Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “Let him decide.” She releases her hold on me and leans back. “That was quick.”
Violet stands up and waves at Miller. “Hey, Miller.”
He’s staring at me. “Hey, Violet.”
Violet points to the back of the restaurant. “I’ll be over there if you need me.”
She walks away, but Miller and I are just staring at each other. His forehead is creased with worry. “What’s wrong?”
I open my mouth and then close it again. How can I even begin to explain what all has happened?
“Miller?” Eli says softy.
He raises up from my lap, wiping his eyes with his hands. Miller puts a hand on Eli’s head and ruffles his hair. “Hey, buddy. You doing okay?”
I can tell Miller is freaked out and is trying to make sense of it all.
Eli shrugs. “My mom is dead.”
Miller gasps, his eyes jerking to mine and then back to Eli’s. He’s at a loss as to what to say, but he decides quickly. He puts one arm behind my back and one under my legs. He lifts both Eli and me and then sits down with us both in his lap. He doesn’t say anything; he just holds us both in his arms.
In most cases, I would be worried about what people think, but right now, I can't seem to care. I bury my face against Miller’s shirt, and Eli does the same. I try to hold back the tears, but they come anyway. I’m worn out from crying, and I thought I was done, but obviously not. Miller holds on to us, whispering that everything is going to be okay. I want to argue with him and tell him it’s not. He’s crazy if he thinks that everything is going to be all right now. Not only have I lost my best friend, but I may be losing my nephew too.
I startle when I feel a little hand on my cheek. “Aunt Lindsey, please don’t cry.”
I suck back the tears and look at my nephew through blurry eyes. “I’m sorry, bud. I’m just sad. But Miller’s right. We’re going to be okay.”
Violet steps toward us. “Hey, Eli. Can I get you a hot chocolate? Or something to eat, maybe?”
He looks at me and waits for me to nod my head. “Go ahead, buddy. Go pick out what you want. Miller and I are going to talk, okay?” He doesn’t want to walk away, but I force a smile on my face. “I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
He looks at Miller, and it’s as if Miller can read what he’s thinking. “I’ll be right here, too.”
He nods and walks over to Violet. I watch her take his hand and help him up to the bar stool in front of the cake display. It’s then I realize that I’m still sitting on Miller’s lap. I should get up. I know I should, but I find myself hesitating. “Thank you for coming.”
He nods. “I told you I would.”
My hands are on his shoulders, and we’re so close I would just have to lean two inches in to press my lips to his. What am I thinking? I can’t believe I’m thinking about kissing him right now.
I jerk back and stand up. He has a hand on me to help me, and I sit in the chair opposite him. He slides his chair into the table and lays his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry about your sister.”
I suck in a breath. “Thanks.” Shaking my head, I start rambling. “I know you’re wondering why I called you. I should have called you way before now. I should have, ugh, this is… Uh, I’m embarrassed to say this but—”
He reaches for me, wrapping his hand around mine. It’s going to be all across town that Miller Brody was seen holding my hand. Heck, holding me right in Red’s Diner. “Don’t be embarrassed,” he murmurs.
I lift my chin. “I need your help.”
He nods. “You got it. Anything you need.”
He’s stroking his big thumb across my hand. “Talk to me, Lindsey.”
With my free hand, I wipe it down my face. I’m not worried about smearing mascara because it was gone around three cries ago. “Well, I need a lawyer. A good one.”
He sits up a little taller. “Woah, hold up. Let’s start at the beginning. What happened to Tammy?”
I look over at my nephew, and I’m thankful that Violet is keeping him occupied. “She was killed in a car accident four nights ago.”
I have to force myself to take breaths in and out. “And since then, I’ve been fired from all my photoshoots. Violet told me I can work here, but I can’t do that to her. They will find a way to close her down or something.”
“Who?” he demands. “And why did you get fired from your photoshoots?”