Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Rene picked his cards up. “I’ll back off. Just know that I’m here if you need anything. You want to stay with me for a couple of days? I know how toxic your brother can be.”
His brother was toxic but charming as hell, which was precisely why his mother fell for the act every single time. “I’m staying at the office while he’s here. It shouldn’t be long. Our mother will write him a check and he’ll head back to LA and then I’ll pick up the pieces again.”
Maybe that was why he was so interested in Jayna. She was a distraction, and one he could feel all right about. She wasn’t interested in staying around. She wouldn’t expect anything from him, and he would have no expectations of her.
It could be a nice time for both of them.
When they dealt another round, Quaid tried to get his head back into the game.
* * *
• • •
Jayna sat back on the lounge chair and wondered if Quaid was going to give her keys to the office tomorrow. Would he still give them to her if he knew how much she wanted to sneak back in and get some work done tonight and maybe bring a sleeping bag and her dog and live there for a while?
She could live off ramen noodles and coffee and excellent Wi-Fi until she figured out the rest of her life.
Yeah, she wasn’t going to mention that to him or he might rethink the whole letting-her-use-the-office thing.
Luna’s head came up, her attention focusing on the trailer opposite her. The door to Sienna’s trailer came open and a slight figure slipped out.
Ivy wore pajamas and fuzzy slippers on her feet. She looked around as though seeking something and then lasered in on Jayna. Luna’s tail thumped and she moved down the steps to escort the young girl across the yard between them.
“Aunt Jay, what did you do?” Ivy whispered the question.
“A lot of things.” She wasn’t sure what her niece was talking about. She’d gotten home about an hour before and found a note from her mom saying she would be over with the girls until Sienna got home. About thirty minutes later, Sienna’s car had pulled up and she’d waved Jayna’s way, holding up the new outfit she’d bought for her first day of work. Sienna had been bubbly and full of optimism. “What’s going on?”
“Momma and Granny are fighting, and they’re saying your name a lot.” Ivy moved to sit on the second chair, her feet not brushing the floor.
“What would they fight about?” She hadn’t even talked to her mom today. Over the weeks she’d been home, they hadn’t spent a ton of time together. Her mom had begrudgingly let her stay. Sometimes she thought the only reason she’d done it was so she could say I told you so. And Luna. Her mom seemed to love having Luna around.
“Momma told her about the new job with the lawyer guy and Granny said she’s got her head in the clouds and she’s going to ruin everything.”
“What?” Jayna stood up. She should have known her mother would have an opinion. She always did and it was always negative. “Your mom got a new job, a better job with better pay and better hours. She doesn’t even have to work weekends. How is that ruining things?”
“Mom could be home on Saturdays?” Ivy asked.
“Every single one, and Sundays, too. Her new boss is even making it so she’ll be able to pick you guys up from school. I think you’ll like him. He’s pretty nice.” And dangerous to her peace of mind. Quaid was all her high school dreams rolled into one sexy, “couldn’t she get rid of all her frustrations with him?” man trap.
She’d closed the door to the office he’d given her because it was way too nice to think about the fact that he was right across the hall, and she could go poke him any time she wanted.
She’d worked with a man she’d been involved with once and wasn’t going there again.
“I don’t think it matters if he’s nice.” Ivy shook her head. “Granny doesn’t think Mom can do it. She said she should have known you would come in and put ideas in her head.” Ivy sniffled.
“That is not right. Your granny shouldn’t have said those things because your mom can do it.” She was going to have such a talk with her mother. What had she been thinking? Even if she’d put the girls to bed, she had to know they could hear everything in that tiny space. The walls were paper-thin. Jayna should know. She’d grown up being able to listen to every word her mother said about her.
Ivy’s honey blond hair shone in the moonlight. “Aunt Jayna, do you really think I can go to college and be a doctor? Because I don’t think Granny thinks I’m smart enough, either.”