Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 36002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“Why would Beau concede so easily?” I ask, suddenly needing her to admit what she knows about what happened.
She chuckles. “Because he’s afraid of Daddy. Everyone is.”
“No other reason than that one?”
“Nope,” she lies. “But Daddy isn’t too happy with you either. He understands you were defending your dad since he’s had prior beef with Beau, but violence is never the answer.”
No, money is.
When I see Abby exit the front of the hospital, I zip my car over to her.
“Angela, I have to go.”
“Angela?” She laughs nervously. “I’m babe, remember? Angela sounds so formal. Like I’m in trouble.”
I grumble out a fake laugh and manage a goodbye before quickly ending the call. Once parked in front of Abby, I jump out and round the vehicle. She’s still frowning, but some of the fire has gone.
“Come here, honey,” I say, yanking her into my arms. “I fucked up in there and I’m sorry. Can I make it up to you with ice cream?”
“Get me two scoops and I’ll think about forgiving you,” she teases, eyes glimmering with her usual mischief. “How’s Angela?”
I grimace and shake my head. “Same.” Dipping my forehead to Abby’s, I murmur, “How are you and our son?”
“Better now that we’ve been promised ice cream.” She beams at me.
She’s so damn pretty it makes my chest hurt. I want to kiss her right now in front of everyone, but I force myself to open the car door and help her inside.
Everything’s so fucking messy in my head.
But, when I’m with Abby, all I see is her.
Chapter 10
Abby
I’m trying to put distance between us, but it’s as if Rhett can sense it and clings on harder. And, when he does that, it’s difficult for me to push him away.
“Why is Daddy so confusing, Buck?” I ask my belly as I rub it.
A door closes behind me, and I whirl around to see a young woman around my age entering the laundry room. She has an infant strapped to her chest in some sort of sling. I make a mental note to tell Rhett we need one.
“Hi,” I say, wriggling my fingers at her. “Don’t mind me. Just the weirdo in the laundry room talking to herself.”
The woman smiles at me and gestures at my stomach. “I used to talk to mine when she was in the womb. It’s normal.”
“I’m Abby. Just moved in a few months ago.”
She nods. “I know. News travels fast in this small community.”
Unease trickles through me. Rhett doesn’t want news traveling at all. Since I don’t know this woman, it’s safe to say there’s no way it would get back to do any damage to Rhett, but I still feel weird about it.
“I’m Savvy,” she says, offering me a slender hand to shake. “I’ve seen Rhett going into your place a lot.”
The way she so casually says his name as if she knows him intimately makes my hackles raise. It’s then I recall a past conversation I had with Riko where he told me all about how Rhett used to be obsessed with Savvy.
Rather than give him away by divulging anything, I flash Savvy an icy smile, not returning the handshake. The buzzer on my dryer goes off and I’m awarded an opportunity to escape.
“Nice to meet you, Savvy. See you around.”
Her baby starts to fuss so I snatch all my clothes from the dryer and hurry out of the laundry room before she can say anything else. Once back inside my townhouse, I let loose a sigh of relief. My back aches as I carry the basket upstairs. When I deposit it on the bed, I feel the small movements in my belly and grin.
“You’re never awake when Daddy is here,” I tease as I stroke my stomach.
It’s surreal having the life growing inside of you move and actually be able to feel it. Sometimes I can even see my stomach move, but never when Rhett is around.
My phone rings in my pocket. I jerk it out, expecting it to be Rhett since he’s the only one who ever calls me, and freeze when I see the name across the screen.
Dad.
I’m not sure how long it rings before I muster up the courage to answer it.
“Abigail,” Dad grunts after I say hello. “Where on God’s green earth have you been?”
I haven’t stepped foot into my childhood home since I slept with Angela’s boyfriend. Dad is just now wondering where I’m at? Too little too late.
“Living my life, Dad.”
He exhales heavily. “Always dramatic with you.”
Tears flood my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I’m tired of being portrayed as the dramatic one in our family. Despite having done nothing wrong—until Rhett—I wore the scarlet letter of shame anyway. It gets old. I’m grateful Buck will have two parents who will love him unconditionally.
“What do you want?” I say, voice ragged and tired.