Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
I only cared where no one had any fucking right in deciding not to accept Billie, unless she decided she didn’t want to be accepted by them. But Billie reassured me this wasn’t a fight I could or should take on. It was useless because narrow-mindedness wasn’t something I could break, like Monroe’s wrist.
Still, it pissed me off, and the few times we’d come together for a holiday, Harmony’s parents and the rest of her family knew exactly how much I didn’t like them. Will wasn’t a fan either, and it’d affected his own relationship with his in-laws.
That was family shit that would happen no matter where we lived, who we were, or how old we got. Family would be up and down, as far as I was concerned, but Will and I were good. Will and Billie were good. Billie and I were good with Stevie, Georgie, Sammy, and now Will’s two boys, so in that regard, I was content as fuck.
“What’s this I hear that Stevie decided to transfer to FCA?” Channing sensed I wasn’t going to react to any of his questions, so he let it go, throwing his next question to my brother.
That got my attention.
Will faltered as he was in the middle of taking another drag from his na-beer. He glanced my way before coughing and nodding. “Yeah. Uh. She originally wanted to do public school here, thought Fallen Crest Academy would be too different from Roussou. That’s what she was used to, but she made the decision a week ago.”
“She’s going to FCA now?” I asked him.
He frowned at me, watching me carefully.
I’d extended a scholarship to Stevie years ago. If she wanted to go to the private school in Fallen Crest, she could go. It was her decision. Will and Harmony were financially maxed out in a legal fight against Shannon for custody before she’d been sentenced to prison. I helped cover Stevie’s therapy fees, but I found out later that they decided to have Georgie and Sammy both see a therapist, and they were also covering those fees themselves. They hadn’t wanted to use their insurance, hence why I set up the scholarship. Though, I would’ve set it up regardless and already had started before they told me.
Stevie turned the scholarship down, though she didn’t know I was the one behind it.
He nodded. “We checked. The scholarship she was originally offered said they’d cover her. They said it was set in stone for whenever she wanted to use it. Real generous of them.”
Channing’s head moved back an inch. “I’ll say. I had no idea there were scholarships for kids to go to FCA, though it makes sense. That school is expensive.”
Will and I both shared a look.
Channing was talking as if they weren’t in the way where they could afford to send their kids to that school. They could. They could afford to send thirty kids through that school if they wanted. They’d franchised his wife’s local bar in other locations and they were doing well. They were doing very well, but I shook my head slightly to Will. We didn’t bring it up. I didn’t care about it enough to bring it up.
Seeing Billie trying to hide a yawn as she was going through some boxes, I said briskly, “It’s time for you to say goodnight, Monroe.”
He paused, his eyes skirting my way and then toward Billie before he dipped his head down. “You’re right. It’s that time.” The goodbyes happened quickly, no fuss about it because it’s how we were. He finished his beer, then headed out, holding up a hand to Billie. “It was good seeing you again.”
Billie looked up, swallowing a second yawn. “Hi! Yes. Thank you for your help, Chandler.”
It was a joke now between them, and Channing flashed her a grin. “Heather will kick my ass if I don’t remind you that she’d love to come and help you unpack.”
Billie flushed before nodding. “I—yes—I’ll give her a call in the week. Just need to get my bearings until then.”
Channing held up his hand in another wave before he was gone.
I was watching Billie, but Will was watching me. I felt his attention and wasn’t surprised when he noted quietly, “Something going on there? Between Monroe’s wife and Billie?”
I shook my head. “No. Billie’s just content with keeping a small circle. It’s how she operated growing up. That’s all.” That was true, but Channing’s wife made it known she’d love to befriend Billie and all that would come with that. She had a group of friends that came with her, but there’d also be a load of support that would also come with them. Billie wasn’t used to it. Took half her life to finally accept Vicky and Howard as her parents and Lo as her sister. Small steps. That’s how Billie was right now.