Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Denny’s on fire.” I plucked at the paper on my beer bottle. “Anyone want another?”
“No, thanks. I—oh! Would you look at that! We won.” Hank held his hand up for a round of high fives and stood. “I gotta run. I have to check on the horses and let the dog out.”
“Same.” Reg hefted himself off the sofa and gathered the empty beer bottles. “I’ll put these in the recycle bin for you, Coop. Later, Hank.”
“See ya.” Hank headed for the door. “I’ll be in early tomorrow to go over our notes. I want to practice my speech before we meet with the investor.”
I furrowed my brow and followed him to the door. “We? You want me at the investor meeting?”
“Don’t look so surprised. Of course I do.” He picked up his leather jacket from the bench in the foyer and shoved his arms in the sleeves. “This is big-time, Coop. We have to wow them with our knowledge and expertise. They’ll need more than my pretty face to convince them to give us their money.”
“They need my ugly mug too,” I deadpanned.
Hank patted my cheek and winked. “At least you know how to chop wood.”
I swatted him away and opened the door. “Out.”
“See you tomorrow,” Hank called on his way to his truck.
Reg came up behind me just then and slugged my shoulder, his standard-issue hello or good-bye. “Thanks for the beer and the company. I’ll talk to you in—who’s that? Are you expecting someone, you sly dog?”
I squinted at the headlights slicing the night and illuminating my driveway. “Sarah.”
Bile rose in my throat and panic set in. We didn’t do unannounced visits. Ever.
“Huh. She’s smiling. It can’t be too bad,” Reg said, sensing the shift in my mood.
Sarah stepped out of the van and waved. My blood pressure normalized somewhat, but I was wary. Something had to be wrong.
“Hey, Reg. How you doin’?” she called in greeting.
“Not bad. How about you?”
I stood on the periphery while my best friend and my ex made small talk.
Sarah McMurry Daleo was a medium-sized woman—not short, not tall, not thin, not overweight—with shoulder-length blond hair, a heart-shaped face, and a small nose. She wasn’t beautiful, but she had a certain sparkle…a gift for connecting with people. If she inquired about your day, your family, your friends, you’d think she really wanted to know everything you were willing to share and then some.
I’d liked that about her. I still did, but I didn’t always trust her now.
Reg fished his keys from his pocket and called out another good-bye as he headed for his truck, leaving me with the woman I’d once thought I’d spend the rest of my life with.
“Is everything all right? Are the kids—”
“They’re fine.” She fiddled with her purse strap. Yep, she was nervous. Not a good sign. “Sorry to show up like this. I was going to text you, but I was in the neighborhood visiting a friend. You remember Camille?”
“Yeah.” I crossed my arms.
“Anyway, I…” Sarah’s smile drooped as she bit her bottom lip. “Can I come in for a minute?”
I inclined my chin and motioned for her to follow me inside. “Want something to drink?”
She sat on a barstool and unbuttoned her coat but didn’t take it off. “If I didn’t have to drive those narrow roads in the dark, I’d take a beer, but alas…I’d love some water. Thank you.”
I slid a glass of water in front of her and waited.
Maintaining a polite middle ground where no one spoke their mind was one of the hardest parts about coparenting with an ex. It was unrealistic to communicate only about the kids. Our personal lives seeped in and upset boundaries all the fucking time. I noticed when she got a haircut, bought a new sweater, or changed her perfume. The sorts of things you should have immunity from with an ex.
I didn’t love her anymore, and I was glad our marriage had dissolved with a minimum of fuss. But damn it…I wished we didn’t have to do this fucking dance for the rest of our lives.
“The kids are fine and you seem fine, so…what’s up?”
Sarah drew a shaky inhale and blurted, “Frank is looking for a new job within his company. We might be moving.”
I was too stunned to speak at first. “Moving.”
She tapped her fingers against the glass. “The firm has offices around the country. Rutland is the closest, then Burlington. There’s also an opportunity in Ann Arbor and St. Paul, and…San Diego.”
“California.”
“I’ve heard great things and the change in weather would be nice. I saw that it was seventy degrees there today. In February…that’s nuts.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and licked her lips. “We haven’t made any decisions on this, but the kids have overheard a few conversations and they’re asking questions, and…I wanted you to know. That’s all.”