Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“We missed you.”
Quickly, the women placed their orders, both choosing favorites, heedless of calories. Once the waiter left, Charli slanted a skeptical gaze her way. “Are you sure there isn’t more to your decision to move home? Did Nash have anything to do with it?”
Haisley tried not to feel the stab of pain in her heart. “That’s over.”
Charli raised a brow. “It didn’t look that way on New Year’s Eve.”
“Just the celebratory moment. Besides, we’d both had too much to drink.”
“You were once head over heels for him.”
“Ancient history.” Haisley willed herself to believe it. “We weren’t meant to be. We wanted different things.”
“I get that.” Charli’s gaze grew distant, her shoulders slumping as she heaved a melancholy sigh.
Prying now was too much…but Haisley couldn’t resist some gentle nudges. “You don’t look happy. What’s going on with you and Daniel? Don’t tell me nothing. I know better.”
She shrugged as if the weight of the world were on her shoulders. “I don’t even know. One day, everything was perfect. The next, we were like strangers living in the same house.”
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. If you want to talk about it, I’m happy to listen. Where was he on New Year’s Eve?”
“At home. In bed. Asleep.” Charli shook her head despondently. “I thought we wanted the same things. But lately, it feels like we’re living two different lives.”
Haisley ached for her friend, the raw anguish in Charli’s voice resonating in her own bruised heart.
“If he had another woman, my decision would be simple. I would just leave his ass. But no, he’s always working, always talking about getting ahead, saving to buy a house, and preparing for the future so we can support the children we’ll have someday. I know he’s right…but it feels like he’s putting his job first. And when he is home, he’s exhausted. He barely pays attention to me unless he wants sex. It’s like he’s not really there, you know? Like I’m a pretty fuck doll he feels a responsibility to take care of. Decoration instead of a flesh-and-blood wife. I can help. I work, too. I contribute. But he insists that looking out for me is his responsibility. I can’t fault him. He takes care of everything…except my heart.”
Haisley squeezed her friend’s hand. She understood disappointment too well. Love, she had learned the hard way, was typically painful. All the fairy tales lied.
“Have you talked to him?”
“Of course.” Charli sighed, her shoulders sagging with defeat. “But it’s like he doesn’t hear me. Or understand. He just goes on like I didn’t say I’d rather have him home than for him take on a special project that will get him promoted faster. I feel like background noise in his life.”
Haisley felt a surge of protectiveness and clenched her free hand into a fist beneath the table. To see her confident, vibrant friend so defeated was like a knife to the heart.
“Listen to me. You’re way more than ‘background noise.’ You are an incredible woman, and you should be his queen. If Daniel can’t put you on his throne, then he’s an idiot.”
“Hais, I…” Charli teared up. “I don’t know what to do. When we got married, this isn’t at all the life I pictured.”
“Don’t cry. We’ll figure it out.” She gave Charli’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Together. Like we always have.”
As she nodded miserably, Charli’s tears fell. “My disintegrating marriage is all I think about.”
“Then you need a distraction until you two can work it out. Maybe you should join my online sleuthing group, Crime Solvers International. CSI works together to solve cold cases, share theories, and put our detective skills to the test.”
Despite her tears, Charli smiled fondly. “Of course you’d join a group like that. You always had a knack for putting together puzzles and solving mysteries.”
“It’s a lot of fun, and it will definitely help to occupy your thoughts. And you’ll make some cool new friends…”
“I already have cool friends. You, Gracelyn, and Madison are the best.”
“Naturally.” Grinning, Haisley sent her an exaggerated hair flip. “But seriously. Join us for an evening. I just jumped onto a new case. It’s local, which makes it even juicier.”
“I don’t know. With everything going on with Daniel…”
“That’s exactly why you should join. He has purpose. Since you’re not married to your job, you should find one, too.” So she wouldn’t have to focus on her sadness so much. “Then maybe you’ll find some balance. And if you don’t”—she gave Charli’s hand a reassuring squeeze—“solving crimes with me will be fun.”
“I’ll think about it. Have you made new friends in the group?”
“Tons. The guy who runs it is a retired cop from Vegas. Super interesting. The moderators either have law enforcement, legal, or military background. The members are all super smart. And the group is growing. In fact, a new guy just joined yesterday. Jasper is the one who talked me into helping him with the case happening right here in Lafayette. Something about young women disappearing from the new outlet mall up the road?”