Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 82112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“I’m sure you do a wonderful job. You’re much nicer than me.”
She laughed. “Not so much these days. DJ called me a bitch when I made him clean up their room, and Vulcan said he misses your cooking, that mine sucks.”
“They are all assholes. I love them, but they’re still assholes. Don’t let the boys get to you. How is Silver? I’m going to call her next.”
Jamaica sighed. “She’s been difficult. She’s angry with Mom. In a bad way. She hates her for sending you away. She rarely speaks to her, and she stays out late. She’s seeing this older guy, who I know is in a gang. I wish AJ would come back and help with her.”
I rubbed my temple. Silver was always the wild one. I had worried about this.
“I’ll talk to her. Maybe I can do something.”
“I’d ask how you are, but seeing as how Mr. Hot and Sexy Saxon Houston showed up at the trailer, giving us phones, I’d say you’re doing good. When did that happen? Last we heard, you were living in Gainesville in an apartment with some strangers. DJ yelled at Mom about it. He swore if something happened to you, she was going to pay.”
I winced. DJ was trying to be the head of the house with AJ gone. I should have guessed that.
“I’m doing good. Saxon found out about the pregnancy and moved me into his place. He got me better medical insurance and a really good OB-GYN. We heard the baby’s heartbeat.”
“Ohmigod! You did?! I wish I could have heard it. I’m so glad you are safe and being taken care of. It will be easier to sleep at night.”
A door slammed in the background, and I heard Vulcan and Thorn yelling at each other. Smiling, I lay back on the bed. I missed the assholes.
“You got a fucking phone?!” Vulcan shouted. “How?”
“Haisley’s baby daddy gave it to me. This is her on the phone. Want to talk to her?”
There was noise, then a, “Hayes!” Vulcan’s voice was changing.
I squeezed the phone tighter.
“How’s my favorite oldest twin brother?” I asked him, smiling.
“Missing your grilled cheeses. Jamaica can’t cook anything but noodles.”
“She’s learning. Don’t be so hard on her.”
“Your baby daddy is bringing phones to us now? What’s up with that? He taking care of you?”
I glanced at the closed door. “Yeah, he is.”
“Good. One last person’s ass I gotta kick.”
I laughed, shaking my head. This was exactly what my heart needed.
Saxon didn’t say much when I stepped out of the bedroom, dressed for the party. His eyes said a lot, but that was all I had to go on. I worried on our walk to the house that my hair wasn’t what he wanted. I’d curled it and then twisted it up so that it was off my shoulders and neck. Maybe he liked it down better. But then I hadn’t said anything about how he looked in a tuxedo either. My words had left me, and my mouth had gone dry.
The house was all lit up as guests arrived in expensive cars. Once we reached the house, people called out to him, and he greeted them. He clearly knew how to live in this world. Me, on the other hand? I was clueless. I managed to smile and say something when I was spoken to, but it wasn’t much.
Saxon’s hand on my lower back as he led me up the stairs was my only source of comfort. The front doors were wide open with music and the smell of Christmas spilling out. It was even more decorated than it had been earlier this week.
Saxon’s mother saw us, and she put on a bright smile as she walked our way, wearing an emerald-green dress that did in fact show a lot more skin than mine did. She also looked amazing in it.
“Saxon,” she said, fake kissing his cheeks. Then turning to me. “Hello, Haisley. You look lovely.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “So do you.”
She held her bright smile, but I could see the disapproval in her eyes. I wasn’t good enough for Saxon. I never would be.
“Please go mingle,” she said before moving past us to greet someone who had just arrived.
“This is what she loves,” he whispered, leaning down to me.
“She’s very good at it,” I told him.
He didn’t seem impressed. He just nodded his head in agreement.
We walked into the large living room, where we’d had our meeting, and it had been transformed into something straight out of a magazine.
“I’m going to get a drink. You want a water? Club soda? I can send someone to get milk from the kitchen if you prefer.”
I shook my head. “No. I’m fine.” I was afraid I’d spill anything I had on my dress.
He stepped away, then over to the bar, and I was alone. In the midst of a crowd of strangers. I hoped he hurried.