Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 132332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
I turn the wheel.
Heidi raises her middle finger as we pass the big rooster-shaped mailbox at the end of her brother’s driveway, and I let out a bitter laugh. Grassy fields, a house or farm every couple miles, eventually lead to a village where many of the houses have stood for over a century. I have to slow the truck to navigate the tighter roads.
The sign for Ward’s Market comes into view. I pull into their small lot and park the truck on the side of the small brick building out of view from the main road. I leave the truck running and turn to Heidi. “Where do you want to go?”
“I need to…think. I need to be away from them for a while.” She lifts her gaze, her watery brown eyes pleading with me. “Please.”
“Anywhere you want, beautiful.”
She bites her lip and stares out the windshield. “The Adirondacks?” She blushes and drops her gaze. “Maybe that place we went to our first…time together?”
Everything about that feels right. Even if everything about today is all wrong.
“It’s like three hours away though. Is that okay?” she asks. “We don’t have to go that far—”
“It’s perfect. Let’s do it.” I shift the truck into drive and pull out of the parking lot.
She’s quiet as I follow the back roads to the Northway. I reach over and rest my hand on her leg. “Are you okay?”
“No.”
“I mean, physically. The baby?”
“Oh,” she whispers, resting her hand on her stomach. “My heart’s racing, and I feel like I’m going to puke. I can’t believe he—”
“Don’t. Not right now.” I don’t like that she’s not feeling well. “Let’s take a few breaths and calm down. We’ll talk about it when we get there.”
“Okay.” She slides her hand over mine. “We’ll call this our babymoon getaway, then.”
“I had a different place in mind for our babymoon.”
“You did?” she gasps. “You were planning a vacation for us?”
Yes, please. Let’s talk about that instead. Anything to get her mind off what just happened. “Yup.”
“You always take good care of me.”
“You’re not going to ask where I wanted to take you?”
“Nope. I trust you.” Her voice falters again. “You’re the only person I can trust.”
“Same.” The weight of that word drags me to hell. I’ve trusted Marcel with my life, with everything, for so long.
With a few words, Marcel managed to expose his giant lie and alter the bond we’ve shared for more than twenty years.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Rock
Everything in me is screaming to go after Murphy. The fear that he might not come back gnaws at me. Even after a quick chat with Grinder, my unease remains.
I also really want to strangle my son.
All the ways Marcel and I could’ve handled this differently scroll through my head on an annoying loop as I stalk through the woods back to my house.
Months ago. I should’ve forced him to do this months ago. In a planned, controlled, more compassionate way. Not just blurting it out over fucking coffee cake.
Heaviness pulls at me as I step onto the porch. “I’m too old for this shit,” I grumble.
I catch Charlotte’s upbeat tone as I open the front door but can’t make out her words.
Hope’s anxious eyes land on me first. “Are they okay?” she mouths.
I shake my head.
“Well, that could’ve gone better,” Marcel smirks as I walk into the house.
It takes a few seconds for his words to sink in.
Don’t punch him. “Gee, ya think?”
My gaze lands on his anguished eyes. His smirk disappears. The ass chewing I planned to hand him evaporates.
“Is Heidi okay?” he asks.
Heidi’s eager voice asking if I was also her father haunts me. Crushing that seed of hope before it took root hurt like a bitch. “Don’t know. They left.”
He frowns and pushes his chair away from the dining table. “Why’d you let them leave?”
“Are you shittin’ me?” I approach fast and Hope hurries to place herself between the two of us.
“Rock.” Her tone’s firm, like she’s trying to tame an attack dog. Any other time, her voice would soothe my irritation. Not today. Not after that scene.
Charlotte stands behind Marcel, resting her hands on his shoulders. Whether she’s trying to offer him support or keep his ass in the chair, I can’t tell.
“Did they say where they were going?” she asks.
“No.” Why didn’t I see this coming? Heidi taking it hard was a given. Murphy? I knew he’d be pissed at Teller for upsetting Heidi. Maybe offended that we waited so long to tell them. But that’s not all I deciphered from our heated exchange.
You don’t get to tell me what to do, Rock. You’re not my father.
“Heidi’s not the only reason you’ve wanted to keep this under wraps for so damn long, is she?” I ask, taking Hope’s hand and approaching the table with a cooler head.
“No, not really. I don’t know.” Marcel shakes his head, misery falling around him like a cloak.