Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Marge frowned. “I don’t see a vest or a ring. You better not be playing that girl, Doc.”
Doc held up his hands. “Everything is in the works, Marge. I promise. She’ll have her vest tonight and the ring in a day or two. I only met her yesterday.”
Christ! Had it been only yesterday? Seemed like longer. Probably because so much had changed in my life. If it all fell apart today, I’d grieve, but I’d be thankful for the amazing life experiences Doc had given me.
“I don’t care if you met her this minute,” Marge continued. “If you tell a woman you’re going to marry her, you better be prepared to do what you say, young man.”
“I swear, Marge. I’ll even bring her back here tonight after her vest’s complete so you can see for yourself.”
“You better.” Marge raised her eyebrow at Doc even as she wagged her pencil at him. “Otherwise, your special privileges will be revoked.”
“If I don’t keep my word on this, Marge, I don’t deserve your specials anymore.”
“I’ve half a mind to give you ice water, Jude Collins. Consider yourself lucky this time. There won’t be a next time.”
I couldn’t help but giggle. Mainly because Doc looked appropriately contrite. Doc winked at me, and I laughed some more.
“You like seeing me get in trouble. Little imp.”
“It warms my heart to see you interact with the people in your life.” I knew I looked at him like he was a hero. I couldn’t help it. “Anyone can see you’re a wonderful man.”
It wasn’t long until Marge returned with burgers and fries for both of us, a chocolate malt with extra whipped cream for me and a chocolate mocha shake for Doc. Marge gave him the stink eye but winked at me with a grin.
Doc and I passed the next half hour in comfortable silence. Occasionally he’d lean in and nuzzle my hair or kiss my temple. I laid my head against his arm and rubbed my face along his shoulder like a cat more than once. It felt right. The way it was supposed to be. Never had I felt so completely happy in my life. Not since I was a little girl when my mother and father still spent time together. I found myself anxious to start living in my new life.
I was about to tell Doc when the door opened, and Mrs. Collins stormed into the diner. The door bounced on the wall so hard it bounced back at her. The few customers who were present glared at her for disturbing their meal. Marge pursed her lips and glanced at Tito. Elena came out from the back, an annoyed look on her face.
“You break, you buy, Signora Collins. Only reason I don’t throw you out now is because of your relationship with Doc,” Tito scolded her, shaking his spatula at her. Beatrix Collins looked as furious as I’d ever seen anyone.
“Oh no.” I swallowed, glancing up at Doc. If I’d been able, I’d have scrambled as far away from him as I could. It felt like I was taking someone’s man when, from what Caroline had told me, Mrs. Collins was the one who’d insisted on a divorce. I knew they weren’t a couple, but I still didn’t like this. The woman had a child with Doc, for Christ’s sake! What was going on?
Mrs. Collins found Doc a few moments later. “You bastard!”
I must have made a sound because Doc gripped my knee under the table. It wasn’t hard, just enough to get my attention and refocus me on him and not his ex-wife.
“Trix. I’d say I was happy to see you, but it’d be a Goddamned lie.” Doc sounded weary, but I could see a cunning in his gaze that gave me chills. Whatever was about to happen wasn’t going to be pleasant. “Had enough yesterday to do me a fuckin’ lifetime.”
“I told you what I wanted.” She waved a fistful of papers in the air before throwing them at Doc. “You want Caroline with you, you know what you have to do. Otherwise, I don’t care how many orders you throw my way, I’ll never give her up! In fact, I’ve got social services on the way to take her away from that cesspool of a compound you’ve taken her to!”
“Do what you feel is necessary, Trix. But that order is legal. Send whoever you want. It’s not going to change anything until after the hearing.”
“Caroline is my daughter! You have no right to her!”
“She’s my daughter too, Trix.” Doc tilted his head slightly as if studying his ex. “Tell me something, Trix. You never loved me. We both know that.”
“If you want to talk about this, we can do it at my lawyer’s office.”
“You’re the one who barged in here and disturbed everyone’s meal. I went through the court and had your notice delivered. Emergency custody means Caroline will be with me until the courts say otherwise. Now, answer the question.” Doc’s inflection never changed. He was calm, still eating the occasional fry as he spoke calmly which was so at odds with Beatrix’s outrage. I didn’t dare move or make a sound.