Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“So what will you two do with the rest of the day?” She glanced out the window before refilling our cups. “Looks beautiful out there.”
“Work,” said Austin.
“I promised my dad I’d help him with some spring cleanup in the yard,” I said. “We’re going to make a run to the hardware store for some new garden tools, then if we really feel like getting crazy, we might hit up the nursery for some new shrubs. Maybe some mulch.”
She laughed. “And you want to come over and paint after doing all that? You’re going to need a back massage.”
When she’d wandered off again, Austin shook his head. “Now I know how Xander felt when he told me how obvious it was between Veronica and me. You and Ari have to be worse.”
“I told you,” I said, my nerves fraying a bit. “We’re just friends.”
“I know what you told me.”
“You don’t believe it?”
“Well, I’m trying, but the way she keeps looking over here at you is making it difficult.”
I risked a peek at her, caught her staring, and quickly dropped my gaze to my plate.
“Jesus.” Austin laughed. “I feel like I’m in the middle school cafeteria. But look, you two are grown-ass adults, and you can do what you want. Just be careful. It’s Ari. You know?”
“I know.”
“Good. Then I won’t say anything more about it.”
Around one that afternoon, I was spreading some mulch in the garden bed that bordered the patio when Xander opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside. In his hand was one of the containers with the leftover chicken pot pie. “Hey,” he said. “Where’s Dad?”
“I’m not sure, actually.” Straightening up, I removed my hat and wiped my forehead with the inside of my arm, leaving a sweaty streak of dirt. It was so hot, I’d taken off my long-sleeved Henley and wore only a white tank. “He keeps disappearing.”
“To do what?”
“I don’t know.” I replaced the hat. “Once he said he had to make a phone call. Twenty minutes ago, he said he wanted lunch. I thought he was just going into the kitchen to make it.”
“His car is gone.”
I laughed. “Fuck. He ditched me.”
Xander dropped into one of the patio chairs and dug into the container with a fork. “Damn, this is good. Where did it come from?”
“Ari made it last night. She sent me home with leftovers for dinner tonight.”
“Hope you guys have a backup plan.” Xander took another huge bite.
“I’m actually having dinner with her again tonight, and there’s a second container Dad can eat. So you’re welcome.”
Xander was quiet for a moment, and I thought for sure he was about to give me shit for all the time I was spending with Ari. Instead, he surprised me.
“Speaking of Dad, he’s been acting a little strange lately.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just kind of secretive, I guess.”
“Secretive?” I walked over and pulled out the chair across the table from him.
“Yeah. Like last weekend, he supposedly went away on a fishing trip.”
“So?”
Xander shook his head and swallowed. “That makes no sense. Where? With who?”
“His fishing buddies?”
“They’re all here. Why would he need to leave town to go fishing?”
“I have no idea. I didn’t know he was going to be gone. I bumped into Ari in the kitchen the day I got here, and later that night she told me he was away for the weekend, and he’d asked her to look after Fritz.”
“That’s another thing. Why wouldn’t he have asked me to look after the dog?”
I shrugged. “Because you’re busy with the bar?”
He forked more pot pie into his mouth and shook his head. “I don’t buy it. Kelly and I think something else is going on.”
“Like what?”
“Well, she’s been away from Nashville for the last month. It’s the first leg of her North American tour,” he added proudly.
“That’s cool.”
“Anyway, while she’s in Nashville, she shares a big house with her mom, Julia. They’re close,” he said, scraping the side of the container. “When she comes up here to visit me, often her mom comes with her. Sometimes we all hang out together—Kelly and her mom, me and Dad.”
I tilted my head, wondering where this was going. “Where’s Kelly’s dad?”
“Who knows?” He stuck a bite in his mouth. “He’s a jackass that abandoned his family a long time ago and only shows up when he feels like it. He’s got addiction issues, which Kelly has tried to help him with many times, but he doesn’t want to get better. Last fall, Julia finally said enough is enough and threw him out. The divorce should have been final already, but he’s contesting a bunch of shit because he thinks he has a right to money Kelly’s earned.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course.”
“Anyway, Kelly said after the last time they visited Cherry Tree Harbor, which must have been in early March, her mom started to act a little weird.”