Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 113270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“You won’t hear me refuting that one. I mean, my mother is currently sitting in an orange jumpsuit to prove it.” She snorts at that, but then her eyes turn kind toward me. “Breeze, I know what it’s like to have your world turned on its head. I know what it’s like to need to escape to somewhere you feel safe. I don’t know what your plans are, but just know you’re welcome to stay here as long as you need without pressure or judgment.”
“Thanks, Norah.” I’m grateful, but I’m also exhausted and sad and confused and so many other emotions I could scream. I sigh. “I wish I had plans. I wish I had even an inkling of a direction to go right now.”
No career. No job prospects. No boyfriend or husband or happy family. I’m basically aimless at the moment. The reality pinches sharply.
“You’ll get there,” Norah reassures, and Bennett nods.
“You will, Breeze. Dad and Logan’s bullshit won’t drag you down the rest of your life. Just give yourself a little time to work through it all,” he says.
We all go quiet for a long moment, but there’s a part of me that can’t leave this conversation without saying something on our brother Logan’s behalf. Sure, I’m pissed at him, and yes, he’s probably one of the most selfish people you’ll ever meet, but he’s still my baby brother and I will always try to see the good in him, despite all the chaos his rebellion and bad decisions have created for our family over the years.
He said he went along with Dad’s will to protect me, and deep down, I believe his intentions weren’t malicious. It doesn’t make it all better, but it’s something—a something I’m trying to hold on to.
I know better than to say anything aloud, but Ben can read the look on my face anyway.
“Don’t do yourself the disservice of underestimating him, Breeze. I know exactly what that motherfucker is capable of.” Bennett barks out another laugh, but it’s not amused. “And now, clearly, you should too.”
Maybe someday my brothers won’t be estranged. Maybe someday I’ll convince Bennett—and hell, myself too—to give Logan another chance. But I know today isn’t that day, so I don’t argue.
Thankfully, the front door creaks open before the conversation can dig deeper.
“Hello?” Josie’s voice floats in, followed by Clay’s deeper timbre.
“Is our little Autumn in here?”
“JoJo! CayCay!” Autumn squeals, barreling toward her aunt Josie and uncle Clay. Josie drops her bag and sweeps Autumn up, kissing her face until our niece is nothing but a curly ball of giggles and squeals.
Clay follows suit, taking Autumn out of Josie’s hands and raining kisses all over her chubby little cheeks. Instantly, everything dark and dismal about our conversation disappears, and the room feels brighter.
“All right, Clay.” Bennett rescues Autumn from her uncle’s affection on a laugh. “Any more kisses and she might puke.”
Bennett and Clay have been friends for years and years. Clay was actually the first one to move to Red Bridge and start a bar in spite of his own father, and Bennett ended up following in his footsteps when Summer was born.
The two of them have seen each other through the worst and the best and everything in between, and they handle it all with love—and incessant razzing.
Clay flashes his best friend a shit-eating grin. “Aw, Ben. You want some sugar from Uncle Clay too?”
See what I mean?
“You can f-u-c-k right off with that,” Ben mutters as he sets Autumn on her feet. She runs across the living room on quick feet and doesn’t stop until she reaches the little dollhouse I bought her from a boutique in New York for her first birthday.
“Weeee!” she exclaims as she takes one of the dolls out of the house and pretends she’s flying in the air. “Fast gurl! Go fast gurl!”
Finally released from the cute toddler spell by Autumn’s exit, Josie notices me sitting here for the first time, and I laugh as she starfishes her limbs in shock. “Hold the freaking phone! What are you doing here, Breezy? When did you get here? Why didn’t you call?”
She crosses the room in three strides and drags me from the couch to pull me into a hug.
“I literally just got in,” I laugh, hugging her back.
“Well, it’s good to see you,” she says with a smile.
“Hey, Breeze. Happy to see you in our neck of the woods.” Clay grins and slings an arm around my shoulders to give me a friendly side hug before Autumn demands his attention over at the dollhouse once again.
Norah joins Josie and me on the couch in a kind of girl-gab-pow-wow while the guys field the toddler. When there’s a lull in our conversation, Josie pulls a folded copy of a New York newspaper from her purse and hands it to her sister.