Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“Honey, you sound busy. Just bill me for Sara’s shit and get her car back to Haywood’s Landing for her.”
“I will once the damn parts come in. Glad you found her, got her sorted. I’ll have her shit squared away in the next week.”
A week.
Oh fuck. I don’t think Sara is going to like this news.
“Alright, Honey. Do what you gotta do.”
She clicks off the phone without another word. That’s the thing about Honey, she doesn’t like the word, goodbye, so she never says it. I think since she works in a male dominated industry that helps her get away with less formal conversations. Honestly, she is the best damn mechanic in Salemburg, most people will put up with anything as long as they can get in at her shop. Even some of her rules like not taking cash from someone’s bra, their underwear, or their socks. She doesn’t like sweat. I’ve never thought about it until the first time I went in the shop and saw the sign.
Before setting my phone down, I send a message to Raff to get my Tahoe to Sara’s house before we get back. This way she has a car to use until Honey finishes with hers. After that I shoot off a text to Dove to order some grub and leave it at the door when it comes. We crossed over into Louisiana and stopped even though it is only three in the afternoon. Sara kept telling me she wanted a shower and to brush her teeth. The way she slept in the sleeper part of the truck, I figure calling it an early evening today will be the best thing for her.
Walking past the bathroom to the hotel door, I move the do not disturb sign from inside to the outside. If Sara can rest, I don’t want anyone to knock and wake her up. As I pass the bathroom I hear muffled whimpering. For a moment, I consider giving her space and letting it be.
This is on me though.
If she hadn’t gotten tangled up with me, her world would still be the same.
Innocent.
Undisturbed.
I turn the doorknob expecting it to be locked. When it opens, I take the opportunity and step inside. The shower curtain pulled, she doesn’t realize I’m in here as I hear her crying.
Without hesitation, I step into the shower beside her. She jumps but doesn’t scream. Looking up at me, I take in her tear filled eyes.
I don’t speak. Instead, I reach out and pull her against me. The water saturates my shirt and jeans, but I don’t care. I need this. She needs this.
I hold her as she sobs against me. We don’t speak for the longest time. Finally, she slows the crying and pulls away just enough to look up at me. “I’m sorry,” she whispers and I put my finger over her lips to stop her from continuing.
“Sweets, you don’t apologize for this ever. I am sorry. I don’t know how to make it up to you, but I will forever tell you how sorry I am. My life, my world should never touch you.”
“I don’t think he was right in the head. He didn’t hurt me though. Well, I don’t think so.”
It takes everything in me to stay in place and not ask questions or take off to go dismember Chuck myself. I’m sure by now the DreamCatchers have taken care of him, but I wish it was me. As she drops her head against my chest, I calm down because if I was there ending him, then I wouldn’t be here comforting her.
This is where I’m supposed to be.
With Sara.
Whatever she needs I’ll be there as long as she will let me.
ELEVEN
SARA
ONE WEEK LATER
“I love the anti-hero and I ain’t talking about the fucking Taylor Swift kind.”
I don’t know how he did it, but Clay saved my job. That doesn’t mean things have been easy to return to. Josie, she works as my on-site person in the Sampson County office. Technically, I am her supervisor but running the region I do, I can’t be everywhere. Josie is top-notch at her job. She knew something was off when I missed the call and Jordyn stepped in for me. Jordyn carried the weight in my office as best as she could.
They have both told me that my boss did post my position during my absence.
Who can blame him?
I was a no call, no show.
Although, I will say that Josie, Jordyn, and my sister Carrie all reported me missing within forty-eight hours. I guess more people pay attention than I thought.
The time missed is behind me and now it’s time to look ahead. Which is exactly what I’m doing, moving on.
“Honey’s Hot Rods, you got Honey here,” she answers on the third ring.
I almost drop the phone as my nerves start to win. Am I really going to cut out Clay and the Hellions?