Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
I try to remember my first love. Nope. I’ve got nothing. Perhaps it’s a female thing. Or maybe I’ve never been in love.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” I say, retrieving a plate before pulling two slices of bread from the bag and sliding the eggs onto one piece.
Liz watches me as I add mayo and hot sauce. Her nose wrinkles when I take a bite. “You mean like that sandwich?” she asks.
“I noticed Everleigh is growing out her natural hair color,” I say, eyeing Liz’s amber hair. Honestly, I had no idea it wasn’t natural.
She tucks a few strands behind her ear. “My daughter has my eyes. That’s it. Everything else she got from her father. When she started college, I took her to get her hair colored like mine.”
“But that’s not your natural color.”
She frowns. “Watch it, young man.”
I smirk after taking another bite of my sandwich.
“I’m a mousey brunette. This color suits me better. It’s what I looked like when I met Everleigh’s father.” Her pleasant smile slips for a second. Then she swallows hard and finds a new smile that’s less believable before clearing her throat. “It’s become part of my identity, so when I took my daughter to get hers colored to match, I felt like she was really mine.”
That’s ridiculous, but whatever.
“Her darker hair is nice,” I say.
“Yes. She’s a beautiful young woman. She has a real Ritu Arya look to her when her hair is black. My daughter is stunning. It’s a shame you can’t see that.”
I can see just fine. “Who’s Ritu Arya?”
“Umbrella Academy?” Her eyes widen, waiting for me to light up with recognition. I’ve got nothing.
“So how long are you here for?” I ask.
“Two more days. I’m going house hunting with Everleigh tomorrow.”
Excellent.
“If you need a list of homes for sale, just let me know. I have a friend who’s a Realtor,” I say because I’m a helpful guy who just wants what’s best for everyone.
“Will, has anyone ever painted you?”
“Painted me?” I mumble over a bite of sandwich.
“Yes. Or drawn you? I bet you’d look stunning as a graphite pencil sketch. How would you feel about my painting you this afternoon? I bet there’s an art supply store in this town. I could pick up a few things and be back in less than an hour.”
“Oh, no. Really.” I brush my hand down the front of my T-shirt. “I have nothing nice to wear. All of my clothes are old and wrinkled.”
“You’re cute, Will.” She bats her eyelashes at me. “I’m sure Everleigh told you I paint nudes. Who cares what your clothes look like?” She grabs her black leather tote off the table and hikes it onto her shoulder. “Be back soon.”
“Sir, can I help you?” The blond behind the desk jumps out of her chair as I blow past her.
“Everleigh?” I call, looking right and left into rooms as my boots stomp on the floor down the clinic’s hallway. “Dr. Reichart? Where are you?”
“Sir!” The blond catches up with me and grabs my arm. “You need to stop, or I’ll have to call security.”
“Where is she?”
“Dr. Reichart is unavailable. You need to make an appointment.” She tightens her grip on my arm while blowing her bangs away from her black-framed glasses.
I turn toward her, pulling out of her hold and narrowing my eyes. “Find her and tell her that her landlord is here.”
“Will?”
I pivot toward Everleigh’s voice. She has a VR headset resting on her forehead, nose wrinkled as she squints at me.
“Are you seriously playing games at work?”
She frowns, glancing behind her. I follow her gaze to a little boy, who has a VR headset on his head as well.
“Austin, I’ll be right back. Okay?” she says.
The little boy with messy red hair and freckles nods.
She gently closes the door behind her, then grabs my wrist and pulls me down the hallway, opening the door with her name on it. “Is this an emergency?”
I step inside her office. It’s nothing but bare white walls, save for a slew of framed licenses and accolades. The only things on her sleek glass desk are a computer and a candy dispenser. Why can’t she be this clean at my house?
“Will, I have a patient. If this isn’t an emergency, then take a seat and wait for me. I will be finished in thirty minutes.”
I press the button on her M&M dispenser, and several drop onto her desk. “Okay,” I murmur as she exits her office, closing the door behind her. It’s weird being in here.
It’s weird observing her in a white lab coat.
It’s weird seeing her name on the door. Dr. Reichart. She’s a fucking medical doctor. How is that possible?
After surveying everything in her office, or lack thereof, I sit in her comfy leather chair and prop my boots atop her desk to doomscroll on my phone. Before I know it, thirty minutes fly by, and she’s back, standing in the doorway, eyeing my boots.