Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“Hello, baby,” he answers to my surprise.
I pause, feeling bad as his tired voice comes through the line. Maybe I should cut him some slack. He does have a lot on his plate.
There could be a reasonable explanation for all of this. I spend a lot of time alone when I’m not working at the pub. I could be allowing the drunken stories I’ve heard to influence my thoughts.
“Deja? Baby, ya there?”
I go to answer, but a child’s cry in the background cuts me off. Suddenly, I can hear him moving away from the sound quickly. I knit my brows.
“Um, yeah. I’m here. Where are ya? Will ya be here soon? If not, I’m thinking about heading to the pub.”
“I’ll be there soon. Give me another hour, two max.”
“Cole,” a female calls in the background.
“Baby, I need to take care of something. I’ll text ya when I’m on my way.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“I love ya. I’m going to make up for today. I promise.”
I roll my eyes and hang up. My mind darts in a million different directions. My mother’s words begin to ring in my head.
I don’t know why I allowed myself to trust him so easily. Something isn’t right and I refuse to allow myself to ignore it any further.
***
“Yer not dressed,” Cole says as he enters the house.
I glare at him like he’s crazy. I put on my pajamas not long after I hung up with him. I’m not interested in going anywhere with him.
I plan to pack my things in the morning and find a new place to live once I get to the pub. I’ve even thought about heading back to Scotland.
He sighs heavily. “Deja, something important came up. I would have been here if it hadn’t. Did ya eat? I can order something and we can talk.”
“I don’t want to talk, Cole. Yer only going to make me broken promises and feed me lies.”
He comes to sit down on the couch beside me. I frown as the scent of another woman clings to him. It’s not his cologne.
It’s too soft and sweet. He places a hand on my knee. I snatch it away and stand. He tries to reach for me, but I dash out of the way.
“I’m going to bed. Maybe we can talk if yer around in the morning and ready to be straight with me,” I bite out and storm off.
Brooklyn
I groan and run a hand through my hair as Deja storms away. Today has been the day from hell. Both Kate and Connie were needed back home, so Aisling had to call me when Shauna spiked a fever and took a spill.
Aisling was afraid Shauna had broken something. She was fine. The fall and the fever were because she had an ear infection. DJ had called right when Shauna was being a bit fussy.
I didn’t mean to miss our date. I had been on my way when Aisling called in a panic. I dropped everything to get to Shauna.
I think I fucked up today. DJ has put up with this for over two years. However, today I can see it in her face.
“Fuck,” I groan.
CHAPTER 30
Busted Windows
Deja
I should have packed my things and left, but I couldn’t just walk away from two years of my life. I’ve given Cole my all. So nope.
I didn’t pack and leave like I should have. Instead, I slipped an AirTag in his pocket and one in his car so I could get some answers for myself.
I’ve been watching his location all day. For the most part, he’s been at the O’Brien Manor. However, an hour ago, he moved from there to Cork.
This has my attention as it’s not in the direction of our home in Galway. When I google the location, it comes up as some swanky apartments in a little quiet-looking neighborhood. My gut is telling me this is where I need to be; these are my answers.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Pricillia, I need a favor,” I say as I move through the house to head for the storage room where my old things have been since I moved here.
“Hey, boss. What’s up?”
“I will pay ya double yer shift if ya cover for me tonight. If anyone asks ya, I’m in the back handling the books and I don’t want to be disturbed. Oh, and I need to borrow yer car,” I say with a smile on my lips as I get my hands on my old bat.
“No problem. I’m there,” Pricillia sings.
“I’ll meet ya up the road from the pub. Park in front of O’Malley’s.”
“Got ya.”
I hang up and call for a car to get to O’Malley’s. Checking the AirTag one last time, I nod my head as Cole hasn’t moved. I will have answers before the night ends.
Brooklyn
“Yer so good with her. I know she’s happy ya stopped by again today,” Aisling says as we walk back to the apartment building after getting Shauna an ice cream cone.