Total pages in book: 189
Estimated words: 181808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 909(@200wpm)___ 727(@250wpm)___ 606(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 909(@200wpm)___ 727(@250wpm)___ 606(@300wpm)
“I don’t like what you’re implying.”
“I’m not implying; I’m coming right out and saying I think you’re full of bullshit.”
Moon was surprised Kendra had let the profanity slip out of her mouth.
She read his surprise. “You have me all wrong, Moon. Don’t underestimate me like you have Larissa. I’ll go for your balls where my daughter is concerned.” Kendra sniffed the air as if she were smelling something disgusting. “You might be pretending you shit flower petals whenever Larissa is around, but I can smell bullshit a mile away. I’m going to disillusion you about something else, too. Larissa might love you, but she doesn’t have blinders on.”
“What does that mean?” Moon took another sip of his beer. He was going to let the bitch get out what she had been storing up, and then he was going to rip her into shreds.
“It means, when you do show your true colors to Larissa, and I believe you will, you’re going to be dealing with far more than you expected.”
Kendra leaned forward, her hand going to one of the stacks of books on the table, toppling them over. “Take a look at these books. I bet you think I’m the one who convinced Larissa to write that paper for my friend’s son. I didn’t. He called and asked her. Larissa gave in when Kyle told her that he would flunk the class and wouldn’t be able to graduate this semester. Larissa is too kindhearted for her own good.
“This other stack of books is for one of her previous mothers, who is trying to get through college with three children at home.” Kendra laid a hand on the stack of paperwork next to the computer. “This is all the work she has been working on to prove Treepoint needs a birthing center. She’s already put in hundreds of hours, and they keep asking for more. Lana and Priss have tried to help, but Larissa has put in the majority of the work. She puts her whole heart into everything she does to benefit others. She’s a gentle soul in a world that only values strength. Are you aware how many scholarships she was offered before she was even out of middle school? She refused all of them. Instead, she worked part-time to help me pay to send Lana to medical school. She had her choice of Ivy League schools, but she went to a local college to save money so Lana and Priss could chase their dreams.”
Kendra picked up her wine glass to take a drink then stared down into the burgundy depths as she continued to talk. “When she moved in with a Bryer, I was so happy for her. I thought she finally found someone who saw how special she was. Other than a girl who she grew up with, Larissa didn’t have friends.” The slight trembling of her lips revealed the inner emotions Kendra was containing. “Finally, I thought she would be able to live a normal life. However, it didn’t take long before I found out she was doing the majority of his schoolwork, and as soon as that degree was in his hands, it came out that he had been having an affair. He didn’t even have the balls to break it off with her; he let his side piece do the dirty work for him.”
Setting the glass down, she pinned him with her gaze again. “Do you know why she doesn’t work in a hospital?”
Moon had to clear his throat. “She told me it’s because she prefers being more personally involved with her patients.”
“That’s true.” She nodded. “But it isn’t the only reason. Larissa couldn’t take her patients dying. She could never reach the level of detachment needed to work in a hospital. When she worked with patients who were dying and they reached the point where nothing could be done for them and the patients were ready to give up, she couldn’t. My daughter is a fighter, and she couldn’t handle failing her patients. With each death, I saw a part of her die inside as well.”
Kendra picked up her glass to finish her wine. Standing, she then looked at him across the table. “Enjoy whatever game you’re playing with my daughter. Larissa is the daughter who is most like me.” Her face filled with amused mockery. “You don’t believe me? It’s the truth. I was just like Larissa. Oh, I don’t have her intelligence, but I was too empathic to a fault. You want to know what changed me?” She didn’t wait for him to answer her question. “My children. Where they are concerned, they became my priority. Don’t underestimate me, and certainly don’t Larissa. I might not have the physical strength to take you on in a fight, but don’t think I can’t take you down another way.”