Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“Oh,” I said, my heart lurching and excitement flaring through me. “Jimmy is coming here first instead of going there,” I said in a rush. “He just got here. I see him through the window now.”
“Yes, exactly. I would say that is a huge change in plans—”
“Matt, honestly, I didn’t know. Mr. Tom must’ve set this up to surprise me—”
“Do you actually expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t give two shits what you believe. You screwed up by telling him work is more important than him, and this is clearly Jimmy telling you how that makes him feel. This is between you and him. If he wants to come here for a week instead of going there, he’s an adult. That is his decision to make.”
Mr. Tom came around the car and wrestled Jimmy’s bags away from him.
No sound came from the phone, and a quick check verified that Matt had hung up on me this time.
It was just as well. The conversation would only have gone downhill from there.
“I thought you got along with your ex?” Jasper asked, waiting in the hall. He’d clearly been eavesdropping.
“I did. But I guess that was before I developed a spine. We haven’t really seen eye to eye since I moved here.”
“Fair play to ya,” Niamh called, but I was already jogging for the door.
“Mom!” Jimmy’s face had an attempt at a five o’clock shadow, his few whiskers a long way from a full face of hair. His eyes had dark circles under them, but otherwise he was practically thrumming with excitement. “Surprise! Are you happy?”
I tackle-hugged him, squeezing him tightly. The pain from the last couple of months threatened to break free as he stepped back. His eyes shadowed immediately, and he stepped in for another hug.
“Mr. Tom told me about you losing your friend. Sorry, Mom. That’s why I thought you wouldn’t mind if I came here instead of going to Dad’s. And not to throw him under the bus or anything, but Mr. Tom said it would be okay.”
“Of course I don’t mind!” I stepped back and wiped my face, smiling. “You are always welcome, you know that. Maybe a little heads-up would’ve been nice, though, Mr. Tom.” I leaned around Jimmy to give Mr. Tom a hard look. “The Christmas party is going to be tense because Jimmy’s dad is less than thrilled that I didn’t clear this with him, but it’ll be fine.”
“The nature of a surprise means there is no heads-up,” Mr. Tom intoned, not at all apologetic.
“Yeah.” Jimmy headed toward the house. “I figured Dad would be pissed. That’s why I didn’t tell him. But he canceled all the stuff just he and I were going to do together. I’d have been stuck hanging out with Camila all the time, and…” He shrugged. “I figured he wouldn’t really care, since he wasn’t going to be there much anyway.”
“We’ll smooth it over. It’ll be fine. Are you tired? Hungry?”
“Is Austin still—”
The words died on Jimmy’s lips when he saw Tristan waiting just inside the doorway. He stopped dead and then started to back-pedal.
“What’s wrong?” I put a hand on his back to stop him. “That’s Tristan. He’s with us now. He’s a new hire, so to speak. Well…not new new, but new since you’ve been here.”
“Don’t mind him a’tall.” Niamh shouldered the huge gargoyle-monster, something we’d taken to calling him because he wasn’t full gargoyle, out of the way and held out her hands for Jimmy. “He’s only incredibly dangerous to yer enemies. Come in, come in. How about a cuppa? Do ye want a sandwich? Ye do, o’course. Come in and I’ll make something fer ya.”
She turned for the kitchen.
“You do not get to offer your terrible sandwiches in this house,” Mr. Tom called, dropping Jimmy’s bags and hurrying in through the door. “Don’t touch those, Master Jimmy.” He hastily pointed at the bags as he moved through the foyer. “I’ll be back for them promptly. I just need to get that horrible old woman out of my kitchen before she wrecks everything. Don’t you touch my bread,” he yelled, running down the hallway.
Mimi flattened herself against the wall down the way. Mr. Tom’s wing fluttered by her, and then she pushed off again as if an old butler hadn’t just sprinted past in a mad dash for kitchen dominance. She held herself as regally as usual, stopping in front of Jimmy and clasping her hands in front of her.
“Hello,” she said. “I hear you are Jessie’s boy. Well met. I am Naomi, Austin’s Grandma Mimi. Since you are part of our family, you may call me Mimi as well. Given you are a Dick, I will inform you that I am not a hugger.”
“What’d she just call me?” he murmured, hesitantly putting out his hand for a shake.