Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“Hey there, Skittles.”
I roll my eyes at the silly nickname. He coined it a couple of months ago and despite my best—or maybe half-hearted—objections, he continued calling me that. He came here one day to find me on the back deck, crying and burying my sorrows in one of those bags of Skittles that are big and meant to be shared. It doesn’t need to be said that I wasn’t sharing it. I ate the whole damn bag and ignored the stomachache that came with it.
“I guess I should expect a silly nickname from a guy whose club name is a sugary candy too,” I grumble. That makes him laugh harder, which is nice because Eli has a really good laugh.
“That proves that you and I are a perfect match,” he jokes. I ignore the small voice in my head that is telling me I should prove to him that we are. That way led to danger, and I can’t allow myself to go there.
“What are you doing here today?” I ask, changing the topic to a much safer one.
“I wanted to take you and Cammie out and show you something.”
“What?” I ask, my forehead curling up in confusion.
“It’s a surprise. Where is Cammie?” he asks.
“She just went down for her nap.”
“Do you think Ms. Grayson could stay with her for a couple of hours?” he asks.
Ms. Grayson was my neighbor and the sweetest woman on the planet. She’s a widow and gets lonely. She loves her time with Cammie. I’m going to hate moving from here. Sadly, I can’t keep this house. To do that, I would have to pay Drew’s equity in it and even though I’m getting some of his 401-K and child support—when the divorce is final—there’s no way I could swing that. Plus, if I’m honest, this house has bad memories for me—ones I no longer want to remember. A new place will be better. It’s a clean slate and a new beginning. Besides, once this place is sold, my share in the proceeds will give me enough for a good down payment on a smaller home. I’ve been looking at a few apartments and townhomes in the area. The yard will be next to nothing, but HOA will do the upkeep and there’s a community park next to it. It wouldn’t be my first choice but the HOA’s are low, and the payment should be too. If I’m very careful, I can swing it. Well, I can if I’m able to keep my job. Right now, that is kind of a big if.
“I could ask her. Will you at least tell me where we’re going?” I finally answer, looking at Eli.
“Nope,” he says stubbornly. His blue eyes are twinkling with, what I’ve come to recognize is happiness.
I cherish those moments, because even if his happiness is quiet and understated, I still like seeing it. I’m also envious of it.
“I’ll call and ask. Just a couple of hours, right?”
“Tell her three to be safe, but nothing more than that. I don’t like Cammie being without you for too long,” he adds.
That makes me smile. He worries about Cammie all the time. It’s a welcome change from her father who barely cared if she was around.
It takes about thirty minutes for Ms. Grayson to show up and then, I find myself alone in Eli’s truck with him. Conversation flows pretty easily—as it always seems to with him. I feel comfortable and even safe. It’s only when I notice he’s driving me into Corbin that I tense up.
“What are you doing, Eli?”
He frowns as he looks over at me. We’re on the old road that leads from London to Corbin, so he finds an easy place to pull over and once he throws his truck into park, he stares at me. “What’s going on, sweetheart?” he asks, softly, like he’s talking to a frightened child. It’s ironic because that’s exactly what I feel like right now.
“I don’t want to go to the club house, Eli. My father doesn’t want to see me. I don’t plan on forcing my presence on him. He turned his back on me years ago. I’ve accepted it. I hope eventually that he will want to be a part of my daughter’s life, but if he doesn’t, then that’s his failure, not mine.”
“Is it important to you that he be part of your daughter’s life?” he asks.
“Not for myself. It’s just my daughter deserves to have a family around her that loves her. If he can’t do that, I’d rather he just stay away.” Honestly, I didn’t strike gold in the parental department. I never hear from my mother except for Cammie’s birthdays and Dad has been radio silent longer than I can remember. If it wasn’t for my daughter, I’d prefer they both just stay away.