Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
The air is heavy with smoke, making my eyes water. The building has scorch marks around the windows, and it makes me want to cry. Not for my mom, but for Chris. For me and all the years I spent in there, working hard.
For the employees who depend on this job.
“Bridger,” Xander calls out and waves, and the tall firefighter, who I’ve never personally met, comes right over to us.
“You must be Ivy,” Bridger says with a nod. “The Silver Springs chief is tied up, so I’m just going to fill you in and ask some questions.”
“Thank you,” I reply because that’s really all I can think to say.
“The upstairs apartment is a loss,” he begins. “The downstairs bar area has extensive smoke damage and part of the ceiling caved in. It’s certainly not safe to go inside, so please don’t do that.”
I nod, and when Xander slips his arm around my shoulders, I unabashedly lean into his strong side.
“We’re pretty sure your mom—Brenda?”
“Yes, Brenda.”
“Fell asleep with a lit cigarette, and that’s how it started. She’s pretty intoxicated. A customer walking by saw the smoke coming out of an open window and called it in. She was still asleep when the first responders went through the door, and they had a hell of a time waking her up.”
“Jesus,” I mutter and rub my hand over my face. She’s lucky she’s alive.
“The surrounding buildings didn’t sustain any damage.”
“Thank fuck.”
“We’ll have a full report for your insurance in the next few days.”
I blink at him. First of all, I just hope and pray that my idiot mother didn’t cancel the insurance on the bar just to try to save some money for her other habits. Second, would an insurance company even entertain a claim like this?
I can’t imagine it. It’s her own goddamn fault.
“And where is she?” I ask Bridger.
“There’s an ambulance right over there. They were listening to her lungs and giving her some oxygen. They also gave her an IV of fluids to try to sober her up.”
I nod and offer him what I think is a smile. It might be a grimace.
“Thank you for your help.”
“You bet.”
I break away from Xander, immediately feeling a chill from where he was pressed against me, and take off for the ambulance. When I walk around to the back, I see my mom, dressed only in a robe that’s gaping open—for fuck’s sake—sitting in the back, holding an oxygen mask to her face, and a medic is taking the IV needle out of her arm.
Her eyes move to me, and her entire face transforms into a glare.
“Only took me almost dying for you to show the fuck up. Where the fuck have you been?”
“Living my life.” I glance up at the medic, who looks like he’s been dealing with my mom’s sparkling personality for a while now, if the scowl on his face is anything to go by. “Is she free to go?”
“I need oxygen,” Mom barks.
“Actually, you don’t.” The medic shakes his head and looks beyond ready to cut Mom loose. Can’t say I blame him. “Your lungs are clear. You’re free to go.”
“Fucking idiot,” Mom mutters as the medic takes the oxygen mask from her and gestures for her to climb out of the ambulance.
No, I don’t help her. I don’t want to touch her.
The fluids did her some good, since she seems relatively sober and doesn’t wobble on her feet.
“Let’s go home,” she snaps at me. She’s such a fucking bitch.
“Mom, your home burned up because of your nicotine habit.”
“Your house, smart-ass.”
Oh God.
Oh fuck, I have to take her home with me. She doesn’t have anywhere else to go, and I can’t afford to put her somewhere else.
Fuck. My. Life.
I want to scream.
I want to hit something.
I want to beg the universe to tell me this isn’t true.
But right now, I just have to get her off the street and hidden away before she flashes all of Silver Springs. Before this is spread all over the town gossip.
Which is likely too late, if I’m being honest.
“Come on,” I finally say with a sigh and turn to find Xander striding my way. His gorgeous green eyes are pinned to mine, and he looks so angry.
But I know he’s not mad at me.
“Can you give us a ride to my house?” I ask him, and his eyes shift to my mom and back to me. “Please?”
He gives me a curt nod, and we lead my mother over to his SUV.
“I see, you’ve been whoring around with the famous hockey player rather than taking care of your responsibilities. Typical. Such a fucking whore.”
I feel like I was just kicked in the stomach, but Xander rounds on my mother and gets in her face, and Mom goes pale.
“Say that again. I fucking dare you.”
“Are you threatening me? Ivy, he’s—”