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)
“He fits in,” Dad grumbles.
“Yes, with you, Dad. He fits in with you. He didn’t fit in with me, and since you’re talking about what’s best for me, I think I’m qualified to let you know, it isn’t Nick.”
“Oh.” If I could see him, I know he’d be pouting. “And this new man, might he fit in with you?”
I suck my bottom lip in, daring myself to say it. “I think he could,” I whisper, almost reluctantly. “I really think he could.”
“Then I should meet him.”
I snort. “You’ll meet him when I decide you’ve had a suitable amount of time to control your urges to stick your nose into my business.”
“You’re my little girl!” he huffs, outraged. “It’s my business to be in your business.”
“I’m a woman.”
“You’ll always be my little girl.”
I sigh, but I smile. “I love you, Dad. Even though you’re trapped in the Middle Ages.”
“And I love you, darling, even though you’re a headstrong pain in my backside who swore at me.” He pauses a beat. Sighs too. “But I wouldn’t have you any other way. Keeps me on my toes. I hope this new guy knows what he’s signing up for.”
I grin like an idiot. “I’ve got to go. Jude’s made me dinner, and I’ve got to help him clean up.”
“Oh?” Dad says, quiet and interested. “Jude, eh? Where does he live?”
“Oxfordshire.”
“How the flaming heck are you getting home from Oxfordshire?”
“Driving.”
“What?”
“I have a car now.”
“You do?”
“A Jaguar.”
“Well,” he says, kind of surprised, kind of impressed. “You really are doing well, aren’t you?”
“I am, but I didn’t buy it.”
“What?”
“It was a gift from Jude. Bye!” I hang up and leave that with him, smiling at the thought of him yelling Mum’s name, stalking around the house looking for her so he can tell her. I quickly put a call in to Abbie. “Hey.”
“Evening.”
“Where are you?” I ask, hearing a busy background, guessing she’s in a restaurant.
“On a date.”
I scramble up, shocked to my core. “Who with?”
“Vince Hightower.”
“You know I don’t know who that is. Wait.” I quickly go to my screen and hook Charley in, even though I’m technically not speaking to her. “Did you know she’s on a date?” I ask when her face appears.
“Shhh,” Charley hisses, directing her camera down. Ena is asleep in her arms. “A date?” she whispers.
“Yes,” I whisper back.
“Who with?”
“Vince Hightower.”
“Is that a superhero’s alias?”
I snort.
“Fuck off,” Abbie whisper hisses. “He came into the florist earlier and ordered some flowers.”
“Who for?” Charley asks.
“His mother.”
“Awww,” we both coo.
“He asked me out, I said yes, and here I am.” Abbie shrugs. “Girls, I have got to get out of this rut. Maybe I just need to accept I’m never going to have that kind of explosive passion again.” Another shrug plus a grimace. “Manage my expectations, you know what I mean?”
We both nod.
“Jude bought me a car.”
Both of my friends go bog-eyed. “A car?” Abbie asks. “What kind of car?”
“One that drives.”
“Dickhead.”
“It’s a Jaguar.” I give them wide eyes too. “And he gave me an engraved pen.”
Abbie swoons. It makes me smile. “What did it say?”
“I’ve got you.”
“Oh my God,” she breathes. “I might faint.”
“As in, you’re his?” Charley asks, frowning. “I’ve. Got. You. Possessive?”
“No,” I say, the word drawn out, sounding like a warning. She better not kick off again. “As in, he’s got me. Holding me. Is there for me.”
“So cute!” Abbie sings.
“He took me to see his parents’ graves earlier. Told me about them. It’s so sad. Jude found his dad. Heart attack.” Both girls jut their bottom lip out. “And his mum died in her sleep. She was perfectly healthy. Jude said it was a broken heart. He found her too.”
“Oh my God,” Charley whispers. “It’s hard to hate someone who found both his parents dead and suffered grief like that.”
I could never hate Jude. “Are we friends again?”
“Yes, we’re friends,” Charley says.
“And in future, will you be nice to my boyfriend?”
“So long as he treats you right.”
“Look, girls.” Abbie flaps an impatient hand at the screen. “I appreciate the update on all things, but my date is going to think I’ve bailed if I don’t get back to the table.”
“What does he look like?” I ask.
“How old?” Charley pipes in.
“Is he tall like his name?”
“What does he do for a living?”
“When can we meet him?”
“Bye!” Abbie hangs up, leaving me and Charley chuckling.
“I’ve got to go too. Ena’s had a sleepy poo, and I need to try and change her without waking her up. Are you around this weekend?”
“Yeah, I’m getting the keys to my new place tomorrow. We’re doing an IKEA trip Sunday. I need to buy some furniture. Especially a bed. I need a bed.”
“Even though you stay at Jude’s every night?”
“It’ll be over an hour to Jude’s from my new place. I can’t sustain that during the week. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I hang up and smile down at my phone, happy things are back on track with the girls. And my dad.