Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 43
MILES
“Did you two get married?” Max asks when Callie and I get to the room. When I give him a confused look, he says, “You’re carrying her across the threshold. That’s the tradition, isn’t it?”
“My feet hurt,” she explains as I set her on the edge of the bed.
“Is that why you’re back early?” Max asks. I should have tipped him off about what happened so he wouldn’t bring it up, but it’s too late now.
Callie lets out a huff. “I had a run-in with Rick.”
My brother shoots me a look like it’s my fault, and he’s right. I should have gone up to the bar with her.
I sit down on the bed next to her, the need to support her overriding everything else.
Max pulls a chair over and sits down in front of her. “Are you okay?”
Callie nods as she uses her feet to push off her shoes, letting them drop to the floor. “I’m alright. I’m just … so tired of seeing him. Tired of worrying about running into him.”
I rest a hand on her shoulder, letting her know we’re here for her. Max leans in and rubs her knee.
“You won’t have to see him again after the wedding is over,” I say.
“Alexis is going to be Sadie’s sister-in-law, so there’s a very good chance I’ll be required to see him at family functions.”
“Maybe it won’t hurt so much as time passes,” Max says.
He was trying to be comforting, but somehow, apparently, said the wrong thing, because beneath my hand, Callie starts to shake, then she bows her head and covers her eyes. She’s crying. Now it’s my turn to glare at him, but he looks as pained as I feel.
“It’s okay. It’s okay.” I wrap my arm around her and pull her against me as Max jumps up to get tissues. When he hands them to her, she sobers.
“Sorry. I’m sorry. I’m okay. It’s just … it’s not about the pain. I just feel so much shame. I’m so ashamed I was with him, and ashamed of what I let him do to me.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. What he did to her? It’s none of my business, but I need to know. “What did he do to you, Callie?”
This question spurs a fresh outburst of tears, and I feel terrible about that, but everything in me needs to know how he hurt her.
Fury burning in my chest, I draw on all my reserves of patience, and let her cry without pressing her for an answer. Of course, my priority is helping her feel better, but my stomach churns at the thought of that sleazy prick laying a single finger on her.
Max takes one of her hands in his, and I continue to hold her, and eventually her tears subside. I’m afraid she’s going to want to let the whole topic pass and ignore my question, but after wiping her nose, she starts to talk.
“Rick was so sweet when I met him. He was thoughtful and kind, and basically swept me off my feet. We dated for a few months, and it was so intense right from the beginning. He talked about marriage early on, and said he couldn’t wait for us to live together.
“When he proposed, it all seemed meant to be. He found a townhouse, and I thought it was a sign of his commitment when he put my name on the lease.”
She laughs a bitter laugh here, and something twists inside my chest.
“I was going to school for my bachelor’s degree, but Rick convinced me I didn’t need a degree to be a wife and mother. I was aiming to be a paralegal, a career I chose precisely because I did want to be a mom, and thought being a lawyer would be too demanding of my time, but he convinced me my associate degree was all I needed, so I quit school.
“I was already teaching yoga then too, and he tried to get me to quit that, but I put my foot down. When I picked my battles, I suppose I could’ve picked better.
“So, we moved in together, combined our accounts in anticipation of being married … and within two months’ time he left me, not only breaking my heart, but taking all of my savings with him, including an inheritance from my grandmother.
“There was no fight, no ‘we need to talk,’ no official breakup. He just took my money and left me with ten months on a lease I couldn’t afford.”
“He scammed you.” I’m relieved there was no mention of physical abuse in her story, not that it makes things that much better.
“He took advantage of me being an idiot.”
“Callie, don’t say that.” Max squeezes her hand and leans in, looking up at her until she makes eye contact. “He deceived you. He’s a thief.”