Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“I’m sure you have other things to do.”
He shakes his head. “Nothing more important than this. Obviously, you have some frustration surrounding your dad and the money he made. Talk to me about that.”
I lick my lips, trying to pull my jumbled thoughts together. “It was wonderful to see him. I haven’t been home in a few months, and I have been missing them. I love my dad, and we get along well 99 percent of the time. He’s fun. Will Montgomery is the class clown of the family, you know? He’s funny, and everyone wants to be near him. Even me.”
I stretch my legs out now and cross them at the ankles, looking out at the pasture.
“The biggest bone of contention between us is money. I have a trust fund, like you heard. It’s not simply a couple million, Rem. It’s more like fifty million. It’s an uncomfortable amount of money.”
“For some,” he agrees, and I smile.
“Yeah, for some. Obviously, I didn’t grow up poor. The opposite, actually. I never wanted for anything, and I’m grateful for that. Luck of the draw, birth-wise, you know?”
He nods, listening.
“And it’s not just my dad that’s done well. We have actors, other pro sports players, financial gurus, freaking rock stars. Leo Nash is my uncle. Did you know that?”
Rem blinks rapidly in surprise. “No, I didn’t.”
“Yeah. So, there are a lot of celebrities in our family. A lot of money. Influence. And I’m going to be honest with you right now, Grumpy.”
His lips twitch. “Please do.”
“It makes me so fucking uncomfortable.” I cover my face with my hands again.
“Look at me.”
I shake my head. “I feel so ungrateful. What’s wrong with me that I’m the only one in my entire huge, loud, crazy family to feel like I had to flee? I’ve known for a while now that I wanted a quieter life. A simple one. The big city isn’t for me, even though Seattle is where everyone I love lives. I hate the noise, the traffic, the crime. I was just itching to move away. And then all my cousins—I’m super close to all of my cousins and their spouses—decided to take a ski trip to Montana late last year. I’d already told my cousin Drew that I was thinking about leaving Seattle, and I’m glad I did because he was on that trip, and I was able to bounce things off of him. Do you have someone like that?”
“Yeah.” He nods, and I love that he’s watching me, listening to me. “I do.”
“Good, because we all need that. Anyway, we got here, and as soon as we landed, I thought to myself, This is home. I actually skipped out on the skiing and most of the touristy things with my cousins because I wanted to absorb Bitterroot Valley. I wandered through town, ate at restaurants, and talked to people. I applied for the job at the coffee shop before the others even left town.”
“And you didn’t leave with them.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I didn’t leave with them. They were worried, of course, but they also knew me, and they trusted me. The hardest part was telling my parents because, although I’ve been out of the house for a while now, I know they always assumed that I’d stay in Seattle. I don’t like disappointing them.”
“I have a question.”
I sit back and nod. “Go ahead.”
“I understand wanting to leave the city, but why not use the trust fund when you need it?”
“It’s not my money.” I shrug and then laugh. “And I’ve been told often to stop being so stubborn, but it’s not my money. It’s my parents’ money.”
“That they set aside for you.”
I lick my lips again. “It’s nice to know it’s there for a true emergency, but I wanted to make my own way. It’s always been important to me to be self-sufficient and independent. My family doesn’t understand. They think it’s stubbornness, but it’s just how I want my life to be.”
“Your car going tits-up isn’t a true emergency? Jesus, Doc, what do you want, to be homeless before you use it?”
“Yes. I know it sounds so weird, but I’m doing fine on my own. Sure, I’ve had a few bumps here and there, but I’m fine. I’m not hungry or cold. My bills are paid. I enjoy my jobs. I don’t have any reason to complain. If I hadn’t found the position with you, I probably would have broken down and used the trust for a new car because we’re in the boonies in Montana, and it’s not like I can ride the bus or something. But it worked out.”
“It worked out,” he repeats and then lets out a gusty laugh.
“Okay, it’s my turn to ask personal questions because I want to change the subject.”
Rem nods. “Fair enough. Ask away.”