Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
I turned my head to look at him. What the hell was with my brothers coming in for the defense? Not that I was complaining. I just hadn’t expected it.
“Oz has Winslet at the end of the day. I have Cressida. And when I didn’t have her, life and reality was a real fucking dark place to navigate alone. They ease it for us. Forge has something similar with Elsie. She’s suffered pain and loss. She understands him.”
This was starting to sound like a goddamn counseling session where I was the focus, and I didn’t like it.
“I wouldn’t compare it to Winslet and Cressida,” I drawled.
These fuckers didn’t all need to think I was in love or some shit. That was not it.
“As touching as all this is,” Wayon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “we need to get back to New Orleans.”
Dipshit. I wanted his ass back in New Orleans more than he wanted to be.
“I’ll help,” Locke said, sounding as if he was agreeing to walk the plank. “I can’t be her only escort and companion or whatever, but I can step in some.”
“I can keep her busy at the distillery. Teach her some things about the business,” Hale said, causing every eye in the room to shift to him.
“I’m not sure that’s going to be the kind of thing Lula Mae will want to do.” Linc’s tone was a mix of surprise and amusement.
“It’ll be good for her.” Thaddeus spoke up. “Teach her something. Fuck knows she’s spoiled as shit. Give her a job.” He stood up then. “I trust y’all to take care of her, and I’m not against her getting her hands dirty.” He glanced down at Wayon, who was staring up at him like he’d lost his mind. “You ready? Plane is waiting, and they have things under control here.”
Wayon stood slowly. “Are you serious?”
His father nodded. “Sure as shit.”
Wayon let out a disbelieving laugh. “All right then, good luck with all that,” he said to Hale.
Hale smirked. “She’ll be just fine.”
Wayon was clearly amused. “I wish I could stay and watch this.”
Thirty-Two
Elsie
I unfolded the letter that someone had slid under my door while I was in the kitchen.
Elsie,
I’ve got good news and bad news. Let me get the bad out of the way first. I had been planning on surprising you this weekend and coming for a visit. But we ran into a snag in taping with one of our leads coming down with a stomach virus and putting us behind. So, we are now working throughout the weekend.
Onto the good news! We will be done before next weekend, and I’ve already bought my plane ticket. I can’t wait to see you. I know we get to correspond, but hearing your voice and seeing you in person—it’s something I need right now.
Your last letter sounded like you were struggling. I’m worried about you. Depression is understandable, but it can be dangerous. If you think you need help or some medication, let me know. I can talk to Oz. He can get you what you need.
How is the sleeping? Are you resting well?
Things are going smooth here, but I hate to talk about all that. I’m more focused on you. Write me back ASAP.
Love ya,
Calvin
Sighing, I laid the letter down on the bed and sank onto the mattress beside it. I wasn’t depressed. Not the kind that needed medication anyway. But I wasn’t happy either.
I knew the meeting was over because I’d seen a few of the others downstairs. But Forge wasn’t there, and he’d not come to find me for the swimming he had mentioned.
I couldn’t tell Calvin about what I’d done with Forge so that I could get his advice. That was a line we had never crossed—talking about sexual things. But I needed someone to talk to. My other friends were out of reach for me. I couldn’t contact them. This was something I’d have to figure out on my own.
Knowing Calvin would be coming to visit soon did lighten things in my chest a little, but not much. He couldn’t fix this for me. I had to deal with it. Manage whatever I was feeling for Forge and not let it get any stronger.
Sitting around and dwelling on it wasn’t going to help me.
Noa had given me two of her books yesterday. Getting up, I walked over to the nightstand to pick up the first one in the series. It had been a while since I’d escaped into a book. Mom used to tell me it was the perfect place to go when the world was troubling. “Choose a different world and get lost inside its pages.” She used to do it often. There was a library of books she loved at our house. Possessions I wanted. Memories of her sitting with one in her hand while she drank from her blue china teacup with the bright yellow flowers painted on it. The deepest ache was back, taking precedence over the confused emotions I had for Forge. The one of loss that I feared would never heal. What I wouldn’t do to have that teacup with me.