Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 16214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 81(@200wpm)___ 65(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 81(@200wpm)___ 65(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
My life ended the day I found out she left me, but I couldn’t move on. How do you move on from the woman who owns your heart? Your soul? Your every fucking breath? You don’t. I finished college, but I never ever forgot about her. In my mind, she’s still my girl. We didn’t officially end a damn thing. She’s the only woman I’ve ever been with or ever will be with. Why mess with perfection?
If only I could fucking find her. All through college, I searched for her as best I could, Social media, her bitchy mother, but I knew I needed help.
I graduated from college last year and started working in my preferred field of IT. I work for a virtual company doing what I love. I set my own hours and make decent money, but I definitely don’t need it. I’ve grown my trust fund over the years and am sitting pretty. For the last year, I’ve been looking for my girl. I hired Jack, no last name. Despite his lack of name, he’s a highly recommended private investigator.
I’m finishing up an IT emergency when my cell rings. The caller ID says unknown, but that happens a lot in my line of work.
“Josh Kingsley,” I say as a way of greeting.
“Josh, it’s Jack.”
“Hey, Jack. I wasn’t expecting your weekly update until Monday.”
“I’ve found her.” I drop the pen in my hand and freeze. Silence. Absolute silence. I can’t say a fucking thing. The three words that I’ve longed to hear for years, and I can’t say a damn thing. “Josh?”
“I’m here,” I say after swallowing thickly. “Where is she?”
“I found her in Phoenix, Arizona, going by the name March Johnston. Would you like to know about her social life?”
“No. Give me the address,” I say, ready to fly there right now.
“I’ve already emailed it to you.
Looks like I’m going to Phoenix…
CHAPTER
ONE
MARCH
“Come on, Mom. I’m ready to go!” Juniper yells for the fifth time from her room. Right now, I am trying to pack to go to my grandpa's ranch in Wyoming, where he retired to three years ago. She has been going there since she was three years old. He adores this girl. When I gave birth to her, she was his everything, like I was when I was little.
On top of that, I am also packing for my trip around the U.S. to search for Donor #Pl18956. It sounds so strange to say. I have always known my mom went this route. She was diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of sixteen, and her doctors weren’t sure she would be able to have a baby after the age of twenty-five. So, she told herself if she hadn’t found her husband by twenty-three, she would go to a sperm bank. Shortly after she had me, she had to have a hysterectomy.
“Mommy!” she yells once again. That girl is going crazy, as she has been since she found out she was going to Wyoming. She loves it there. She once asked me if we could move there. She cried for five days when I told her no. It broke my heart. My grandfather left me his house when he retired. He transferred it into my name and everything, and if we moved, we would have to sell, and I cannot bring myself to do it.
My phone rings, letting me know I have an incoming video chat. I smile because I know it is my sister's. “Hey guys,” I tell them, holding it under my chin while I put the last few things in the suitcase.
“Hey. Are you packed?” Jan asks, chomping on pickles and vinegar. God, do I remember my pregnancy cravings?
“Yep. Just putting the last few things in the luggage.”
“I really wish you had someone to take with you,” Feb says, frowning.
“Well you two fell in love with your partners and we know that is not going to happen so..”
“How would you know? Maybe if you gave it a shot. I mean, who, Todd?” Of course, she would bring up Juniper's Karate teacher. He has been asking me out since she started that class. I am not saying he is not nice-looking because he is. And, of course, I have thought about saying yes; I mean, who wouldn’t? He is built like Patrick Swayze, but I don’t want to confuse Junie and would hate for her to get used to someone and then have her heartbroken. I shake my head at these two.
“You know I can’t. It is not good for Junie. Besides, he has classes to teach. He can’t cancel them for the entire month and a half.” Sounds like a reasonable reason to me. They both give me reprimanding looks, which make me put my head down.
“You should have at least asked him, March. He has an assistant who could have led his class while he was gone.” Shoot. I hate it when they are right. I never thought of that.