Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
“I don’t know how much more you want from me, Sheila. Yes, I get it’s the district attorney saying this and not you. Fine. Yes, I understand.”
He clicks off the phone and throws it across the desk. He takes a few deep breaths. I expected him to go off and break something, and frankly, from what I heard, I would have gone and broke something too.”
I slide on one of his shirts for a bit of warmth as I approach him, and wrap my arms around him. “It’s okay.”
“The hell it’s okay. He tried to kill you, Lily. If the law won’t take care of him, I’m seriously debating going full old-school justice on him.”
“What do you mean, old-school justice?”
“I gather up a posse. I find Max. And we take care of things ourselves, just like they did back in 1875.”
I glare at him, my eyes wide. “You can’t be serious. You’d be the one getting arrested, then.”
“Well, what else can I do?” He’s fighting not to raise his voice at me. He’s angry, and worse than just angry, he’s filled with righteous rage. He knows he’s undeniably in the right and feels powerless to do what he feels needs doing. “I can’t let a man like him walk the streets alongside you.”
“I’ll... I’ll just stay close to you, Jack.”
He pulls me in for a firm hug, a smile finally coming to his face. “And I want you to stay close. But it’s not right for you to put yourself under house arrest when it’s him who has done wrong, Lily. I’m going to drive myself crazy if Max isn’t taken care of.”
There’s a knock on the door.
Which wasn’t fully closed in the first place.
“Y’all decent in here?” she calls out, but doesn’t wait for an answer.
Sarah walks into the room, and looks both our ways: at Jack, in nothing but jeans, and me in nothing but his shirt. I blush and hide behind Jack, who, to my surprise, is blushing a bit too.
“Well, no one has any parts flopping about, so y’all are decent enough.”
Jack shakes his head. “I know you’re still technically my fiancée, Sarah, but you should give me more warning that you’re coming in, than that.”
“I would if it weren’t so damn important.” She walks in, her gait one from a woman on a mission. “I need you two at the town square in Greenbluff today. It’s the end of the Summer Festival, and I’m going to send it out with a bang. Something to leave the people talking for years to come.”
“Sarah, I appreciate the invitation, but we’ve been dealing with some issues more serious than the festival.”
“Yeah, and that’s why you need to be there. Word travels fast in this town, Jack. I already know how everything went down yesterday, and that my father walked into our home like nothing happened and told me I can’t just be protecting him because he’s my father anymore.”
Jack’s eyes narrow at Sarah. “What do you mean, protecting him?”
“You’ll see what I mean when you get your asses down to the festival.” She looks us both over. “Preferably with pants and a shirt on each of you, instead of you sharing one outfit.”
Jack and I share another brief embarrassed exchange of glances.
“I’m fine with going,” I tell Jack, knowing he’s probably worried that I’m too traumatized to even look at Max Perry again. It’s not a face I want to see in any sense, but I’m not going to cry in front of him either.
“See? She’s on board. I’ll see you both there.”
Jack’s fiancée saunters out of the room as abruptly as she came in.
“Well then,” I say. “We ought to wash up and get dressed. We kinda overslept.”
“You deserve it,” he says. “You needed it. It’s what the other wranglers are for.”
He kisses me on the cheek, and I fight myself not to jump on him right now. As much as I’d enjoy it, I have to say I’m definitely interested in whatever Sarah wants to show us.
10
JACK
The last day of the festival is as lively as the rest of them. People want their last dose of carnival rides and food, a last day of music and dancing, just one final day of fun before the tedium of the day-to-day grind resumes for all of them.
I’m keeping Lily close to me. I haven’t seen Max around, but I’m not taking any chances. I don’t know how desperate he is to combat his perceived slights, and the last thing I need is for him to stroll into this festival with an old hunting rifle and start making threats at people.
The big draw of the final day is to crown a king and queen of the festival. This position is usually reserved for a bunch of high school kids, but it did give an excuse for the whole town to be gathered. Which I believe was Sarah’s intention.