Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Besides, what does it say about Claire if the man gave his money to rodents rather than leaving it to his wife?”
“Firstly, wombats aren’t rodents. They’re marsupials,” I say, holding up my hand with one finger pointed to the ceiling. “Secondly, say one more negative thing about any woman in this town and I’ll punch you in the throat.”
Barrett snaps his head back like I’ve already hit him. “You are sleeping with her. Damn, man. Don’t let some—”
“Barrett,” I warn. “I won’t tell you again.”
Silence spreads between the two of us, but when he opens his mouth again, he shifts gears.
“What do you expect me to do?”
“Can you set up some sort of payout?”
“No,” he says instantly. “There’s no money. I never took you for slow, Walker, but really.”
“I’ll give you money.”
“Give her the money. If you filter it through my office, then I’m going to attach fees to it.”
“She’d never take money from me.”
He sits back further in his chair. “Impossible. All women—”
He snaps his mouth shut when I lean forward.
“I need you to make it look like some sort of trust you discovered.”
“Walker,” he grumbles.
“Her credit card debt isn’t even hers,” I snap. “That son of a bitch added her to his accounts and then fucking died.”
“What?” he asks, looking confused.
“You heard me right. He put her on his fucking charged-up account and then got his ass killed. She’s been working two jobs to pay off his debt and she’s fucking drowning, man. Can you set up the trust?”
I watch as he chews the inside of his cheek for a long moment before speaking.
“She tell you this?”
I nod.
“You think she’s telling you the truth? And before you jump in my shit again and threaten physical violence, I’m playing devil’s advocate here.”
“She doesn’t live a flashy life. Her car is a piece of shit. Her wardrobe consists of the jeans and t-shirts she wears to work at the bar and the damn scrubs she wears for the vet’s office.”
I didn’t go into the woman’s kitchen but I bet she doesn’t have a matching set of dishes to her name.
“And this is covered under attorney-client privilege, asshole. If I find out you’ve been gossiping—”
“Stop,” he says, holding up his hands. “There are ways to find out if she’s telling the truth.”
“I just need the trust set up,” I tell him as I reach for the pen and notepad on his desk.
I write out my banking information.
“Let me know when it’s done.”
I walk out of his office feeling just as shitty as I knew I would, and I hate that Claire doesn’t have a shift at the bar until Wednesday.
“Walker?” Mrs. Hyde says as I go to walk past her desk. “Would you like to pay your balance today?”
I pull my wallet from my back pocket and pay the woman. I know it’s from Barrett looking into Hux’s SGLI, but I also feel like I should get a damn discount for how he relayed that news. Maybe having a heart and a little compassion is extra.
I shove down the idea of going to the vet clinic to adopt a dog just to see her.
Chapter 26
Claire
Three more shifts at the bar this last week have left me feeling even more isolated.
Walker was nice enough, but his flirting was limited. I can’t count how many times I looked up to find his attention elsewhere. Maybe the attraction dried up once he realized how much of a mess and a hassle I am.
He’d said that what he found out about me changed a lot of things. I was stupid enough to think it changed them for the better. Even though I told him that what happened now twice between us can’t happen again, I honestly thought he’d keep on pursuing me.
Not once in the three shifts I’ve worked this past week did he corner me in the hallway or make a suggestion about coming home with me.
All he did was hand me a key to the bar and tell me that if I need more hours, I’m welcome to spend some time getting the office in a more manageable condition.
That’s my focus right now. It’s Sunday and although Madison and I made plans to get the kids together today, I have to cancel. As much as I’d like some adult interaction while Larkin plays, picking up the extra hours wins out.
I rub my thumb over the key he handed me as I find Madison’s contact information in my phone.
My heart raced when he pulled his keys out last night and started removing them from the ring. I was certain he was offering me a key to his house. With hindsight, I know now that’s a ridiculous notion because I’ve never even been to the man’s house. But in the moment, after letting my mind run with how my night would end, it seemed plausible. I’ve spent time with him the last two Saturday nights, so why would last night be any different?