Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
He turned away then, so he didn’t see my eye roll or the exasperation pulsing off me.
I always fell short.
And he always ended up on top.
And not in the good on-top way where toes are curling and your world is changing.
The kind where he was always looking down.
And I was never enough.
I was feeling sorry for myself and I knew it, but damn, after today’s texting I’d expected at least a little bit more grace instead of judgment.
I swiped at the gathering moisture beneath my eyes, ready to defend myself or at least say something adultlike, when the doorbell rang again.
“It’s the chickens!” Viera gasped.
“No, it’s not, sweetie.” I gave her a small smile and pulled her into my arms, carrying her to the door. Maybe I’d look as in over my head as I felt and the person on the other side would offer to babysit while I cried in the shower.
One could only hope!
After taking a deep breath, I opened the door and slammed it back again before the she-devil standing outside could utter a word.
“Who is it?” Rip called.
Viera started giggling. “You shut door hard!”
I felt my entire face pale as I reached for the door again with a shaking hand, only to have Rip move past me, taking Viera out of my arms along the way, and open the door himself.
“Hey there, hot stuff. You forgot this at the office. Figured you were just anal enough to get grumpy when you didn’t have all your separate lunch containers.” The woman on the doorstep was wearing a full, expertly applied face of makeup that would make any glam squad proud. Her white pantsuit was molded to her body like it was made for her, and I’d bet my life that it was designer. She wore Chanel diamond earrings and a matching necklace and was tall enough to be an Amazon princess. She. Was. Stunning. Stunning and familiar.
“Oh! You must be Colby. It’s great to meet you!” Her megawatt smile was everything that used to terrify me in high school. She handed Rip some plastic contraption that I’m assuming separated all food, then held out her hand to me.
I didn’t even check to see if I had poop on my hand before I took hers.
Or any other horrible substance.
Because Heather Donnelly was standing at my front door—and she didn’t even seem to recognize me. Then again, I wouldn’t recognize me with a magnifying glass at this point in my life, but still.
I shook her hand—hard—and noticed how her smile wavered as she pulled back and wiped her palm on her sleek white pantsuit before forcing another smile and tossing her jet-black hair over her shoulder.
“Y-yeah, that’s me.” I tried for a smile, prayed to God I had nothing in my teeth, and wanted to immediately hide behind Rip, not that he was any safer.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” She winked, her green eyes sparkling in a way my blue ones never would.
And of course she had the perfect wing-tipped liner and just enough red on her lips to look natural.
“All great things, I’m sure.” I laughed awkwardly while Rip made a choking sound next to me.
“Yeah.” She briefly looked away. “Entertaining at least, right, Rip?”
I shot him a look. At least he had the decency to look embarrassed.
“Yeah, well…,” he started, and I could feel the tension rolling through his body as they shared a look that awkwardly made me feel like the third wheel. “Thanks for stopping by, Heather, but we were just having dinner, so…”
“Oh, no problem!” She winked. “See ya tomorrow, boss!”
With a wave she turned on her tall heels, which clicked against the concrete as she sauntered across the driveway and got into a Tesla as red as the soles of her Louboutin shoes.
“Can barely hear that thing even turn on,” I whispered to myself in awe, and then I glanced toward the minivan in our driveway and felt my soul do a little whimper of jealousy.
“So.” I turned toward Rip. “Heather Donnelly is your…”
“Receptionist and sometimes assistant.” He actually looked uncomfortable.
Good. He should.
It wasn’t like he didn’t know.
“And you were going to tell me that the woman who made all my high school days a living hell was on your payroll when, exactly?” I seethed.
“It’s my company, not yours, and she came highly recommended from—”
“Let me guess, Lingus Industries? The multimillion-dollar company her parents own? She doesn’t even need to work!”
“She’s changed.” He cleared his throat. “And she likes to work. It gives her purpose. Something you would clearly know nothing—”
I narrowed my eyes and subjected him to a glare. “Finish that sentence. I dare you. I’ve been home while you’ve been at work getting a break from the chaos that is suddenly being responsible for two kids while mourning the loss of—” I stopped talking because Viera had suddenly gone really quiet. I’d forgotten she was even between us.