Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
After a few seconds, she whispers, “I like that story.”
“What do you mean you like that story? It’s not true?” I drag a hand through my hair. What is happening?
“No,” she says. “Since she was a young girl, Everleigh has made up stories about her father. She wanted her friends to think she had a father too. I guess it wasn’t popular to tell people her mom had sex with a guy who was down on his luck the night we met at a bar. Who wants to tell people their father was mentally ill and committed suicide before their mother even knew she was pregnant?”
Jamie covers her mouth as tears fill her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Will. I thought she had accepted it. After all, she’s a psychiatrist. I had no idea she was still telling white lies.”
White lies? Is she implying Everleigh’s mental issues are trivial?
“Is she getting help?” Jamie blurts out.
Liz laughs. “I’d say no if it’s true that she’s working at a café in Key West. I’ll be damned.”
Jamie’s nose scrunches, and I return a shrug. Nothing makes sense.
“It was a lot of pressure being that gifted,” Liz says. “When she was seven, I took her to Key West. And she said that when she grew up, she wanted to work in Key West. She’s done all the things there are to do. She’s brilliant. Wealthy. Accomplished. Now she’s taking a moment to follow her childhood dream. She’s taking a step back. I have to believe it’s all for a reason.”
“Liz, she turned down a job at Johns Hopkins,” I say.
“She said it was an extension.”
I shake my head and close my eyes. “You can’t believe that.”
Liz doesn’t reply.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes,” she murmurs. “I heard you. And I don’t like that she’s struggling, but I trust her. She must really need this time. I’m doing a job for a client next week. After that, I’ll go down there to check on her.”
After next week? I open my mouth, but Jamie shakes her head.
“Can you call her to see if the woman living in her Airstream is supposed to be there?” I ask.
“Yeah. Sure. I’ll text you when I hear back.”
“Thanks.” I end the call and toss my phone aside before dropping my face into my hands. “Fuck . . . what is going on?” I mumble. When I look up, it’s written all over Jamie’s somber face. “She needs help,” I whisper.
Jamie frowns before offering a slow nod.
“Jaymes,” I stare at the ceiling for a second, “Everleigh talked about her father a lot. Not like once or twice. She never tried to steer the conversation away from him. It’s like she wanted to talk about him. It wasn’t me asking her a million questions. I didn’t back her into a corner, forcing her to tell a white lie because she didn’t want to be the only one in the room without a father.”
“My heart is broken for her,” she says.
I don’t know what my heart is. Everything’s still spinning in my head. I’m replaying every conversation I’ve ever had with Everleigh about her father.
She’s. A. Psychiatrist.
“You should go see her. I would, but I’m not flying this far along in my pregnancy.”
The back door opens, and Fitz grins, kicking off his boots before depositing grocery bags on the counter. “Where the hell did you come from?”
I stand and force a smile while hugging him. “Finally made it out of the woods,” I say.
“I’m glad you did.” He releases me. “Are you back to stay?” He gestures to his own stubbly face, but I know he’s referencing my beard.
I stroke it while smirking, but my smile doesn’t last long. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“He’s going to Key West,” Jamie says as Fitz holds out his hand to help her from the chair, pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head.
“Never took you for a beach guy,” Fitz says.
“Everleigh got lost on her way to Baltimore, so Will is going to go get her back on track.” Jamie keeps her arms around Fitz like he’s a big teddy bear while eyeing me with a look that dares me to say otherwise.
“How does one end up in Key West on their way to Baltimore?” Fitz narrows his eyes.
“It’s a long story. I’ll explain later. We need to get Will booked on a flight.” Jamie pulls away from Fitz and grabs her phone.
He eyes me, waiting for something, anything from me. But I’ve got nothing.
“Women are messy,” I say.
Fitz knows better than to agree, but I don’t miss his tiny smirk.
“There’s a 6:20 flight in the morning,” Jamie says. “It’s not a quick trip to get there. Two connecting flights. Ugh, this sucks. But it has to be done.”
“Are you staying here, or did Lola sweet-talk you into staying at their house?” Fitz asks, ignoring Jamie.