Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“This is crazy,” she says. Her phone rings, and I look up to Jacob who looks at me as we share a look.
“Who is it?” I ask, and she grabs the phone.
“It’s Chase,” she says, and my stomach burns. “He probably heard about the accident,” she says as she answers the phone. She gets up and walks out of the room to go talk to him.
“Nice,” Jacob says when he hears her voice coming from the other room.
I rub my hands over my face. “It’s like the words were coming out, and there was no way I could stop them,” I say, looking over my shoulder to make sure she can’t hear me.
“You’re right, though,” Jacob says. “This smells like your father.”
“I know,” I admit. “But would he actually hurt Ethan?” Jacob just looks at me. “It’s his flesh and blood.”
Jacob leans in a bit. “Listen, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your father is the shadiest fucking person I know.” I watch him. “He’s done shit being mayor that is unethical and morally wrong. I was just waiting for him to cross a line, but he’s smart.”
“It could be Liam,” I say. “He is dumb as fuck, but now that I found out and the secret is out of the bag …”
“I caught him,” Jacob says. “After she left your office during the party, I caught him trying to manhandle her.”
“That fucking …” I start to say, and Savannah walks back into the room. “What did Chase want?” I ask her.
“He heard about my house and about the accident, and he wanted to make sure I was okay and to offer me a place to stay.”
I scoff. “Yeah, right.” She looks at me and folds her arms over her chest. “You wouldn’t stay there with Ethan, and you know it.”
“I wouldn’t stay there because I don’t want to stay there,” she says. “And I don’t want to play games with his feelings.”
“Well, now that you’re engaged,” Jacob says, “that shouldn’t be a problem.”
She’s about to say something when the front door opens, and we all hear Ethan yell, “Mom!”
“In here!” Jacob shouts, and Ethan comes into the room with a bouquet in his hands.
“What is that?” Savannah asks as he walks over to her.
“This is to make you feel better,” he says. She sits down on the couch in front of him. “I know you feel bad about the accident and because you broke the windows in the house.”
“This is …” she starts to say, and the tears come out. Scooting next to her, I put my hands around her shoulders and pull her to me. She looks up at me. “He bought me flowers.”
I nod. “Yeah, he did.”
“And pineapple pizza,” Ethan cuts in. “Kallie said we had to, but we also got a meat lovers.” He smiles. “And Ms. Charlotte sent over cake.”
“Really?” Savannah says almost like it’s the most unfathomable thing in the world.
“My mother bakes when she gets nervous,” Kallie says, walking to the couch and sitting next to Jacob. “So when I called her about Ethan and the accident, she went a bit overboard and made sure that she made him his favorite everything.”
“She did,” Ethan says. “Apple pie.”
“You have to share that,” Jacob says, and he just moans. I get up and hold my hand out for Savannah, who actually takes it. Kallie and Jacob get up also and walk to the kitchen with Ethan following them.
She waits for Ethan to be out of earshot before she puts a hand to her mouth and sobs. I take her in my arms, crushing the flowers between us. “Shh,” I say softly, and she wraps one arm around my waist. “It’s okay.”
“They could have hurt him,” she whispers. “Didn’t even cross their mind that he was in the truck with me.” I don’t know what to say; the only thing I can think of is to hold her.
“I’ll get to the bottom of this,” I say. “And if I find out that it’s them, I’ll make them pay.”
“Don’t,” she whispers. “You don’t know what they’re capable of.”
“No,” I say, and I make sure she is looking at me when I say the rest. “They don’t know what I’m capable of.”
“Are you two coming?” Jacob asks, and we both look up at him. “See, you already look like lovebirds,” he jokes, and I shake my head.
“Did you mean it?” she asks softly. “When you said we should get married?”
I try to get my words right, knowing I have one shot to actually convince her. “I would do anything for you,” I say. “I would do anything for Ethan.” I look in her eyes now, and I’m ready to get lost in them. “I would do whatever I have to do to protect you.” I’m hoping she can read my eyes.