Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I felt my face warm. “They’re not very good. I don’t take classes or anything. It’s just something I enjoy,” I explained, feeling silly now.
His brows drew together. “Don’t say that. You enjoy it, so the talent is there. First step to your art is believing in yourself. In your work.”
This was the moment that guilt should have sunk in. When I should have stood up and excused myself to go find Wells. However, neither of those things happened. I continued to sit there and talk about my paintings to the first person who had ever seemed to care.
Present Day
Closing my car door, I gripped the handles on my duffel bag tightly and stared up at the house in front of me. This place was big. The entire neighborhood was full of fancy, large homes with expensive cars in the driveways. The fact that I had needed a code to get through the iron gates to even get into this community was insane. What was it that Wilder did exactly? I thought he owned a media marketing company. Did it make this kind of money?
He had lived in a two-bedroom apartment before Sylvia died. Sarah had said he’d bought a house and they’d moved in, but she had left out that it was a big, massive place that belonged in a magazine. The one thing that stood out at this house was the lack of pumpkins and other elaborate fall decor. There weren’t even wreaths on the front doors. I glanced over at my ten-year-old Honda Civic and decided that I had added one more thing to stand out. My dependable, old Betsy. I patted the dark blue hood just in case she felt inferior before making my way toward the front steps.
I wasn’t to the top step when one of the double doors swung open, and Sarah came running out, followed by Belladonna hot on her heels, barking her greeting.
“OAKY!” Sarah squealed, throwing her arms around my neck.
I dropped my duffel bag beside me so I could wrap her up in a hug. I had missed her so much that it hurt. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed holding her. Belladonna fought for my attention, too, pushing her head between us, causing Sarah to laugh.
“We missed you!” she exclaimed.
“I missed you too,” I assured her, then reached down to hug the very enthusiastic Belladonna.
“I got the bedroom across from mine all ready for you. I even picked flowers and put them beside your bed,” she informed me proudly.
“That sounds perfect. Thank you,” I replied.
It was amazing how that sweet smile could ease all the other bad in my life.
Sarah reached for my hand. “Come on! I will show you where you are staying, and then we can go make cupcakes. Dad bought everything on the list I gave him.”
Wilder hadn’t been at the door to greet me, but then I hadn’t expected that. Truth was, I didn’t really want to see him.
Sarah had mentioned some older woman who watched her when he had to work. He hadn’t called me once to ask if I could come. If it wasn’t for the fact that Sarah had her own phone, I doubted he’d have let her contact me. Bastard.
But he was Sarah’s dad. So, I had to be nice to him. Make sure he let me come back or let her come see me.
Cleo had been true to her word, and not only had my dad informed me it was best if I didn’t come over for a while, but he was also now dodging my phone calls. I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in a month.
I missed Granny even more fiercely now than I had the months after her death. Back then, I had known she wanted to die. She’d not been the same after Granddad’s death. She had missed him so much, and when she passed away only three months after losing him, I had been happy for her. She was back with him again, and I knew that was what she’d wanted.
With my dad ignoring me and Sarah having moved away, I had been so lonely that dating again sounded like a good idea. My sitting at home, feeling sorry for myself, could only go on for so long. Dating Hamilton had helped some, but it was nothing compared to being here with Sarah.
I followed Sarah into the house and paused for a moment to take in the vaulted ceilings, white walls, and cleanliness. There were no personal effects in the entrance. It was almost as if the house were empty. Why hadn’t Wilder put up some photos or a painting? Maybe a mirror and added some plants? It would make the place feel warmer, more welcoming.
Sarah continued tugging my arm and leading me to the wide, winding staircase. I followed her up the stairs with Belladonna right by my side, as if making sure I didn’t leave. When we reached the upstairs, I looked down over the railing on the other side into an open room with a big fireplace, two leather sofas, and a recliner. The coffee table that sat in the center was the only other furnishing in the large room. Like the entrance, there was nothing on the walls. The mantel even sat empty.