Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Agreeing, I took a seat in one of the chairs at the back, away from the others.
“Could I bring you a drink?” she offered.
“Oh no, I’m good. I am going to duck out, though, when this ends, because I’m meeting my husband for dinner.”
“Of course, of course,” she assured me. “Thank you so much.”
“Not a problem.”
My son called me then. “How’re you doing, love?”
“Are you at a rave or something?”
“Yes,” I deadpanned. “I’m at a rave.”
“All right, fine, but what are you doing?”
“I’m at a client event. Tell me what the doctor said?”
“I broke my ring finger and pinky on my left hand,” he said, sighing deeply. “And so it’s wrapped and I have splints on both and I look ridiculous.”
Harper leaned in close to the phone. “Also, one of the nurses… Jake slept with her, and that was totally awkward.”
Kola was shaking his head.
“I feel like there’s a teachable moment here,” Harper told me. “But I have no idea what it is. Can you think of one?”
“No,” I assured him. I couldn’t very well cast stones at Jake when years ago I had slept with every man with a pulse myself. It would be wildly hypocritical of me. “Did he remember her name at least?”
“Yeah,” Harper replied with a yawn. “Can I just say that emergency room time is, like, crazy long?”
“I know. You guys should get something good to eat on the way home. Have Kola use his credit card. It’s on us.”
“Really?” All three boys crowded into the frame.
“Yes,” I said, smiling at them. “Just don’t go crazy and order a bottle of wine or something. You understand?”
All three with the same horrified expressions on their faces.
“Wine?” Kola said. “Seriously?”
“Just call me when you get home,” I told him.
He nodded, and they were gone.
“Jory?”
When I looked up, there was a man there, and God is my witness, I had no idea who he was.
“How are you?”
I hated when this happened. But since I didn’t know who he was, I did what I always do and smiled. “Hi,” I replied, getting up, glancing around to see where we were in the presentation. As it was close to over, whoever this was, I could at least leave quickly. “How are you?”
“I’m good, I––” He looked me up and down, which was always weird. “I know that you and the detective got married. Did you get a divorce?”
Okay, so when I knew this man, Sam was a detective, not a marshal. That was a hundred years ago, so I was a bit lost. “Uh, no,” I said quickly. “We’re still married.”
“But you’re at a singles event?”
“Oh no,” I rushed out. “I’m here helping the owner of the business who’s launching the platform. My company did this presentation and the branding on the site itself.”
“I see.” He stepped closer and offered me his hand. “God, it’s crazy to see you after so long. I always wondered how you were doing, but I thought it would be strange to reach out. I’m thrilled that you recovered your ability to walk.”
More hints. I was in an accident in Hawai’i years ago, and the last time this man knew me, I was hurt. So that made him…Hayes Fisher. “Yeah, it didn’t take that long to heal,” I explained, thrilled to be on solid ground. “So how have you been?” I asked, letting go of his hand, concerned that he didn’t release mine at the same time, but it only took him a moment.
“Great,” he informed me, still checking me out, which now felt awkward. I wasn’t so gorgeous that people stared when I walked down the street—that was my husband—but I could certainly tell when someone was thinking I was pretty. “I’ve been in several long-term relationships, but nothing that’s really stuck.”
“Why do you think that is?” I inquired, to be making conversation.
“Honestly, I like young, beautiful men, and at a certain point, they either cheat on me, want more than I’m willing to give, or I find that the age difference is simply too much.”
I nodded. “I’m sure that would be difficult. Is that why you’re here at the party?”
“Yes, I… I’m hoping to find someone in my age group, finally, who has all the same interests as me. If I start off with someone with my same financial portfolio, that at least will be a good beginning.”
I had no idea what to say to that. “Well, good, then. I hope you find your love match.”
“Thank you,” he said kindly, smiling at me. “My family still asks after you, even with all the years, and you were only there for a night. Such an impression you made.”
“Well, please give them all my best,” I said, turning to go.
“I will,” he told me. “You know, the good news is that at least you didn’t have to see Aaron Sutter again after your terrible accident.”