Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“You made my favorite.” I hug Blair around her neck when she walks into the kitchen, and she wraps her arm around my waist, giving me a squeeze.
“I thought it might cheer you up.”
“Thank you.” I let her go, while Walker helps Douglas take all the food to the table. I carry my glass of wine and Walker’s beer and take a seat in my spot. Yes, I have my own seat at the table.
Walker sits next to me, and after Douglas says grace, Blair begins passing food around the table.
“This all looks amazing,” Walker says, and Blair sends him a happy smile.
“Where is your family?” Douglas asks, the question obviously pointed at Walker.
“In Washington State, north of Seattle.”
“Do you get home to visit them often?”
“It’s been a few years. The last time I was in the States was right around the time my nephew turned two. He’s going to be four in a few months.”
“Your job keeps you away from home?”
“Yeah.” That one word doesn’t mean much, but there’s something about his tone that piques my curiosity.
“That has to be hard,” Blair says quietly, her eyes flittering to mine briefly.
“How’s school been?” I ask, looking across the table at the girls, wanting to change the subject. I don’t need the reminder that Walker won’t always be around, because his job will keep him away from me for weeks at a time.
“Good.” Elsie shrugs.
“She has a boyfriend,” Vi says, and Elsie swings her head her sister’s way so quickly that her hair flies.
“I do not.”
“Yes, you do. He rides the bus home with you every day.” Vi grins.
“He is not my boyfriend!” Elsie snaps, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.
“Vi, stop teasing your sister,” Blair chides, and her youngest daughter looks at her.
“I’m not teasing her. It’s true.”
“It’s not, because Elsie knows she’s not allowed to have a boyfriend.” Douglas glares, and I press my lips together when her shoulders slump forward.
I remember feeling that look from my father all too well, and it sucked. What sucked more though was my brother, who is younger than me, was allowed to date and like girls without a single word ever said about it.
“What are you going to do when Elsie does like a boy, or when a boy likes her?” I ask, but I don’t point out that I’m sure they already do. The awkward stage of being a teenage girl magically skipped his fourteen-year-old daughter, because she is absolutely gorgeous and way cooler than I was at her age.
“Kill them all,” he mutters under his breath.
“Right.” Blair rolls her eyes at him. “It’s going to happen, Douglas, and you don’t want her to have to move a million miles away to escape you, just so she can live her life.”
The statement hits me right in the chest, because that is exactly what I did. Isn’t it? I moved to get away from my dad, so I could date and have fun without him constantly questioning my ability to look after myself. And sure, I’ve messed up a lot. I mean, look at the whole Ben situation. But that was my lesson to learn.
For a long moment, Douglas doesn’t say a word then he glances over at me before he looks at his wife and lets out a long sigh.
“Can you at least give your old man until you’re fifteen?” He asks looking at Elsie.
“Yes,” she whispers looking surprised but happy.
“Happy now?” he grouches looking at Blair.
“Yes.” She picks up her wine and takes a sip, and I glance across the table at Elsie, who is looking down at her plate, trying to hide her smile. I bite my bottom lip to hide my own and to keep from telling Douglas how proud I am of him. I know that he doesn’t realize it now but he just changed his entire relationship with Elsie by giving her his trust.
After that breakthrough, the rest of dinner is filled with talk about school and work, then everyone pitches in to help clean up before dessert.
Siting on the couch in the living room tucked under Walker’s arm while Douglas takes up his usual chair and Blair sits on the arm I cover my mouth when I yawn for the third time in the last fifteen minutes. I’m not sure if it’s the little bit of wine I drank, or if the day has finally caught up with me but I do know I’m tired.
“How much sleep did you get last night?” Blair asks softly as I lean forward to put down the cup of tea she gave me earlier.
“At least eight hours, maybe more than that. I think the wine has gone to my head.”
“You didn’t even finish your glass,” Walker says, dipping his chin down to look at me before focusing back on Blair and Douglas. “She woke up with a migraine this morning.”