Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
“I wasn’t watching where I was walking, and I accidently bumped into Ms. …?” Mr. Bryant explained without missing a beat.
The stern expression on Livvy’s face didn’t relax. “If you bumped into her, then why did I hear Sage apologizing to you?”
“I asked her if there were any more napkins behind the counter, and she must have been about to tell me no,” Mr. Bryant told Livvy sharply.
Sage had never seen Livvy’s attitude change so abruptly.
“Let me help you get cleaned up. There’s a spot remover in the women’s lounge.”
Using the opportunity to escape, Sage didn’t even look back to see if he went with Livvy. She returned to her desk, grabbed her purse, and made sure she had logged off from her computer. Double-checking everything she did in the office had become second nature to her.
Indecisively, she hesitated. Unless she got the money from lunch back, she wasn’t going to be able to make her rent.
With lagging footsteps, she headed to Livvy’s office. If she was still with Kent Bryant, she would wait for another day. There was no way she was going to seek her out and ask for the money in front of him.
Livvy wasn’t in her office. Sage bit her lip while she twisted the strap on her purse. About to give up, she gave a sigh of relief at seeing Livvy come around the corner.
“Whatever you need, Sage, it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. I’m busy. Mr. Hollingsworth is waiting for me to bring him a contract that needs his signature.”
Livvy opened her office door and went inside, shutting the door behind her.
Gaping at the closed door, Sage was still standing there, stunned at Livvy’s blatantly rude behavior, when she came back out with a file in her hand
“Sage, what do you not understand? Any problem you have will have to wait until tomorrow,” Livvy said scathingly, walking away before she could remind her that she didn’t work tomorrow.
Giving up, she left the office, fighting back the ball of dread that she was never going to get her money back.
On the drive home, she went over what few possessions she had left that she could sell. There wasn’t a lot left that could replace the missing money.
She pulled into a parking spot reserved for her apartment and listlessly got out of the car.
Every day, it seemed as if there was another problem bearing down on her. When was she going to catch a break? The last two years had become a never-ending nightmare from which she didn’t think she was going to wake up.
When she opened the door of her apartment, the welcoming sounds of running footsteps made her problems melt away.
“You’re home!” a childish voice, which she recognized as belonging to Colby, shrieked.
She braced herself in time before arms circled her legs. Glancing down, she saw her niece grinning up at her. She grinned back, then bent down to pick Colby up and give her a tight hug.
“Where’s your sister?”
“She’s coming.” Twisting in her arms, Colby pointed down the hallway. “She’s so slow.”
Her niece complaining about her sister’s slow speed always made her laugh.
“In a few months, Tinsley will be outrunning you.”
Huffily, Colby folded her arms across her chest. “I’m faster,” she bragged.
“For now.”
She carried Colby down the hallway, then set the to-go box she had brought home with her onto the ledge of the kitchen counter before bending down to pick up Tinsley.
“And what have you been up to, little miss?”
The girls giggled at her calling Tinsley little miss. She hugged them both before turning around to find her sister sitting on the couch, watching the interaction between her and her daughters.
“These two little rug rats behave today?” she teased, placing Colby on the floor. She kept Tinsley on her hip and carried her over to the couch to sit down, setting the two-year-old on her lap as she carefully gauged her sister’s appearance.
Glory gave her daughters a gentle smile. “They’ve been angels.”
Sage turned her gaze back to her nieces, who were staring at her expectantly.
“I guess that means you can have your special kisses.”
Juggling Tinsley to her side, she reached into her purse to take out a baggie, then pulled out two chocolate kisses and opened them one at a time, giving each girl a piece.
With the chocolate dissolving in her mouth, Tinsley sidled off her lap.
“I love you, Aunt Sage.” Colby’s arms reached around her for another hug.
Sage looked down at her niece. She couldn’t love the child more if she were her own. Both girls, and her sister, were worth every sacrifice she made.
“I love you, too, sweetie.”
Tinsley showed her love by giving her a chocolate kiss on her cheek before toddling off to follow her sister, who was shoving a pink Teddy bear into a play stroller.
After contently watching the girls play for a few moments, Sage turned back to her sister, catching the pain-filled expression on her face before Glory could mask it.