Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“And you want to do something about it?”
“I don’t want to spend the next fifty years married to a woman I can’t stand, and who hates me. But I also don’t want to raise kids who look at Mom and Dad, terrified of what’s going to happen to them, if they tear each other apart. What do you want, Rosalie?” he asked. “The next fifty years hating my guts, while the kids try to leave every chance they get? Or the next fifty years where we’ve got grandkids coming out of our ears?”
He didn’t have a fucking clue what he was saying, but it made some kind of sense to him. Rosalie had lived a life where she’d been afraid of her father coming around. She had seen firsthand what it was like to be around toxic parents. Admittedly, her parents’ relationship was not like theirs.
“And you think going on a honeymoon will miraculously fix this?” She pointed between the two of them.
He shrugged. “It’s got to be better than avoiding each other. Your period ends next week, and I know you’re already dreading Friday night. Think about it, and if you give me a chance, I might surprise you. Did you ask any of the club brothers?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I … don’t know.”
“I’m not lying to you, Rosalie. That’s something I wouldn’t do.” Which would be the biggest lie he’d told her so far.
****
“What do you think?” Rosalie asked, looking toward her best friend the next day at work. Colt and his buddies hadn’t arrived for their usual lunch. She and Petal had taken their lunch break after the rush, while the customers had slowed down a bit.
“It sounds reasonable.”
“But, it’s a bunch of lies, isn’t it?”
Petal threw back her head and laughed. “Everything about Colt is a bunch of lies, according to you. Do you not want to go away on a honeymoon?”
“Yes. No. No. Maybe. I’m not sure.”
Petal sighed and sat up, taking a sip of her milkshake. “Take the whole club thing out of it, what do you think of Colt?”
“I don’t trust him.”
“You don’t know him,” Petal said. “And at the moment, I’ve got to say, I’m not hating on the guy.”
“Why not?”
“For the first time in months, you’re eating something. You no longer have those bags under your eyes, which tells me you’re sleeping well. You look much better. Trust me, I’m Team Colt right now. As for your dad, he’s a fucking monster.”
“What about my mom? What about you?” Rosalie asked.
“You’re going away for a few days with your husband. I’m sure I can entertain myself with work. You can text me whenever you want, but I get it. Colt made a valid point. You don’t want to be that couple that makes their kids hate them. You’ve already lived that life, Rose. Look where that’s gotten you.”
Rosalie sat back and folded her arms.
“Now you’re upset with me.”
“I’m not upset. I just expected you to say something different, is all.”
Petal laughed. “I care about your safety and well-being. In the last couple of days, you look better, Rose. Honestly, you do.”
She felt a little better.
“Colt’s helping you take a load of stress off. You’re going to have to give the guy his dues on that one.”
“I don’t have to like it,” she said.
Petal laughed. “Why not? Someone is finally helping you with your mom and dad problems.”
“But why?” Rosalie asked. “Why now?”
Petal continued to suck on her straw, staring at her.
Rosalie sat back, folded her arms, and glared.
“Why not now?” Petal asked. “I get that you don’t trust him. Trust is something that’s earned. You and I both know that, and you can’t change that. This is your chance to get to know him. Unless you’re hoping for a divorce. The whole kids thing makes it a little messy, Rose.”
She glared at her friend.
“And I can see that I’m right and you’ve thought about all of this already. I’m going to sit back, shut up, and pretend I’m not making sense.”
She slumped. “You are making sense. I … he’s up to something. I know he is.”
“He’s trying to make his relationship better with you. The monster,” Petal said, pressing her fingers against her temple and gasping.
Rosalie laughed, picked up the empty straw packet, and threw it at her. “Shut up.”
“Nah, you know I’m right.”
The doorbell rang, and Rosalie turned to see that it was one of the men from the party last night. She didn’t know what his name was. At the same time, Al had come out of the kitchen and tapped his watch. Their lunch break was now over.
Gathering up their used packets and wrappers, Rosalie discarded their stuff in the necessary trash bins while Petal made her way over to their new customer.
Rosalie thought about Colt. His proposal sounded legit. It honestly did, but she also knew something else was at play here. She just didn’t know what it was. Tucking some of her loose hair behind her ear, she glanced down at her notepad, tearing off some of the scribbles she’d been doing while waiting for customers to arrive.