Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“The job isn’t going well?”
“No, it is, I just . . .” I didn’t feel like explaining the whole Austin situation to her. “I guess it just doesn’t feel like home here yet. I was thinking maybe I’d come visit you while the kids go to visit their mom in California.”
“Yes!” she shrieked. “Do it!”
I laughed at her excitement. “I’ll check ticket prices. I don’t want to blow all my earnings. I’m going to need them this fall.”
“Let me know,” she said. “I cannot wait to see you!”
We hung up, and I felt a little better.
Then I got a message from Austin.
The kids leave tomorrow for California.
I know. It’s on the calendar.
I’ll help them pack when I get home tonight. Could you make sure all their laundry is done?
Yes.
Then I took a deep breath and asked my question.
Are you still planning to take me to Chicago while they are gone to get my things?
I said I would.
I frowned.
It’s okay if you don’t have time. I know how busy you are.
I said I would, and I will. We’ll go Sunday.
Annoyed, I tossed my phone aside and stomped upstairs to get the kids’ laundry.
On Friday evening, Xander showed up with burgers and hot dogs, and he and Austin grilled while I stuck frozen French fries in the oven and tossed a salad together. Austin sat across the table from me, but never seemed to look up from his plate, much as he’d done all week.
After dinner, the kids begged their dad to take them into town for ice cream.
“Not tonight,” he said firmly. “We need to get you guys packed.”
“All their laundry is done,” I said before he could ask. Then I got up and began clearing the table. “I just have to bring up the last load from the basement. The rest is already folded and put away.”
Austin didn’t look at me, but I could sense Xander’s eyes moving back and forth between me and his brother.
“Tell you what.” Xander spoke up. “I’ll take the kids for ice cream right now, and you guys can get their bags packed without interruption.”
“Yay! Can we, Daddy?” Adelaide asked.
“I guess.” Austin didn’t sound too happy about the plan, and I wondered if it was because it meant being alone in the house with me.
“Let’s go.” Xander stood up and shook his keys. “Last one to the car is a rotten egg.”
As soon as they were gone, Austin brought his dishes to the sink. “I’ll clean up in here. Can you bring those last loads of laundry up to their rooms? Then you can be done for the night. I can pack their bags myself.”
“Fine.” Wiping my hands on the towel, I glanced sideways at him. “Everything okay?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. You haven’t been talking to me much this week.”
He was silent for a moment. “I’m just doing what I said I’d do.”
“Right. Okay.” I left him standing there and went down to the basement, where I emptied the clothing from the dryer into the basket, then carried it all the way up to the second floor.
On the landing, I glanced into Austin’s bedroom. The bed was made, although the comforter was wrinkled on one side, like maybe he’d sat there to put on his socks and shoes. I wondered if he’d ever had a woman in that bed, or if he’d slept alone every single night for the last seven years. He said he never got lonely. But how could that be? Wasn’t he human?
I went into Adelaide’s room and dumped the clothes out onto the bed, separating them into piles of his and hers, then folding them neatly. I was placing things into Addie’s dresser drawers when I heard Austin’s voice behind me.
“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll take over.”
I closed the drawer and turned around, leaning back against the dresser. “You don’t want help?”
“No, thanks.” He went over to the bed, knelt down, and pulled a small purple suitcase from under it. Rising to his feet, he opened it on the bed.
“Are you just going to ignore me like this for the rest of the summer, Austin? Because I’m not sure I can stand it.”
“I’m not ignoring you.” He went to the closet and took out a couple pairs of shoes. “I’m treating you like I’m supposed to. Like an employee.”
“I thought we were going to be friends.”
He placed the shoes at the bottom of the suitcase. “I thought we could, but I don’t think that’s possible anymore.”
“Why not?”
“You know why not.” He went to the closet again and took a couple sundresses off their hangers.
“Because we like each other?”
“It’s more than that.” Laying the dresses on the bed, he came over to the dresser where I was standing. “Excuse me. I have to open this drawer.”
I wouldn’t budge. “Answer the question, Austin. Why can’t we be friends?”