Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“Glad you have that in a friend, sugar. Ledger still being an ornery old coot to you?” he asks. I laugh, spin around, and duck beneath the opening again to hide the blush on my face, also to compose myself in order to answer his question.
“Yes. You know he’s done a lot, even if I didn’t like a lot of what he did. Like Montgomery sending me away. I could have stayed here, done the same thing. I mean, I get it, but three more months, and I’d have graduated high school,” I respond, getting back on my barstool.
“I’ve got a feeling there’s more to the story than you know. Mont wanted you home after college, no matter what. Seems our Tulsa Rose gained a backbone while she was away. He’d be proud of you, sugar.” I swallow the lump that’s lodged in my throat as well as a hearty sip of my drink, thankful he went heavy on the vodka.
“Maybe so. Now, I’ve got a question for you. Why is Ella Nixon working for Ledger, hmmm?” Hank shakes his head.
“You’re going to have to ask Ledger that for yourself,” is the response I get.
“He clearly doesn’t know what she did to me while she was with Montgomery, or she’d have run from this town like the fires of hell were chasing after her.” I sit back, my drink sucked dry. Hank is already refilling it for me. He’s the absolute best.
12
LEDGER
“Who hurt you, sugar?” I hear Hank say as I walk into the bar. There, sitting in front of him, is Tulsa Rose. She doesn’t know I’m there. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that Hank realizes I’m standing off to the side of the now closed door. The man has a sixth sense, probably from being a bar owner since he landed back here after his time in the Vietnam War. Hank hasn’t changed a bit, not that I’ve seen, since Montgomery and I started coming the minute he was back in town from college visiting and we were twenty-one. It’s dark inside, windows smoked out to keep people from seeing in. The neon lights and the pool table lights are the only ones on. Same worn tables, chairs, and barstools. The only things Hank is diligent on is the bar, the kitchen, and the felt on the pool tables.
“Me. I hurt me. I fell in love with an asshole when I was sixteen years old. Then, when I was deep in my grief, thinking only about me, myself, and I, I dug a hole so deep, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to dig myself out.” Tulsa doesn’t say another word. Neither does Hank. I lean against the wall next to the door, shaking my head. It seems my butterfly has no damn idea. Her brother did, Hank does, and I damn sure knew the reason Montgomery had his will written the way it was for a reason.
“Well, sugar, pretty sure you’re ahead of the game. You ready for a glass of water?” Hanks is already sliding one toward her.
“I’d prefer cranberry and vodka, but something tells me that won’t happen unless I drink water. Way to ruin a woman’s buzz.” I barely hide my chuckle. She’s smart, too smart not to see what was happening in front of her when she was too damn young, and my cock was too damn eager.
Hell, the reason I’m standing where I am today is for the woman in front of me. I busted my ass, paid a pretty penny for Ella’s fuckup in terms of getting the supplies we needed in a timely manner. Driving from our town to the bigger city took half the damn day, but it was worth it to have everything on my truck and trailer. I took it straight to the jobsite, stored it in a packing container. I’m not fucking around with the weather raining on everything, or damn thieves. I’ve got enough trying to screw with this project already. Adding more would only piss me off further. As soon as that was dropped off, a quick stop at the office to unhook the trailer from my truck, and I was heading home. My phone didn’t ring nearly as much as it did yesterday. Same went for the texts and emails. Maybe it finally settled in Ella’s mind that I am not messing around. She has a job, should know how to do it. If she can’t, well, there are more than enough people in town who are looking for a job. After a shower and a quick bite to eat, I headed straight to Tulsa’s place. Seeing her truck was gone had me worried. It didn’t stop me from using my key to let myself into her house for a quick look. I saw everything she accomplished in the hours I’d been at work. I was only there for a few minutes before I locked the door back, headed back to my truck, hopped in, and hit the road to find her. The first place I drove to, and there was her black Tahoe, parked up front and center. The rest of the parking lot was empty, since it’s the middle of the afternoon. Hank’s stays pretty quiet until the evening. Why he opens up at noon only to close when the crowd starts to thin out is anyone’s guess.