Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
“Would you like to take a shower?” I ask, and she nods. I point at the door in the room to the side. “That is your own bathroom. You can take a shower and then come and meet me in the kitchen when you’re done.” She again doesn’t say a word. “I’ll go and get your bags and put them in here, and you can put them away when you want. After that if you want, we can maybe call Mr. and Mrs. Graham.” I try not to act too much like I’m telling her what to do. Turning, I walk back out the front door, taking the bags out of the truck and placing them into the empty room before I close the door of her bedroom to give her privacy. Then I walk back out into the kitchen.
Only when I’m standing in the kitchen do I let my head hang and grip the back of my neck, feeling the tension that has been building since I got that phone call.
I think I’ve slept maybe five hours in total in the past five days. It’s been a blur, to say the least.
After they took the DNA from me and Lucy, I was taken back to Mr. Graham’s office and read Paige’s last will and testament since I was the only one named in the will. She left everything to Lucy, obviously, which I, as her parent, would handle in trust until she was eighteen. After he read everything to me, and I felt more hollow than I did before, he stood with keys in his hands. “These are the keys to the house,” he told me. “You can go over there and see if there is anything you want, and then we can talk about selling the house.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Keep the house for her.” I motioned toward the room where Lucy sat at a table, her head down. “We can rent it out and put the money in a trust for her college.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Mr. Graham said, and before we left, he looked down and then looked up. “As per Paige’s request, there will be a quick funeral.” I thought I was going to throw up as soon as he said it. “She’s going to be released soon, and all her papers are done for the funeral home.” He shook his head. “She really wanted everything taken care of.”
I didn’t say a word. Not then and not the day after when he called to tell me I was, without a shadow of a doubt, her father. I didn’t say a word when we had to hit up a store to buy two black suits. I was going through the motions, trying to be strong for my daughter as she stood beside Mr. and Mrs. Graham dressed in a black dress with a black sweater, and cried for her mother. I had nothing to give her, but I vowed to Paige I would try.
Looking toward the hallway, I listen to hear the shower is now off, and I make my way to the bedroom. I’m about to knock on the door when I hear the silent cries. My forehead softly hits the door as I listen to her. “I’ll make it right,” I whisper to no one but myself.
Chapter Eight
LILAH
My eyes blink open twice as I see the darkness from the outside pouring into the house. The images of Lucy flashing through my mind come to me again and again. All night long, all I could dream of was the way her eyes looked. I had no idea how she came to be. I had no idea what her story was, but what I did know was she was broken. She reminded me of a scared girl who came to Mustang Creek, one who trusted only her parents and no one else.
The alarm rings as I reach out to shut it off before getting out of bed. I walk over to the bathroom, stretching and feeling aches all over my body. My eyes feel like they weigh a thousand pounds as I turn on the cold water and splash it on my face. I get ready for work, but instead of going over to the barn, I head to see Juliet. I need to ride with the wind on my face. Parking at the side of the barn, I look over at the darkened house before I make my way inside. Grabbing my saddle, I walk over and put it on Juliet. “Morning, girl.” I kiss her side. “Want to go for a ride with me?” I ask, walking outside with reins in my hands and then mounting her, throwing my leg over her and sitting down. “Let’s let loose, baby girl,” I urge her and kick her side with the heel of my boot, and she takes off.