Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
What was she thinking? She didn’t want Rory to start imagining all the ways things could go wrong. That she could feel like her life was together only for something else to happen.
Shit.
Lacey was going to kill her.
“No, no. Don’t feel bad for telling me that. I know that bad things can happen and that I’ve got to learn better coping mechanisms. It just felt like with Mom around . . . well, in the beginning it was good because I could fall apart and she just took care of everything. But when I was ready to start moving forward, she was holding me back. And I know it's a horrible thing to think about your mother, however I just needed some space.”
“It’s not horrible. And if you explain it to her, well, she should want to help you however she can.”
Rory gave her a small smile. “You don’t know my mom. I don’t know if she can accept that I need a different sort of help than what she can give me. That’s why I’ve moved across the country.”
“This is where you feel you have to be?”
“I know it seems crazy since this is where my nightmare started. But yeah, it feels like coming back here is therapeutic in a way.”
“Okay, but you’re still talking to a therapist about all of this, right?”
“Yep. I’m still seeing my old therapist, but over video.”
“That’s good. I just want you to know that if you need anything, I’m here. Okay? I mean, I know we don’t know each other well, but . . . I don’t have any friends here so if you ever want one . . . bollocks, I sound like a lonely old lady, don’t I?”
“I’d like another friend,” Rory told her. “I lost most of mine after ghosting them for so long. And I don’t know anyone here but Travis and his brothers. Well, and now the people who work at Raptor Inc, but the only other woman there is terrifying. Terrifying,” she repeated.
“Yay. That’s awesome. Well not the terrifying part, that’s scary. Travis told me that you’re working for him now.”
“Yeah, I think he felt like he had to give me the job, but I’ll be a great employee. I’m just trying to convince him and Jace to let me go to the club. Oh, do you know about the club?”
“I do,” she said, deciding not to ask if there was something between her and Jace. He seemed protective but maybe they were just friends. “I was thinking of joining it but I’m slightly nervous.”
Not exactly nervous.
Well, maybe if Travis was going to be there . . . watching her.
“Do you want to go with me?” she asked.
Relief filled Rory’s face. “I’d like that. I feel like I have to go back and relive that night with a different ending, you know?”
“I think I do. Just so long as you realize it won’t actually rewrite history in your head. Unfortunately, what happened won’t ever go away. You just have to learn to live with it . . . but eventually things will get better.”
“I sure hope so,” Rory said. “What about you? Do you have someone to talk to? Looking out for you when you need it?”
“I’ve been seeing a therapist again, but I took a break when I moved here, and I think that was a mistake.”
Rory nodded. “Mom tried to tell me that I didn’t need therapy anymore, however Gray was footing the bill, so I kept going.”
“Good. I’m glad. Gray is a good brother.”
“He’s the best.”
Jace strode over, eyeing them both. “You two okay?”
“Yeah, Caren is going to come with me to the club,” Rory told him before turning back to her. “Do you want to go tomorrow night?”
Tomorrow night?
Right now, she didn’t feel like she had the energy to make a cup of tea let alone go to a club. But that wasn’t going to stop her.
“That would be great.”
“You two won’t be going without me,” Jace told them firmly.
“Or me,” Travis said, walking up to them. “We’ll all go tomorrow night.”
“You’re there every weekend anyway,” Jace told Travis before turning to the girls. “He has no life.”
“I have a life,” Travis protested.
“Yeah. Name one thing you do that isn’t work or going to the club,” Jace said as he handed Rory a small plate of food filled with different things. He must have chased down every waiter in the place and gathered up a bit of everything.
That was really kind of sweet.
Then he undid one of the bottles of water he held and gave it to her. She took it, giving him a grateful smile. “Thanks, Jace.”
He simply nodded and did the same with the other bottle, handing it to Rory.
“Thank you,” Rory replied quietly as she settled the plate of food on her lap.