Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
She shook her head. “Friends and family discount. It’s on the house today.”
“Penny, I can’t let you—”
“You can, and you will, young man,” she ordered.
I smiled and looked around the shop. “It’s good to see you guys doing so well. The shop looks amazing. I’m happy for you and Karl. I know how long this dream has been in the works for you both.”
She glanced around with a smile filled with pride. “It’s not much, but it’s ours.”
“Trust me, it’s a lot. It’s more than most people could ever dream up.”
She crossed her arms and kept giving me that gentle grin. I didn’t know smiles could feel like home. “How are you, sweetheart?”
“Me? I’m alright.”
She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “How are you, sweetheart?” she asked again.
I couldn’t lie to her again.
“Yeah”—she nodded—“I sense that. You know, your mother worries about you. I do, too.”
“I guess that’s what mothers do.”
“It’s the hardest part of the job. Worrying about our babies.” She shifted in her shoes. “I heard you’ve crossed paths with Hailee since you’ve been back in town.”
I felt my body tense up at the mention of her. “We’ve had a few run-ins.”
“How did that go?”
“She didn’t tell you?”
“She did, but we all see situations from different viewpoints. I’d love to hear yours.”
I grimaced. “It hasn’t gone the greatest.”
“You two have a very strong history. It’s no surprise that your first interactions after all these years are a bit rocky. I hate to see you kids struggling through it.”
“Yeah, well, she made it clear as day all those years ago that she wanted nothing to do with me. It’s probably best I keep out of her way.”
“Oh, Aiden.” Penny shook her head and sighed. “You don’t really think my daughter wanted nothing to do with you, do you?”
“Of course, I do. She broke up with me.”
“Yes, but it wasn’t as if she wanted to. Her hands were tied, and your father made a very solid selling point when Hailee was dealing with her own issues, and—”
“My father?” I asked, alert. “What do you mean?”
A look of shock found her eyes as she realized that I lacked a few key details in Hailee’s and my break-up. “Sorry. That was a slip of the tongue. You better get that order to your mom and—”
“Penny,” I urged. “What are you talking about?”
She looked down at her hands and swallowed hard before speaking. “Your father asked her to stop seeing you. Hailee only told me after she had one too many drinks on her twenty-first birthday. She made me promise not to tell anyone, but my big mouth just let it slip.”
My dead heart found a few faint beats. “Why would he do that?”
“He figured it would damage your career after Hailee’s issues. He thought you were focusing too much more on her than your own career, so he told her how selfish it was of her to stand in your way.” She shook her head with defeat. “I’d never seen Hailee struggle so much with a decision, Aiden. I need you to know that giving you up was the hardest thing she’s ever had to do. She loved you more than you’ll ever know, and—”
“My father did this? Told her to stay away?”
She frowned. “I didn’t mean to let that slip out, Aiden. I wouldn’t have told you if—”
“Sorry, Penny, I have to go.”
“Aiden, wait.”
“Yes?”
She sighed before rubbing her hand against the back of her neck. “Hailee lives in the apartment right above the bakery.” She gestured toward the ceiling. “If you need to have another run-in with her.”
“Thank you.” I grabbed the paper bag and stormed out of the bakery. I felt sick to my stomach as I replayed Penny’s words repeatedly in my mind.
When I arrived at Mom and Dad’s place, I pounded on the front door. Mom opened it, giving me her wide smile. “Hey, sweetheart. I see you’ve got the bread—”
“Where’s Dad?” I cut in, marching past her into their foyer.
“He’s in the kitchen. What’s going on?”
I didn’t reply to her as I headed through their house. The second my eyes spotted my father, I barked his way, “Is it true?”
He turned to see me with the same kind of smile that Mom had.
“Is what true?”
“About Hailee. Did you tell her to break up with me because it would’ve damaged my career?”
The smile evaporated from his face, and his eyes grew somber. That was enough of an answer for me.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked down to the floor before looking back up at me. “Now, listen, Aiden…”
Mom stood in shock. At least it appeared she wasn’t in on this bullshit. “That can’t be true, Samuel. You wouldn’t—”
“He did.” I gestured toward my father, the man I trusted most in my life. The man who’d betrayed me. “Tell her what you did.”