Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 568(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Abbie was leaving as we pulled up, sipping from a travel mug of coffee. She looked at my exhausted form, tried not to smile, dropped a kiss on my cheek, and said she’d call me later. I showered, skipped the gym—I worked out enough last night—and got my arse to work.
Yawning, I rest back in my chair and click send on multiple emails, my mind naturally straying to Jude. His father. And then, of course, the pills. I’m no expert, but I’d say he still needs to be taking them, especially given the fury I got a glimpse of last night that he was obviously trying to keep a lid on. Jude’s temper has always seemed extreme. It’s always been a concern. Maybe he needs therapy, not pills. I sink farther into my chair on a sigh, having a mental conversation with Jude, asking him all the questions I dare not for fear of igniting that temper. He needs help. How do I—
The door flies open, and a bunch of flowers appear, Shelley behind them. “Delivery for Amelia,” she sings, dumping them on my desk. “Tell me, what does a girl have to do to get this kind of attention from a man?”
I flick a sardonic look at her as I take the card and open it. And groan.
“God, you’re ungrateful,” she says over a laugh.
“They’re from my ex.”
“Sounds like he doesn’t want to be your ex.”
I give her tired eyes and drop the card in the bin. Not my bag so it can be found. “Don’t suppose you know how Leighton’s meeting with Kimpton went, do you?”
Shelley’s eyes sparkle, delighted, and she comes closer, looking back over her shoulder. “Kimpton emailed Gary this morning,” she whispers. “He didn’t like Leighton.”
“No.” I lean over my desk, interested.
“Yes.” She pouts, gazing thoughtfully up at the ceiling. “What were his exact words? Oh, yes, that’s it. Not his cup of tea.”
I chuckle. “Wise man.”
“Oh, someone’s popular.” Leighton slinks in, and Shelley and I bolt upright, throwing each other secret smirks. Helping himself to the flowers, he checks them out, sniffing. “I thought you’d broken up with your boyfriend.”
I start tapping my pen on the edge of my desk, getting worked up. Trying not to, but still. He rubs me up the wrong way. “I have. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a call.” Shelley takes the hint and scarpers, but Leighton lingers. I scowl at him. “How did your meeting go with Kimpton?”
“Oh, great.” He smirks so wide. So fake. “Must go, I’ve got a follow-up with him shortly.”
“Prick,” I murmur as he disappears, reaching for my phone when it rings. “Dad?” I say in answer. He never calls me in the day. Never.
“Are you talking to me yet?”
“Depends if you’re going to tell me how to live my life.”
“Are you coming over this evening?” he asks, completely sidestepping my statement. “I wouldn’t usually need to ask, but your mother’s helping Abbie at the florist, and I’ve been left the responsibility of sorting dinner.”
“Mum’s working and you’re cooking dinner? What has the world come to?”
“I didn’t call to get an earful of your smart mouth, Amelia. Will you come by this evening to help me?”
Dad doesn’t need help. This is his olive branch, after the most recent time he’s tried to convince me I love a man that I really don’t. Fuck. “I can’t come over this evening, Dad.”
“Why?”
I could tell him I’m going to my new place to sort a few things, but that would be a lie. I’m a grown woman. I shouldn’t have to lie about my choices. “I’m seeing Jude.”
“Who?”
I sag. “I’m dating a man called Jude.”
Silence. “You said you were just sleeping with him.”
“Actually, Mum said that.”
“Last I heard you weren’t sleeping with him anymore. You weren’t dating, you said so yourself. And now you’re dating the man who you were or weren’t sleeping with? What does this mean?”
It means I’m in love! “It means I’m dating him.”
“What about Nick?”
Oh, for the love of God. I drop my head to the desk. “Dad—”
“Apparently, according to you, you ended things with Nick because your career was so important to you, and now you’re dating another man? Not just sleeping with him, but dating him?”
“This is a really weird conversation to be having with my father.”
“Poor Nick!”
I sit up. “I don’t want you to mention this to him,” I say urgently. “I’ll tell him myself when the time is right.”
“Of course I’m not going to tell him. I don’t want to break his heart.”
“Dad—”
“Do you have no compassion for the man?”
“Dad, I—”
“Poor fellow’s done nothing wrong.”
“I never said he did.” I just wasn’t in love with him, and we wanted different things!
“I’m disappointed in you, Amelia.”
“Okay, I’m done with this conversation. I’m a grown fucking woman, Dad. Concentrate on your retirement and cooking the damn dinner tonight.” I hang up and yell. Then cringe to high heaven because I just dropped the f-bomb on my father. “Shit.”