Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“How are things?”
“They’re done. Lyle stopped by last night with the divorce decree,” I confess.
“And?”
“And what? I’m divorced.” I don’t know what she’s looking for, but she’s studying me intently. I squirm under her gaze, just as I did when I was a kid and stole cookies before dinner.
“What aren’t you telling me?” She furrows her brow.
I cave under pressure. “We got our closure.”
“Relations.” She nods.
My face heats. “It was a mistake.” I make sure to look her in the eye, so she knows that I’m telling her the truth. “Things have been over between us long before he moved out,” I remind her.
“And you’re okay?”
“I am.” I bob my head. “In fact, I almost feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m sad it’s over. No one goes into a marriage expecting a divorce, but we are different people, and we want different things. Foolishly I thought when he said we could talk about it that he meant it. That’s the first and only thing he’s ever not been honest with me about.”
Grandma nods. “He loves you.”
“Yeah, but he’s not in love with me, and I’m not in love with him. It just wasn’t meant to be.”
“Well, you’re young and beautiful. You’re going to find the man who will walk through fire for you.”
“Can we let the ink dry before you start your matchmaking?” I tease.
“Oh, the ink is dry, baby girl. It’s been dry for far too long. Last night doesn’t count.” She wags her eyebrows, and I can’t help it; I laugh.
“We are not having that conversation.”
“We don’t need to.” She takes her index finger and taps her temple. “I know these things.”
“So,” I say, dragging out the word, “how was your Christmas? I haven’t talked to you since before you left for Aunt Aggie’s.” My parents and I had lunch, and exchanged gifts and they left for a cruise, while I spent the rest of the day at my best friend Morgan’s with her husband and baby girl Iris.
“Oh, it was good. You know there is never a dull moment when your great-aunt Aggie and I get together.”
“Trust me. I know all too well.” I give her a pointed look, and she grins. We’re both thinking the same thing.
“What? I was bringing you and your roommate holiday cheer.” She holds her hands up in defense, but there is a twinkle in her eye.
“Grandma! You brought strippers to my dorm.”
She shrugs. “They were wearing Santa hats, and everyone enjoyed themselves. I have the pictures to prove it.”
“No.” I give her a warning look. “You said you were going to delete those.”
“What I said was that I wouldn’t print them.” She picks up her phone that’s lying next to her. “I’ve got it all right here.”
I open my mouth to scold her, but there’s a knock on the door. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Carol Kincaid says as she enters the room.
“Come on in.” Grandma motions for her to take the seat on the other side of the bed. “I was just getting ready to torture my granddaughter.”
Carol chuckles. “Sounds like I made it just in time.” She turns her eyes to me. “Good to see you again, Kennedy.”
“You too. Thank you for taking care of her for me.”
Carol waves me off. “That’s what neighbors are for.”
“Not all neighbors. I used to live beside this old geezer who would just as soon spit on me than help me do anything when I lived in Florida.”
“Grandma.” I laugh. “That old geezer graduated with you, and you used to complain about his mowing his grass where it would blow over into your yard. You never gave that poor man a minute of peace.” I shake my head when her smile grows.
“He didn’t know how to mow the lawn.”
My eyes find Carol’s. “He gave her a going away party. He even had it catered,” I explain, barely containing my laughter to tell the story.
“Maureen”—Carol places her hand over her mouth to cover her laughter—“tell me he didn’t.”
“Oh, he did. He even sent me home with all the leftovers.”
“Kennedy, I think you and I need to spend more time together. I need more of these stories.”
Grandma points at her friend. “I like you.” Her grin is infectious.
“Looks like I missed the invite to the party,” a gorgeous guy in dark blue scrubs says as he enters the room.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Carol says. She stands and hugs him, and he kisses her cheek. “I thought you were off today?”
“I’m supposed to be, but they were short. I told them I would come in until they could find someone else. I started at five. I just clocked out and wanted to come to check on Maureen.”
“That bride of yours let you out of the house?” Grandma asks.
His eyes light up, and damn, that makes him even sexier. “I left her sleeping in bed. She’s been wearing herself out with the wedding planning and the pregnancy.”