Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
“Do you want some tea?”
Miri shook her head. “Tea can’t fix this.”
True, but it would be nice if it could. This was how our school nurse would fix whatever ailed us—with herbal tea, which was her answer for everything. It didn’t matter if we had a nosebleed, cramps, or a broken arm; she offered us tea.
My phone beeped with a text from Brendan: How are things going?
The question made me want to laugh. I knew he was being sincere, but how did he think things were going? There was a giant elephant in the room, with a blinking neon sign, telling me my best friend was dying and there wasn’t jack shit I could do about it. Nor could he. To make matters worse, Miri and I needed to have the talk about what would happen after she was gone.
I felt bad for telling him to stay home, because I knew he wanted to help, but with my mom here, things were crowded. Plus, Brendan preferred for us to stay in a hotel or a bed-and-breakfast, and there was no way I’d leave Miri.
I typed back: Things are . . . sad.
I looked at my words and fought back my tears before I sent the message.
Brendan responded right away: Will you be in the office on Monday?
The question gave me pause. I glanced at Miri, who held a book in her hand, but I couldn’t tell if she was reading or not. Could I leave her? Could I go back to my life and leave my mom to take care of her?
No, I couldn’t.
I typed back: No. I’ll call you later to discuss.
“Brendan’s going to want to come visit,” I told Miri as I put my phone down. “He’s already tried, and I told him to wait.”
“Do you love him?”
Her question caught me off guard. “Yes,” I said after a brief pause. “Why?”
Miri shrugged. “I don’t know. Sometimes, I see you, I see him, and then I see the two of you together, and you’re different when he’s around. On edge.”
I’d been with Brendan for years, and she had never mentioned anything.
“Do you not like him?”
I don’t know why I asked. It wasn’t like I could change the situation now.
Miri looked at me. Her eyes were wet and shimmering with tears. Ever since she’d been given the news, she’d done nothing but cry. Not that I blamed her. In private, it was all I was doing as well. The shower took the brunt of my anger, sadness, and frustration.
“He’s not who I would’ve chosen for you,” she said as she reached for my hand. “But I see why you’re with him.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because he’s in your world.”
I pondered her answer and had to agree with her. If I didn’t work at Caldwell & Crest or did what I did for a job, Brendan wouldn’t have been my first choice. He was what others referred to as a bro. His boys came first, after the dollars in his billfold. Yes, he said he loved me, and we spent quality time together. He was generous, flirtatious, and a catch. But if one of his frat brothers called with a tee time in Miami, Brendan was on the next plane out of Logan.
Although, I’d done the same thing for Miriam.
Friendships were important, but so were relationships, and Brendan had never done me wrong. So, yes, he was in my world, and we fit.
“He’s a great guy, Miri.”
She smiled softly and turned toward the window. Outside, Nova laughed, and my mom rocked in the chair. Every so often, we heard the power saw, followed by hammering and the nail gun.
“How come you never pursued things with Weston?”
Miri chuckled. “Never even gave him a thought.”
“Really? Why the hell not? Have you looked at him? Clearly, he likes you.”
“Because it’s not me he’s interested in,” she said as she gave me a pointed look. I shook my head slightly, and she nodded. “I can see it in the way he looks at you.”
There was no way he liked me. We’d just met.
As if on cue, Weston stood in the front window with his back to us. I had to admit, he had a nice backside and was ruggedly handsome.
“I was shocked to find out he used to be a professional baseball player. You never told me.”
Miri lifted one shoulder. “I didn’t think it mattered. He rarely talks about it, and no one in town really bothers him about it. Unless it’s during baseball season, and then everyone will go on and on about how Wes played in the majors.”
“Wes?”
She nodded. “That’s what he goes by.”
“Huh, he introduced himself to me as Weston.” I stood and went to the window. As soon as Nova saw me, she waved and motioned for me to come outside.
“Sort of how you didn’t tell him to call you Toni.” Miri smirked.