Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
She crossed her arms under her chest and leaned against the counter, and I momentarily forgot what it was that we were talking about. The move pushed her breasts up, causing them to peek out of the top of her semi low-cut shirt.
“Was Linc addicted to drugs when he was born?”
I shook my head. “No. Once I found out about the baby, I made sure she cleaned herself up. I gave her all of the money that I got from working my part-time job. She was a good girl when she found out she was pregnant with our kid. I thought that having Linc would turn her around, but the minute she had him, she left the hospital without telling anyone, leaving me to raise Linc all by myself.”
She nodded.
Ellen knew that part.
“I just don’t understand why she would leave. There had to be another factor there. If she was clean, why would she leave her new baby behind like that?”
I shook my head.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I haven’t been able to ascertain her reasons after all this time, and I doubt she’ll reveal them to me now. The worst part is that she’s convinced that Linc is her ride to the good life. She’ll likely be on her best behavior now.”
Ellen snorted.
“No, what she’s probably going to do is drag him down to her level or get him in trouble by leaving drugs in his car.”
My mouth dropped open.
“You can’t tell me that you haven’t thought about that.”
My mind hadn’t gone there.
“I haven’t,” I said. “If she did that, he’d protect her, you know.”
My mind started whirling.
“Fuck!” I groaned as I dragged my hand down my face. “That would be something she’d do, too. I can totally see it now. He does something to piss her off. She leaves her shit in his car and then calls a tip in.” I shook my head. “She really is that much of a bitch. She tried to do that to me once, you know.”
She did know.
Margot had done that to me about a month after Ellen and I started hanging out. I’d taken her to the freakin’ hospital because she’d complained about belly pains, and the stupid person that I was, I’d given her that ride even though I’d known that I shouldn’t.
Two nights later, the cops came and searched my car.
Lucky for me, but unlucky for Margot, I’d cleaned out my car the day before because I’d moved the car seat to clean out underneath it and switch it with a booster seat. She’d, apparently, planted it in the car seat, just like the bitch she was.
And the cops had taken one look at my booster seat, which could hide absolutely nothing, and had left without another word.
Though, they had let the drug dog sniff around the car once before taking off.
Thank God trash pick-up had been earlier that day, or it would’ve still been at my house.
Because fucking Margot.
It was always all about Margot.
Before I could put much thought into it, I walked out the door, only to hear Ellen running after me.
“Where are you going?” she asked worriedly.
I looked at her over my shoulder.
“To make sure my son doesn’t do anything stupid.”
She bit her lip.
“If you’ll give me two seconds to put the puppy into the back storeroom, I’ll go with you.”
My heart started to speed in my chest.
She hadn’t been on the back of my bike in a very long time, and I wanted to have her on it more than my next breath. Her arms wrapped tight around my waist. Her head resting on my shoulder. Legs pressed snug against mine.
Yes, I wanted that badly. Very, very badly.
“I can wait,” I told her gruffly.
She dashed inside, and I watched as she picked up the wolf—no, definitely not a fucking husky—and took him into the back of her store where she’d put him away to make sure he didn’t get up to any mischief. She came back out moments later with her hair flying out behind her.
She stopped only long enough to lock the doors to her store and then pocketed the keys before she turned and hurried toward me.
She stopped directly next to me, those hazel eyes more brown than green tonight, and stared at me for a long second.
“My going with you doesn’t call a truce,” she said bluntly. “It’s only a ‘for now’ kind of thing. I still retain the right to be mad at you once we know that your son is okay.”
My lips twitched.
“Duly noted.”
She hopped on behind me, and I handed her my helmet, which she took. There was no arguing that she needed it on her part.
She knew better.
It’d been fourteen years, but she knew my stand on this.
If there was only one helmet, she’d have it on every single time. Why? Because her head was prettier than mine.