?” I ask in a small voice.
Remy’s leg starts bouncing under the table, shaking his whole body. He clenches his jaw. Finally, he blows out a long breath. “Not really,” he answers.
Why do I even care? “Thanks.”
“For?”
“Not lying to me.” I circle one finger in front of him. “The leg bouncing and teeth grinding. You’re pissed. And you were considering lying to me so you wouldn’t hurt my feelings.”
He stares at me in disbelief for a few seconds. “You know me that well, huh?” he asks without his usual humor.
“Thanks for telling me the truth.”
“Dad’s an asshole, Molly. It’s got nothing to do with you.”
“I know.”
He jerks his chin. “Take out the other thing in there.”
I slip my hand in the envelope and search until my fingers brush against a small, thick square of paper. I pull it out and stare at the cream business card. “Advanced Hearing Center.” My brows knit together. “Won’t you need their services long before I do?”
“Funny,” he scoffs. “I ran into Mr. Fisher. Grandpa’s hearing aid specialist,” he reminds me.
“Oh! Really? Where?”
“At his office.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. He told me once if I ever needed something to let him know.” He spreads his hands in front of him and stares me straight in the eyes. “I told him you’re about to graduate, and you want to go to school to be a hearing aid specialist too.”
I sit straight to absorb what he said. “You did? Why?” It feels weird. Like he exposed my secrets to a stranger or something.
He considers me carefully. “I think it’ll help you get into school. You’re already going to be applying late. Working there will look better than ringing up groceries at Miller’s Farm.”
“Oh. But I’m probably going to end up going to Greene Pointe for the first two years, then transfer.”
He rolls his eyes as if I’m being dense. “So? It’ll still help. Maybe you’ll decide you don’t like it and want to do something else. Or maybe you’ll love it and decide you want to go on and get your master’s in audiology or whatever. At least it’ll give you some experience.”
Someone touches my shoulder. By the feel of the body behind me, it’s Griff. I tip my head back. “Hey.”
“Can I join?” Griff lifts his eyebrows. “Or is this a confidential talk?”
“Sit,” Remy says. “Talk some sense into your girl.”
“Talk some sense?” I bristle.
“Yikes,” Griff mutters as he climbs onto the bench next to me. “What’s going on?”
“I got Molly an internship at Fisher’s hearing clinic and she’s making up excuses for why she can’t do it.”
“I didn’t say that!” I shout louder than I intended. “I just don’t have any experience or anything.”
“Yeah,” Remy says slowly, as if I’m an idiot. “That’s the whole point. To get experience.” He flicks his gaze at Griff. “Am I speaking another language?”
“Won’t I have to like dress up or something though?” A medical office isn’t going to let me wear jeans and T-shirts the way my cashier’s job does. “It’s an office.”
Remy’s clearly exasperated with me. “So we’ll buy you a summer business wardrobe or whatever the fuck. Why are you being so difficult?”
“Hey,” Griff snaps. “Ease up.” Griff slides his hand over mine. “What’s wrong?”
Feeling helpless and unable to put the words together, I stare at him and shake my head.
“You’re worried because you don’t have experience,” Griff says.
I bob my head up and down.
“Okay,” Griff says calmly, shooting a scowl at Remy. “Everyone has to start somewhere, Molly.” He glances at Remy. “It’s Fisher’s place? The guy your grandfather saw?”