Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“Have you lost your mind?” she asked, laughing.
“Hey, it shows me you care.” Without waiting for her to reply, he put the car in drive and pulled out.
Liza opted to dodge his declaration. “So did you like the condo?” she asked.
“It’s definitely a step up from my place above Joe’s.”
“That’s not exactly a resounding endorsement.”
He set his jaw. “I know. The place was okay.”
They settled into silence, not as comfortable as what she was used to, and she was afraid to look too deeply into why, knowing in her heart it had to do with him looking at buying a place to live and knowing how permanent that felt. How separate from her.
Liza shivered and wrapped her arms around herself just as her cell phone rang. She opened her handbag and began to search for it, finally finding the iPhone in time to see Brian’s face on the screen.
She touched the green button to connect them. “Hello? Brian?” She didn’t hear his voice right away, but she felt the heat of Dare’s stare. “Brian?”
“Liza?” His voice was low and gravelly, and he sounded far away and scared.
“Bri? Where are you?” She gripped the receiver tighter in her hand.
“I can’t tell you that. But I’m sorry I got you involved in my mess. I’m sorry I involved the business. And I’m sorry they threatened you.”
Liza swallowed over the lump of fear that wedged in her throat. “Who do you owe money to? Tell me so I can pay them and make the threat go away. Then you can come home and get help.”
“You can’t keep making things better for me, Liza Lou.” His voice cracked on her name.
“Then make them better for yourself,” she whispered.
“I’m not sure I know how.” She had to strain to hear him.
“We’ll figure it out together,” she promised him. “Just come home.”
“Can’t,” he said. Then he was gone.
“Brian?” When she didn’t hear his voice again, she looked at the phone, but she didn’t need confirmation that he’d disconnected the call.
With shaking hands, Liza placed the phone in her lap and stared out the window into the dark night. Then she waited for Dare to yell at her for offering to bail out her brother once more. She prayed he’d trust her judgment and understand why she’d offered to pay off her brother’s loans without knowing how much he owed, to whom, or for what reason he’d borrowed in the first place.
But in her heart and soul, she knew Dare couldn’t possibly let that go. Even as she’d spoken, Liza knew she’d crossed a line. Dare and his unyielding sense of right and wrong wouldn’t understand. He had uprooted himself and his life to take care of her and keep her safe, and she’d once again sided with Brian. She fully expected him to wash his hands of her for good, and her chest hurt at the thought.
And his continued silence long after she’d disconnected the call confirmed her fear.
Dare knew Liza was waiting for him to speak, but he’d be damned if he’d run off at the mouth and start a fight without thinking things through. And as much as he’d hated listening to her part of the conversation, his gut told him she’d been right to make the offer. This wasn’t about Brian’s drinking. This was about life. Her life. The loan sharks needed to be paid off so Liza could be safe.
Her guaranteed safety was the key.
He waited until they’d pulled into her driveway and exited the car. He turned and grasped her hand before she could walk inside.
“Don’t.” She pulled back.
“Don’t what? Tell you I understand why you made the offer? Because I do.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Then why the silent treatment?”
“Because I wanted to take my time and think things through. Yes, you have to pay off his debts to be safe. But…”
Her hopeful expression drooped at his qualification. “But what?”
“Who’s to say it’ll be the last time? What happens next time he gets into trouble? Or the next? It’s your long-term welfare that matters.”
“There are no guarantees in this life. Trust me, I know.”
She started to turn away, but he grasped her face. “Hey. Don’t be angry because I care. I’m telling you I agree with what you have to do.”
“You just don’t approve.” She raised a hand before he could interrupt. “Don’t worry. I get it. Look, I’m tired. Can we just go inside and get some sleep? Tomorrow, we’ll deal with the logistics of how to make this thing with Brian happen.”
He let her go, following her to the door. What more could he say? There was no point in beating the dead horse that was her brother, his alcoholism, and the years of enabling him that had led to this moment.
Dare might be this close to falling in love with her. Hell, he was probably already there. But his speech about the cyclical nature of her brother’s disease and the inevitability of her bailing him out again wouldn’t be changing any time soon.