Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 135847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
For years, Hale chafed against having personal security.
Right then, he didn’t even think about it.
He said, “Do it.”
Hudson nodded.
The doors opened and he said to Hudson, “See you in a bit.”
“Yup,” Hudson replied.
He walked out.
The doors closed, and for the first time, Elsa was home before him.
He knew she would be. She wanted to get home, change and freshen up before they went to Tom and Mika’s that night.
Right now, she was wearing a cream dress with an A-line skirt that went almost to her ankles. It was sleeveless, and there were ruffles that ran from the sides of her waist over her shoulders. She had a black belt at her waist and high, spike heeled, black boots on her feet.
She looked feminine and edgy. Like she gave a shit about meeting important people in his life, but she knew who she was and wasn’t out to impress, expecting she just would.
Instead of that tightness leaving his neck at the sight of her, it seemed to get tighter.
He didn’t have time to dwell on that.
She was on the phone, coming his way, and she looked ticked.
She wrapped her fingers around his neck, got up on her toes, and he tipped his head down so she could touch her mouth to his lips.
She then dropped down, gave him a one-minute finger, mouthed, “Sorry,” then turned and walked back into the apartment.
He followed her, dumping his bag on a chair.
She came to a stop looking out the window.
And she finally spoke.
“Okay, right. Like I told you when I answered, I don’t have a lot of time. Hale’s home now, and we have plans for the night. I have to go.”
From her tone he was guessing…her mom or Oskar.
He went to lean on the back of the couch, not close to her, not far, and he listened.
She listened too.
Then she said, “Yes, we had dinner with Dad last night, that doesn’t mean—” Pause and, “Mom, no. And I can’t talk about his now because—” Pause then, “I can’t because I live there.”
Oh shit.
“No,” she said slowly, with strained patience. “Hale lives in Manhattan. I live in Brooklyn. Yes, I stay with him when he’s in the city, but that doesn’t mean my apartment is free. It means I’m staying with him when he’s in the city, and I’ll be back in my apartment when he’s not.”
She looked over her shoulder at him and bugged out her eyes in a gesture of frustration.
So Elsa could be cute when she was angry.
He shot her an understanding smile.
She turned back to the window. “Okay. Again. I. Can’t. Talkaboutthisnow. I understand you’re in a bind, but I have a one-bedroom apartment that’s tiny. Even if you slept on the couch when I was there, we’d be living on top of each other. And that doesn’t even get into the fact my apartment is so small, you couldn’t even sleep on my couch because it isn’t big enough.” Pause then, “The fact I’m hardly ever home is beside the point.”
Another short pause before she lost it.
“Mom! I said no!”
Hale crossed his arms on his chest.
“I’m sorry I shouted at you,” she went on. “I understand you’re anxious about this. I’ll call you tomorrow. We’ll see if we can figure something out. But that’s my home, Mom. If you were on the street, which you aren’t, it’d be a different story. Adam is giving you time. We’ll figure something out.”
She looked at him again and he could tell how much she didn’t want to say her next before she said it.
“I’ll call Oskar and get in touch with Emilie. We’ll sort this out.” Another pause and, “Promise. Talk to you later. Stay positive. There’s a solution, we’ll find it.” One final pause, and, “Yes. Love you too. Bye.”
She hung up and turned fully to him.
“C’mere, Elz,” he murmured.
She went there, he opened his legs, she walked right between them and collapsed against him.
He put his arms around her.
He gave it a few beats, and then he offered, “You want me to find someplace for your mom to live until the settlement goes through?”
“This isn’t your deal. It isn’t even my deal. But it isn’t yours. So, no. We’ll figure it out,” she told his neck.
He gave her a little shake. “Baby, I’m loaded. And I own a residential building in Brooklyn. I can see if an apartment in your place is open or coming up for rent.”
She leaned back on that, her hands on his chest. “Oh, please God, Hale. Don’t put her in my building.”
His lips tipped up. “Right. Then second option, you let her stay at yours, and you stay here, even when I’m not here.”
She blinked and her head jerked.
“Sorry?”
“It’d be good this place was used when I’m not around. I feel guilty, owning something like this and it sits empty so much. It has to be maintained. The utilities paid.” He gave her another little shake. “You could see it as doing me a favor.”