Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
His eyes were trained on me as we walked, even though his daughter was practically running to greet him. She wrapped her arms around him for the brief embrace allowed at the beginning and end of a visit. In that moment, the vulnerable girl she really was shined through. Izzy did her best to act tough, with an I-don’t-give-a-shit-about-anything attitude, but inside, a big part of her was still a little girl who’d lost her mother and her father. She idolized Garrett, even with all that he’d done.
After she released him, he attempted to physically greet me. I took a step back out of his reach and nodded. “Hello, Garrett.”
He frowned. “Hello, Nat. You look beautiful.”
“I’m going to grab a drink. Do you want something, Izzy?”
She didn’t even turn around to respond. “No.”
The rules required a minor to be accompanied by a guardian. It didn’t require me to sit at the same table as my ex-husband. I was here for his daughter, whether she appreciated what it took for me to come each month or not. I walked to the vending machine and bought a bottle of water before taking a seat at a small, vacant table on the other side of the room.
During the hour, I glanced over at Garrett and Izzy a few times to check on her. I hated that once my eyes lingered on his face for a minute. I hadn’t even realized I was doing it. Even after two years in prison, sallowed skin, and dark circles under his eyes, he was still an incredibly beautiful man. But I’d learned the hard way that a beautiful face is nothing when you have an ugly heart.
When the guard called the end of visiting hours, I walked back to Izzy. I could have waited at the door, but I never wanted her to have to walk away alone.
Garrett used every hello and goodbye as an opportunity to manipulate me. “Can I have a word alone with Nat, Izzy? We need to talk about some finances.”
I waited until his daughter was out of earshot. “Did you tell her?”
“The timing wasn’t right.”
My eyes widened. “You get one hour a month. You don’t have the luxury of timing.”
His eyes dropped to my collarbone. “Remember when we were on our honeymoon and you—”
I interrupted him. “We’re not walking down memory lane. Come back to reality. You’re about to walk back to your eight-by-eight. You need to tell your daughter that you drained her tuition fund. I can’t afford twenty-five thousand dollars for her private school next year.”
“I’m working on something.”
I scowled. “From prison? Don’t make me tell her. She hates me enough as it is. You need to own up to this.”
He reached out for me. I put my hand up. “Don’t. You couldn’t do this one thing for me.”
“I miss you, Nat.” Did he even fucking hear me?
I threw my hands up in the air. “This is pointless.”
Then I turned around and walked my stepdaughter out of the state prison, vowing never to come back...like I did every damn time.
Chapter 6
Natalia
9 months later
“What time is my shower tomorrow?”
Anna didn’t even say hello before asking when I answered the phone at eight o’clock on a Saturday morning.
I shook my head and rolled over with my cell pressed to my ear. “Take a shower anytime you want. I’m sleeping.”
“Is it at Sugar Magnolia?”
“I think this pregnancy has affected your brain. What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb. I saw the note in my mother’s day planner in her purse. And I know you wouldn’t deprive me of your presence at my baby shower. It’s been forever since I’ve seen you, and you love me too much.”
I sat up and rubbed sleep out of my eyes. “What were you doing in your mother’s purse looking at her day planner?”
“Looking for information about my shower. Duh!”
“You’re horrible. Can’t you let anything be a surprise?”
“Well, I don’t know the restaurant it’s in. She didn’t write that down. That’s why I’m calling you.”
I climbed out of bed and padded to the coffee pot. I feigned sincerity like the Academy was watching. “Anna…I’m so sorry. Sunday is Izzy’s visiting day, and I just couldn’t swing it.”
“Oh my God. How could my sister have not coordinated the date around your prison visits?”
She actually did.
“The world can’t revolve around Garrett. I’m sorry, sweetie. I hate to miss it, too. But I’m swamped at work, and I really want to take some days to come see you when the little butterball is born.”
When I heard her voice, I felt a tad bit bad about lying.
“But I miss you. And I can’t have a party without you. Remember when I attempted that in eighth grade, and I wore that awful outfit that had pants with a crotch that hung to my knees and a big bow in my hair? I wound up kissing Roger Banya. Kids started calling me Anna Bow Banya—which wasn’t bad…until a week later when I told Roger I didn’t want go out with him. He got mad and told everyone I gave him a blowjob at my party. Then I became Anna Blow Banya. God, you have to come. I can’t have a party without you!”