Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 62737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“Fuck off.” Matthew doesn’t say another word, just takes off and leaves us laughing.
“How long do you think until he finally takes a bite?” I ask Tysen.
“When does she turn twenty-one again?” Matthew asked me to run an ID she gave him without digging too deep, and I did, looking only for a birth certificate. The license Letty Burns is carrying around is fake, a decent one and good enough to get into a bar, buy what you need to, but anything else, it could be easily picked apart by any level of law enforcement.
“Ah, well, now that you say that, I’m pretty sure it’s in a few months. Not sure why he’s so hung up on it. Him and his moral compass.” Tysen and I shoot the shit for a few minutes in my office before going into the living room to say hello to the girls. He asked if we need anything and then heads back home to Macie before they gear up for work the following day. He also made it known that he can cancel the private flight at any time. All I need to do is send a text or call him.
I’m about to kick back on the couch to relax with my girls when my phone vibrates.
“Everything okay?” Ronnie asks.
“Yeah, Foxy. Gotta take this in my office.” I grab my phone, stand up, and make moves to get to a secure location. The call I placed earlier this morning is that of a delicate situation. Nobody will need to take the stand, make a deposition, or have to see Jeffrey Ellison ever again.
24
RONNIE
“How’s it going?” I ask Rory after coming back from dropping off a round of drinks to my regulars. She’s seated near the bar at a high top of her own and is studying for an upcoming test in her online class. The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of finding a new normal and working together. I offered to give Jude and Rory space, take a step back and stay at my place more, but that went over like a turd in a punch bowl. Not only did Jude shut down the idea, so did Rory. And while she would be glued to my side before this conversation, well, it became even more apparent that losing a person of any kind would do more harm than good.
“Math is hard, but pre-calculus, well, it’s harder. I’m thinking it’s trying to suck all the cells out of my brain.” She rolls her eyes.
“You could always ask your uncle or Zane. Both are ridiculously smart,” I suggest, not offering myself because the thought of those equations makes my stomach turn. School is not my idea of fun, and while I can help Rory in some instances, anything past algebra or geometry is out of my hands.
“I’m going to see how this test goes, then I’ll go from there. I’d like at least to see where I stand.” Rory takes a sip of her drink. She’s functioning on caffeine while getting through tonight’s study session.
“That’s fair. Do you need a refill?” I nod to her drink.
“No, I’m good. As much as I want to cram, I’ll eventually need to get some kind of sleep.” She’s been going to therapy, has online sessions twice a week, and is taking an anti-anxiety and depression medicine. We’re still toggling between the correct dosages. The first week, she was a zombie, sleeping non-stop and seeming like all it did was dull everything. Her doctor lowered the dose this week, and while she complains that sometimes the feelings are too much, it’s part of the grieving process. One that’s going to take a very long time.
“Alright.” I squeeze her hand for a moment, then Rory abandons her work and engulfs me in a hug.
“In case I haven’t said it lately, Ronnie, thank you.” I place my tray on the tabletop, wrap my arms around her, and hold her. Times like these are what I now know are part of what Bobbi gave Rory. The girl is a lover, likes to be held even if it’s holding someone’s hand. She’s still mostly glued to my side, anywhere I am, she is. Which is why she comes to work with me and stays until Jude makes an appearance, usually with dinner he cooked at home or something he picked up on the way. He’s giving his sister what she wants and needs, and damn if any time we see a little bit of reprieve, something comes out of nowhere and knocks her on her ass.
Recently, it was a call from the district attorney. They finally released Bobbi for us to lay her to rest. Rory made the decision, Jude paid for everything, and when she’s ready, we’ll do a celebration of life. I suggested to Rory that we take some of Bobbi’s ashes and have a necklace made so she can always have a piece of her mom with her. She fell in love with the idea. Jude wouldn’t allow me to pay, we had words, and the money came out of my account. He’s learning there are certain things about me that I won’t concede on. Paying when I want is one of them.