Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Ever since that day in the police station, right before Summer passed away, he’s been avoiding her completely. It’s breaking her heart.
“Hey, Norah,” Josie says softly. “How about we try to get him in the car, okay?”
Norah nods, her lip trembling.
Josie meets my eyes as I help Bennett off the barstool and wrap his limp arm around my shoulder, lifting him to his feet. He’s heavy and off-balance, and as I carry him toward the door, his feet are basically dragging on the floor.
Josie does her best to keep Norah calm while still helping me get Ben to the car by holding open the doors, and we manage to get him in the back seat without too much of a fight. Josie is gentle as she adjusts his legs so they’re not smashed against the door, encouraging Norah at the same time.
I feel a pang of longing in my chest.
Josie has always been a caretaker. Always calm and reassuring and supportive. Always the best woman I’ve ever known.
Once Norah is supporting Bennett in the back seat, Josie hops in the driver’s seat and offers a little wave goodbye in my direction. Just like always, it hurts like a son of a bitch to watch her drive away.
48
Josie
Wednesday, September 29th
I scrub a hand down my face and squint to make out the time on the clock on my nightstand, but the numbers are too blurred for me to confirm. All I know is that it’s still dark outside and way too early to have Norah standing over my bed looking at me with wide, alert eyes and rambling a mile a minute about things that sound absolutely bonkers to someone who just got woken up from a dead sleep.
Mind you, this morning visit is coming four days after she handed me a pregnancy stick with her pee on it to reveal the explosive news—she’s pregnant with Bennett Bishop’s baby—and after nearly two weeks of interrupted sleep from helping get his sloppy, drunk ass home safely every night while he grieves his daughter.
Norah and Ben are barely on speaking terms outside of his late-night, inebriated chats, and he shows no signs of stopping his binges anytime soon.
It’s a fucking mess. So much so, it actually makes all my own bullshit feel a little less wild.
“I need to do this, Josie.” She’s still rambling. “But I don’t want to do it by myself, and I want you—”
“Let me get this straight,” I cut her off completely because my mind is having a hell of time understanding the crazy things she’s saying right now. “You called a doctor two towns over and made an appointment before normal business hours—before dawn—because you’re worried about someone seeing you going to the doctor and blabbing to Bennett about the impending bundle of joy before you get the chance?”
She nods along with each word I say while keeping count of I don’t even know what on her fingers. And she stays silent for only a few seconds before saying, “Yes. Exactly.”
Good grief. I swear, one day we’re all going to have to stop playing this no one in town can know game. It’s exhausting.
“Norah—”
“No, no, Josie.” She shakes her head manically and holds up one hand. “You don’t get to tell me I’ve lost my mind when I’ve already been in the newspaper three times after living here for less than half a year, okay? You know I’m right to do it this way.”
I can’t say she’s wrong, but hell’s bells, it is so damn early.
I groan and scrub my hand down my face again. “But today was my only day to sleep in while Todd opens. Whyyyy?”
“Because this was your only day to sleep in, silly. And I need you to go with me. Plus, this is the absolute earliest I could bribe this doctor into opening for me, and I had to promise a one-of-a-kind Bennett Bishop painting to her in order to do it.”
“Norah!” I slam both of my hands down onto my comforter. “And just exactly how are you going to follow through on that one, huh?”
She shrugs. “Easy. I’m still Bennett’s assistant. I’m still doing all the legwork for his day-to-day, and Breezy likes me. I’ll tell her where the painting is going, and she’ll send me the label to ship it.”
“Bless it. I need just an ounce of your energy for insane ideas.” I swear, my sister has more energy than the Energizer Bunny. And right now, all that energy is being pushed directly at me. My tired body is not a fan.
“Please.” She rolls her eyes. “So says the woman who is furthering our grandma’s legacy by selling mass-produced candles in a handmade Ponzi scheme.”
“Norah…” I pause, and she puts a defiant hand to her hip.
“Josie, get up. I need a support person with me, okay?”