Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 157162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“And again, I don’t pretend to know her well, but Calliope Derrick doesn’t seem like a small-town woman.” He narrowed his eyes. “Not one by choice, at least. It stands to reason, why is she here? What is she running from?”
Again, he verbalized questions I didn’t have the answers to. Ones that I’d been ruminating on but ones I’d never force the answers from Calliope.
“You know anything about that?” Beau pressed, not having my patience.
“No.” I looked directly into my brother’s eyes. “I’m not demanding things of her that she’s not ready to give me.”
“Yeah, well, noble of you.” He shook his head. “But it’s looking like that nobility will get you killed. I’m not burying my brother. I’m not burying another member of my family. And as much as I like her, I’m not going to let Calliope drag you into a shitstorm.” His tone was matter-of-fact. As if he had any kind of fucking say.
“She’s not dragging me anywhere.” I threw up my arms. “I’m going willingly. And I will go into any fucking storm so she’s not standing there alone. I understand that you’re saying this out of a misplaced attempt to protect me, but I’ll caution you against talking ill of my woman again.” I placed my hands on the counter, leaning forward. “And if you attempt to go behind my back, try to warn Calliope off, our relationship is done.”
Beau blinked at the threat I’d never imagined uttering to my brother. It physically pained me to say those words. He wasn’t just my brother, he was my best friend. I’d do anything for him. But I was also willing to do everything for Calliope.
Beau’s gray eyes were a storm of emotion, fluctuating between anger and disappointment and acceptance. “I won’t.” He nodded curtly. “But you need to think about the conversation we’re having, one similar to the one you had with me about Naomi. I ignored you then too.”
It was a slap, him bringing Naomi into the conversation, as if her and Calliope were even remotely similar.
“And you got Clara out of that.” I was unable to go into more detail, I was that angry.
“I did,” he conceded. “And I’d do it all over again.” Again, something I knew to be true. We’d all go through anything and everything to have Clara in our lives.
“Calliope is nothing like Naomi,” I added.
“She isn’t,” Beau agreed. “She’s a good person. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t involved in bad shit. Doesn’t mean that the wreckage won’t be fucking horrific.”
He said it like it was a harbinger of doom.
“You’re a pragmatist.” I waved him off. “You don’t believe in anyone or anything predicting the future.”
Part of this was my brother’s nature, yet part of it was the nature of the beast when you had a sick child. You didn’t want to predict the future.
My brother looked me square in the eye, somber yet also almost appearing apologetic. “You don’t need to be a fucking psychic to see that Calliope Derrick is a woman who will ruin lives. I’m hoping it’s just her own. Not because I don’t wish her to have a good life, but because I don’t think she’s capable of being satisfied with that.”
“I’ll prove you wrong.” I felt as if he’d hit me square in the chest, but I stayed strong, holding his gaze. “Because I’ll give her a good fucking life.”
I made the vow as if it was in my power to make. Even as the words came from my mouth, I knew they were a lie.
As much as I wanted to give Calliope a good life, a great one, she was the one who would decide whether she was worthy of that. And though I knew she was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I knew she didn’t believe that.
Eighteen
Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) — Taylor Swift
CALLIOPE
Iwas drunk.
That was why someone was knocking at the door of my hotel room.
Because I made bad decisions when I was drunk.
Like calling Jasper to come to Jupiter those months ago, thinking he was still welcome in my bed, letting him know exactly where I was, where my family was. Yes, he could’ve known before I called, could’ve found out with a few taps of a keyboard or one phone call. But willingly letting him set foot in Jupiter felt like a sin.
And I’d already sinned enough when it came to Jasper Hayes.
But it wasn’t him I was bringing into my bad decisions.
“Hi.” I gripped the door, taking in Elliot. He was in another sweater, a cream one this time, cargo pants, and his beloved Birkenstocks. His eyes ran over me much the same way I had him.
My hair was down, my signature bun hurting my head unlike it ever had before. I’d kicked off my heels and the blouse I’d been wearing, so I was in a silk camisole and a skirt which was unzipped partially since it felt uncomfortable against my midsection. All of my custom-made clothing suddenly felt suffocating.