Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
A wide smile broke out across my brother’s face. “Thank you, Aurora. I know he feels like an ass about what he said to you.”
“As he should.”
“Agreed. Give him a chance to make things right.”
I stood. “I will. I’d better get back out there.”
Nathan stood, and when I walked around the desk, he pulled me in for a hug. “I love you, sis.”
Hugging him tightly, I replied, “I love you, too.”
I walked with Nathan to the door and hugged him one last time. When I turned and headed back to the checkout counter, I pulled out my phone and texted Liam.
Me: Hi, Liam. I’m getting off early this afternoon and wondered if you and Winnie would be home around 3:15 for a visit.
Instantly, the dots started to bounce, and his reply came.
Liam: We are here and would love to see you. Stop by anytime.
Me: Great! See you after three.
My heart suddenly felt like it skipped a beat. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because I wasn’t entirely sure I believed my brother when he said that Liam didn’t mean what he said. I didn’t have time to go over it incessantly, so I slipped my phone into my back pocket and distracted my wayward thougths with work.
I pulled into Liam’s driveway and turned off the car. I drew in a deep breath, then exhaled before I got out.
“Aurora! Aurora, is that you?”
Turning, I smiled as I saw Mrs. Randall, Liam’s neighbor, across the street. She was walking over carrying a basket.
“Are you here to visit Liam and Winnie?”
“I am. What’s this?” I asked, pointing to the basket.
She smiled and opened it. “Homemade chicken pot pie.”
“Yum!” I replied. “I’m sure Liam and Winnie will love that.”
She handed it to me and asked, “Would you mind giving it to Liam? I’m in a rush and need to get to an appointment.”
“Oh, of course I will.” I took the basket and watched as she was about to turn around. She paused and leaned in closer.
“You might want to let Liam know he should keep his voice down when talking about what he was talking about with your brother Nathan.”
My interest was piqued. “What were they talking about?”
Her face turned red. “Well,” she said, glancing around, then focused back on me. “About Liam getting L.A.I.D.”
“Laid?” I asked in shock.
That made her face turn a deep shade of red. “Shh! Aurora!”
“They were talking about that where?”
“Well, Liam opened his front door and told Nathan it wouldn’t solve his problems. I’m sure half the neighbors heard. If I’m being honest, I think it would solve them all.”
I pressed my lips together tightly, trying not to laugh. “Well, I’m not sure it’s my place to say anything to Liam, but I’ll talk to my brother.”
She looked relieved. “Oh, good. Thank you, dear. I’m off!”
Turning, I walked up to the door, and it opened before I could ring the bell. Liam stood there, a smile on his face as he said, “Hey.”
“Um, hi.”
He looked past me to his neighbor. “I saw you pull up, and Mrs. Randall was making her way over, so I held back. Once that woman gets to talking, she will talk your ear off.”
“Probably a good thing she didn’t talk directly to you.”
Confused, he asked, “Why?”
Trying not to laugh, I held up the basket and decided to ignore that question. “She made you and Winnie chicken pot pie, but was in a rush, so she asked me to give it to you.”
He took the basket and then motioned for me to come in. I slid past him and set my purse on the table.
“That was nice of her to do that. Winnie loves her chicken pot pie.”
“Smells good,” I said with a smile. Glancing around, I asked, “Where is Winnie?”
He motioned toward the family room. “Crashed on the sofa. We went to the park, and she rode her little tricycle, but she was exhausted. I put on a movie, and she was out in five minutes. She didn’t nap this morning, but I can’t let her sleep too long or she’ll be up late.”
I smiled and followed him into the kitchen.
“How have you been?” he asked, taking the pie out and putting it into the fridge. “I know we just saw one another.”
“Good. The bookstore has been busy, so that’s a plus.”
He smiled. “That is good.”
We stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say next. It didn’t take long for Liam to speak.
“Aurora, I just want to apologize for what I said to you the last time you were here. I wasn’t myself with…the grief, guilt, and the confusion, and… Hope wasn’t herself at the end either, and I was just…scared. I was scared and didn’t mean anything I said.”
I swallowed and looked down at the floor as memories of that day reappeared. I looked up and met his blue eyes. His dark hair was trimmed short on the sides and top, and I could see a few streaks of gray appearing. Liam wasn’t old by any means, thirty-four. But I’m sure the stress of the last year and a half had put most of that color in his hair.