Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97409 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97409 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“You’re going to have to come in and do a police report with whatever proof you have.”
“Okay,” she agrees. “What else do you need from me?”
Burke goes over a list of things she needs to include in her complaint.
“I’m going to assume you aren’t going to bail him out,” he says as we walk him out.
“I am not,” she declares. “I refuse to.”
He gives her a nod. “Good. It’s about time. Come down later to give a statement, okay?”
“It depends on how she’s feeling,” I interject.
He glares at me. “You better be good to her.”
I close the door as he gets in his cruiser, then pull Collins against me. “Are you okay?”
“No.” She shakes her head against my chest. “I’m not okay. What the fuck? They were going to pin it on me?”
I kiss the top of her head. “I’m proud of you.”
She nods and pulls away. “I’m going to put my feet up for a while,” she says, heading for the couch.
The doorbell rings. Again.
“It’s Grand Central Terminal in here today,” I huff out, yanking the door open to find Ms. Maddie with Everleigh.
“Hi,” I say, masking my irritation with a grin.
“I’m sorry to intrude,” Everleigh starts, shifting the boxes in her hands and side-eyeing her mother. “She refused to wait until she saw Collins.”
“Come in.” I move away from the door and welcome them in. “She’s in the living room.” Ms. Maddie is already halfway there.
“Mom,” Everleigh hisses, “we spoke about this.”
“Ms. Maddie, this is a nice surprise.” I walk into the living room to see the surprise on Collins’s face.
“We heard you weren’t feeling well,” Ms. Maddie says, giving Everleigh a conspiratorial smile, “and, well, we came to drop off a couple of meals to help you get through the next few days.”
“What my mother means to say is, she’s a nosy little busybody, and—”
“I am not,” Ms. Maddie defends. She smiles at Collins. “How are you doing, pretty girl?”
“I’m okay.”
“You look a little tired. Have you been getting enough rest?”
“Mom,” Everleigh snaps, “that’s rude.”
Her eyes widen. “I’m sorry, Collins, I don’t mean to be rude. I was just saying you need rest. Are you resting enough?”
“I don’t think that’s better,” I mumble.
“Oh, really, Mom. I told you that you need to wait until she’s ready to tell us she’s pregnant.” She flicks her eyes to Collins’s shocked face. “Oh, sorry, but she won’t stop until she gets it out of you.”
“You know? Who told you?”
“Brock told me,” Everleigh admits, “and I mistakenly told my mother. I’m so sorry. I swear I would never ever say anything.”
“It’s okay,” Collins says, letting her off the hook. “It’s not going to be a secret for much longer.”
“Well, we brought you some food”—Everleigh holds up the boxes—“and some sweets.”
“This is,” Collins starts, “this is too much.”
“Nonsense,” Ms. Maddie counters. “We just came to drop these off, and we’ll be going.” I walk over with the intention of taking the bags from her, but Ms. Maddie ignores me and heads to the kitchen, lifting the bags onto the counter herself. “We’ll get out of your hair so you can rest.” She kisses Collins’s face. “I can’t wait to meet the baby.”
“Mom.” Everleigh puts her boxes on the counter. “I’m taking her out of here.” She pulls her away from Collins. “You call me if she bothers you or if you need anything.”
Collins puts her hands on her mouth when they walk out of the room, and the door slams shut.
“I’m sorry I told Brock,” I say. “I didn’t think he would tell anyone because, well, he usually just grunts, so—” That makes her laugh. She’s about to take another step toward me when, of course, the doorbell rings.
“I’m getting a dog that chases people away,” I grumble.
“I’ll get it this time,” she offers. “You put away the food.”
But I don’t put the food away. I follow her. I’m right behind her as she opens the door. No way am I letting her out of my sight with her mother on the loose.
“Mrs. Lambert,” she says, “is everything okay?”
“Oh, yes,” the older lady standing on my doorstep replies, smiling. “I just thought I would bring over a little something for you and Theo.”
Collins glances at me in confusion, and I shrug. I’ve never seen this woman in my life.
“I heard the news,” the woman goes on, “and I went by the station to drop it off for you. One of the boys told me you were sick, so I tried here before going all the way to your house.” She holds out a bag with tissue paper sticking out of the top. “It’s just something I was doing and thought about you. Well, it’s for both of you, really.”
Collins accepts the gift. “Do you want me to open it now? I can.”
“No, that’s not necessary. I’ll see you next week because I started on a blanket.” She smiles. “I’ll let you go rest.” She turns and walks back down the steps.