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)
Her sister gave in and reached for the sandwich.
Sage couldn’t help but smile at the blissful expression on Glory’s face. “Good, isn’t it?”
“It’s delicious. I don’t know how you managed not to eat the whole thing.”
At the enjoyment on Glory’s face, she wished she had saved it all for her.
As she stared down at her plate, a lump in her throat prevented her from being able to take a bite of her own food.
“The restaurant served a basket of bread. I ate too much.”
Glory took her at her word. Restaurant bread had always been her weakness whenever their parents had splurged.
“What made you eat out today? You haven’t eaten out before.”
“It was Nancy’s birthday. I really didn’t have a choice.”
“Ahh … now I understand. I bet you worried about money the whole time.”
Looking up from her plate, she started feeding Tinsley her applesauce. “Not when I was eating the bread,” she joked. Glancing at her sister, she forced a smile on her lips. “Don’t worry; it’s all good.”
“Will it be, though?” Glory’s eyes filled with tears.
“Don’t cry. I used my emergency cash. I’ll make it up.”
“How?”
“Let me worry about that,” she said sternly. “Don’t worry; you’ll get frown lines.”
With a hiccupping laugh, Glory gave Tinsley a fish stick to play with.
“I don’t have to worry about getting winkles anymore.”
“Stop, Glory. Everything is going to be okay.”
Their eyes met. They both knew nothing was going to be okay again. Her sister was slowly dying, with each beat of her heart. Every part of their life was as far from being okay as it could possibly get.
FIVE
Kent waited until Sage was out of sight, conscious of the employee working behind the counter continuing his perusal while pretending to work.
“Forget the spot remover. I have some in my desk,” he told Livvy curtly.
As he strode toward the bank of elevators, he was aware of Livvy walking beside him.
“You seem angry at me,” she said plaintively. “I’m not the one who spilled coffee on you.”
“Sage didn’t either.” He impatiently pressed the elevator button in hopes the elevator arrived before he lost his temper. He didn’t appreciate Livvy’s possessive behavior toward him, especially where it could be seen by others.
“How do you know her name?”
He grit his teeth at the jealous tone in her voice as his gaze raked over her. “I know the man at reception is Brian. Do you want to make something out of that, too?”
An ugly flush filled Livvy’s face, but then a buzzing from her phone had her reaching for it as the elevator doors slid open.
Walking inside, he pressed the button for the top floor.
“Coming?” he asked politely, despite wanting to shut the elevator door in her face.
“Hollingsworth needs a contract.”
“Better hurry,” he said snidely. Then, pressing the button to close the elevator door, he gave her a chilly stare.
Livvy’s possessiveness was becoming a problem. If Desmond had noticed it, then the women she had lunch with had as well. The last thing he needed was for Livvy to be linked with him.
He was going to have to bring Livvy back under his control. Luckily for him, he was going to enjoy putting the bitch back in her place.
Striding from the elevator, he made his way to Hollingsworth’s office.
“Hi, Cheryl. Is Garrett free?”
“Let me check.” Garrett’s assistant gave him the go-ahead after speaking to Hollingsworth.
Garrett gave him an expectant look as he walked inside the office. “How did lunch go with Desmond?”
“Couldn’t have gone better.” He casually took one of the chairs in front of Garrett’s desk and mentally prepared himself for the grilling in store for him.
“Excellent. So, he’ll retain us as his attorney?”
“Not exactly. He wants to think it over.”
A deep frown showed his displeasure. “You promised me when I hired you that you could get me Desmond Beck as a client.”
“I told you I would try. That’s a big difference.” Letting a smile hover on his lips, he showed his unconcern at the dissatisfaction on Garrett’s face. “Desmond will sign on when he needs me. Since his marriage, he’s been concentrating on spending time with his wife and child instead of his business needs. I don’t see him basking in blissful matrimony for long, do you?”
Garrett’s expression cleared. “If his wife is anything like mine, no, I don’t.”
He had met Garrett’s wife, and Desmond’s wife, Haley. There was no comparison between the two women. Haley had a soul.
Appeased, Garrett handed him a folder. “I need you to get Morgan Ross to sign off on this latest offer. He’s not going to get a better settlement.”
He opened the folder, and his eyes went to the figure being offered. “You’re shitting me, right? Morgan isn’t going to accept this offer.”
Garrett lost his amiable expression. “That’s why I pay you the big bucks, so you can talk these assholes into doing what’s in their best interests.”