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)
“First, it was Jimmy who originally changed plans, and that was because you arranged for someone else to pick him up after saying you were going to do it. Second—”
“That is utterly incorrect. This is what I mean. You twist words and now events to try to suit your needs. I was going to pick Jimmy up. We discussed that.”
“Except you changed the plan and were going to have Camila do it.”
“I did no such thing. I was always going to pick him up, and he knew that. He said you missed him and wanted him at your house, so he went to make you feel better. Jacinta, is this what you need to do to be the center of attention? Lie?”
“What are you talking about?” I said, desperately trying to think back through the muddle of my thoughts to when Jimmy had arrived. My frustration and anger were making things slippery. “No—”
“We had the whole week planned, and then your selfishness made him feel guilty. That isn’t fair to the boy. To make matters worse, you specifically told me that you would personally drop him off, and then you send him with some strange character in a superhero outfit. He just waltzed into this house like he owned the place. Is this your version of a joke, jeopardizing our child?”
“I’m not jeopardizing anything! Mr. Tom looks after Jimmy like he’s his own child. More so, actually, and I didn’t say I’d be dropping him off. I knew that I couldn’t, so—”
“His own child? Just how many people are you dating?”
The whiplash of that comment pulled me up short for a moment as I tried to process what he was accusing me of this time.
“Besides,” he went on, not allowing me to have a moment to form any semblance of an educated rebuttal, “I distinctly remember your telling me you were going to drop him off.”
“I couldn’t have said that, Matt,” I replied, now trying to remember specifics from our previous conversation so I could prove him wrong verbatim. My voice rose, because I knew he was trying to twist me up. “I had something come up, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to. I remember that specifically. Besides, what does it actually matter if—”
“You need to calm down. There is no need to shout.” He blew out an exasperated breath. “I don’t know why I bother trying to speak to you. You always blow everything out of proportion.”
My mouth dropped open. “I blow everything out of proportion?” I said incredulously, my volume still high and my anger rising. “You’re the one—”
“No.” He put his hand in front of my face. “I will not tolerate yelling. You are clearly too emotional to discuss this in a rational manner. When you’ve calmed down, maybe we can have an intelligent conversation. I swear, Jacinta, when your new man-friend realizes how you change facts and bend the truth, he won’t be around much longer.”
He shook his head in disdain as he about-faced and strode from the room.
“Kill him,” Ivy House said as I watched him go. “He’s the sort of man the last heirs would’ve gone for. He’ll end up trying to kill you, trust me. Kill him before he gets the chance.”
FOURTEEN
Niamh
“The trick is, girl, you have to establish yerself in a place before ye go plying people for information.”
Niamh sat slightly hunched over the bar, at the end, a couple stools from the wall, where she could see most of the comings and goings. The size of the place made it easy. A fairly tiny affair, it had a few booths, a few high tables, and a row of ten barstools before the corner and three after. A door at the front allowed in all the traffic, and one at the back led to the jacks—two toilets, one urinal, and a couple of twisted holes where the signs used to be. It was a free-for-all back there, pee everywhere. At least the locks worked, not that Niamh cared. When she used the loo, not many guys were thrilled to witness it. She had no idea why. Maybe it was the large silver bush or the inviting wave she gave any looky-loos. Semi-innocent Peeping Toms were an uneasy sort.
“Ye don’t just waltz in, ask a bunch of questions, slurp down yer beer, and sashay back out again. That’s a surefire way ta get noticed.”
Niamh rattled her ice in her glass and settled it at the end of the bar. The barman, a portly fellow with no real interest in the patrons, making drinks, or moving, took a little encouragement. It was why Niamh had two drinks going at the same time. One to drink while the barman loaded up the other, then switch.
“Ye especially don’t go all dolled up to a place like Bruster’s or the Dirty Puck, are ye jokin’? Ye’re much too pretty to go doin’ something like that.”