Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
She gets closer to me and I look over at a man who looks like he’s been waiting. Everything seems as if it happens in slow motion. He gets close to her and I hear his voice calling her name, I look at him and then to her to see if she knows him, but her face is filled with confusion. “Julia Williams.” He holds up his hand with papers in it. “You’ve been served.”
“What?” she asks in confusion as he places the papers in her hand. He nods at her and walks away from her toward the elevator.
Her whole demeanor changes when her eyes quickly go from her hands as she turns to look at the man, who just walked away from her as he gets in the elevator. I take three steps to her. “What’s the matter?” I ask her as I get close enough to her.
“I have no idea,” she says as she opens the papers that are folded in thirds. Her eyes roam the top of the paper and I see the color slowly drain away from her face. Her hands start to shake as she blinks quickly. She turns around, looking back at the elevator and then toward Penelope’s room where someone has closed the door.
“Julia,” I call her name, my body is so tense it feels as if my skin is crawling off me. “Talk to me.” It’s more of a plea than anything else.
Her eyes fly to mine as I see the tears form. “I’m being sued.” She puts her hands to her stomach with the papers in them. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
I take one step toward her, wrapping my arm around her waist to hold her up in case she falls. “Okay, let’s get out of here.” It’s the only thing I can think of doing.
She walks with me, her head down the whole time. “Let’s get you in the fresh air.” I talk to her calmly, explaining to her where we are going. I get in the elevator with her as she leans against the back wall. “We need to get you some water,” I say and she just stares at me and I swear it’s like she’s not even here. I can’t even imagine how she is feeling, I also know I would take whatever she is feeling for her not to go through it. My head goes around and around as if it's going through a tornado as I think of what to do.
The elevator pings and I slip my hand into her empty hand, the other one still gripping the papers in her fist. “I’m parked right outside,” I say and she just follows me.
Taking my keys from my pocket, I unlock the door and open it for her. I sit her in the passenger seat and squat down beside her. “Hey,” I say, wanting her to look at me, but when she does, everything in me stands still. The emptiness is a look I’ve never seen on her, it’s a look I never want to see again. “It’s going to be okay,” I assure her and all she can do is swallow. I close the door of the car and pull out my phone.
I press the button and he answers after one ring. “Hey,” I greet as soon as I hear his voice.
“You miss me already,” he teases, and just hearing his voice makes me feel better. Even though the two of us have butted heads most of my life, there is no one else I would turn to for help. I know without a doubt, that no matter what, he would be in my corner, ready to fight my battle with me and for me.
“Dad.” I say his name and he must sense something is off with me. I look around the parking lot, trying to think of what to say. I think about the need to protect Julia and I know whatever is in those papers, she is going to need someone in her corner. I also know it’s not my place to say what is going on. “I need you” are the only words that come out.
I can hear him cover the speaker on the phone as he yells something. “Where are you?”
“About to get on the plane to head back to New York,” he says, and I can hear the car door shut. He was in town for a couple of days and was leaving today.
“Can you be at my place in ten minutes?” I ask him. If he says no, I honestly have no idea what the fuck I’m going to do. I’m going to have to call Michael or even Max. I just know I need to call in the big guns.
“I’ll be there in ten,” he assures me, disconnecting the phone. I put it in my back pocket, close my eyes, and look up at the sky. I take a couple of seconds to catch my breath before I open the driver’s door. I reel in the part of me that is my father and just wants to grab the papers and read them. I try to ignore everything that is going on in my head, she needs a friend, nothing more.