Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 85682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
“Last-minute plans for dinner. Been too long since the family got together. Your mama is gonna be here. We expect you and Molly too.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, knowing there was no way out of it. Emerson and I were lucky this was the first time that happened since we started spending our weekends together.
“I have to head out today,” I said when I hung up. “Family dinner.”
Charles clapped Emerson on the shoulder. “I’ll keep this guy on track while you’re gone. It’ll be like old times.”
I hadn’t really thought about that, the fact that Em and Charles might need some time together. Charles was his friend, the person who had supported him when everyone he knew turned against him. “Maybe I’ll just stay home or with Molls tonight. Not sure when I’ll be done with the family anyway. Then I can come back in the mornin’.”
“Sleepover!” Charles threw his hands in the air.
Emerson rolled his eyes. “He’s an idiot. I should probably hang out with him, though.”
“That’s what we’ll do, then.”
I got my things together, and Emerson walked me out to my truck.
“Thank you for last night,” he said in unison with my, “Call me if you need me.”
We smiled before I added, “I’ll always be there for you, Em.”
“I know. I’ll be there for you too.”
Molly was, of course, willing to go to Aunt Sherry’s with me. We’d done this too many times to count. I spent most of the day with Mama, making up some excuse as to why I was picking Molly up later. I kept thinking about Emerson, and last night, and whether this thing between us could really go somewhere. Could he really love someone like me? Would he let himself?
I was thinking so much about him that I wasn’t putting a lot of thought into Mama and the fact that she’d been drinking and hadn’t made an appointment with a therapist or gone to AA like she’d promised me. But like Emerson had said about himself, I was just so damn tired. For once in my life, I wanted something to be easy.
“Why do you think me and Molly are meant to be together?” I asked, joining her in the living room, where she was knitting.
She frowned. “What kind of question is that?”
“I don’t know. I’m just curious.” I sat across from her.
Concern deepened the lines on her face. “Molly’s a good girl. She’ll treat you right. She doesn’t want outta Ryland. She won’t leave you or hurt you.”
Like my father had done to her. Because he’d always wanted out. And she assumed I never did. “So just because she’s safe?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Because you love her and she loves you. Because she’s your best friend. Who else would you be with?”
A man. Emerson. But how could I expect her to know if I never told her?
“You’re worrying me, Sammy. Where’s this coming from? Did something happen between you and Molly? Is it because of me? If she wants more, don’t worry about me. I’m doing good. I haven’t had a drink since that night you picked me up from the bar.”
Liar. It was the first time I’d ever allowed myself to think that word about my mom. “No. Everything’s fine with me and Molly. I’m gonna go over there for a bit. I’ll meet you at Aunt Sherry’s.”
She frowned, not looking convinced.
I went over and kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Sammy,” she replied, and I walked out.
“We’re thinkin’ about redoing the floors in the cabin. Sutton’s real good with hardwood. I never shoulda put carpet in there in the first place, but it was cheaper. Now that I got a little money put back, I think we might do it ourselves,” Jasper said over dinner that night. It had been awkward so far, but that was par for the course. Mama and my uncle weren’t super close. He got pissed because of the drinking and would say a whole lot more if Aunt Sherry didn’t threaten to cut his balls off if he did. It was okay for her to speak the truth, but not anyone else.
“You guys are getting too old to live like a couple of bachelors,” Uncle Bob said. “What you need to do is stop depending on each other so much. Find yourself a wife, Jasper, and then she can help you figure out what you want to do with the cabin.”
“They’re best friends,” Aunt Sherry said. “They’re still young. There’s no reason for either of them to rush into a family. Jasper and Caroline broke up just a few months back. She was horrible for him. We don’t need a girl like that in the family. The right one will come along.” Aunt Sherry reached over and squeezed Jasper’s hand.
“Don’t plan on livin’ with him forever,” Sutton said, and Jasper whipped his head in his direction like that surprised him.