Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 72822 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72822 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
What would’ve taken me two minutes or less to do, it took her ten. But she made it out of the hospital on her own two legs, and then I convinced her to allow me to bring the truck around—thank God.
Watching her struggle was enough to make my heart hurt.
Cobie was a strong, independent person. Something that I’d learned very well over the last week that she’d been with me at my house. She hated having things done for her and would much rather do them herself.
I knew for a fact that she would rather be at her own house, suffering in silence.
But for some reason, I couldn’t let her go.
Each day that she’d come up with an argument, I’d have a better reason for her not to go.
We’d done this quite a few times, the back and forth thing. I knew what was coming when she got to the car, but I thwarted her words by asking a question of my own, first.
“You want to try to get something to eat?”
Her eyes went up to me. “Sure, but didn’t you say that you had to go get Mary from your mom?”
I nodded. “I figured we’d go get her first, then head to somewhere small and light. It being already two, I’m not going to want to eat all that much or I won’t be hungry for dinner. Regardless of whether I am or not, Mary always is. So, since she has to eat, I like to cook her something, even if it is just frozen chicken and rice or something similar to that.”
Her smile was soft. “I think I’d like to try to eat.”
***
An hour later, we were in the middle of the restaurant named ‘Sweet Tea.’ Sweet Tea was a restaurant that catered to folks who liked good, old-fashioned, home-cooked meals. They also had some of the most amazing sweet tea I’d ever tried.
And that was saying something because I’d commit murder for some sweet tea from McAlister’s or Chick-Fil-A. Sweet Tea, though? Yeah, they got the top spot, and I guess they should with a name like they had.
“Have you ever been here before?”
I nodded. “I like to come here when I have to take Mary to her doctor appointments,” I answered. “Plus, with it being smaller, not as many people will come here. Then again, I’m convinced that’s only because not that many people know it’s back here. It’s hidden in this little nook.” I indicated to the shopping center that Sweet Tea was located behind.
The shopping center was popular, but the street behind it was rarely used because there was nothing beyond it. Nothing but the most hidden gem in the entirety of Longview, Texas.
“Do you want a booth or a table?” The hostess smiled at us, her face bouncing between me and Mary, to where Cobie was standing only a few inches away.
She was standing so close because the trip to the hospital wore her out, and she was trying not to fall to the floor. At one point on the way across the parking lot, I put my arm around her and held her to me. She’d gratefully taken the support, but she had straightened back up once we’d arrived inside.
I also refused to be saddened that I no longer felt her body weight in the curve of my arm or acknowledge the fact that I missed it.
I looked around the room and pointed to the booth in the back. “Can we have that one?”
It was in the corner, with windows on all sides, meaning Mary likely wouldn’t get bored.
But ever since I’d picked her up from my mom’s she’d done nothing but sleep. By the looks of her, tired and blinking sleepily, she’d likely not be able to make it through dinner.
I frowned.
Had she not slept while at my mom’s?
Thinking about Mary and not about who was in the diner, I’d almost made it all the way to the table before I looked up and realized that the person we were sitting next to was none other than the man who we were all supposed to be avoiding—Drake.
Cobie hadn’t noticed him yet, but oh, Drake had noticed us. And what I saw on his face was not a look of excitement.
If looks could kill, I’d be dust.
“Sorry, but would you mind putting us in that one over there?” I asked. “The sun is hurting my eyes over here.”
My murmured words to the hostess had her turning and smiling.
Even at forty-one years old, I still had it.
Not that I wanted it.
But at times, it was useful.
Like now.
Drake glared at me as I passed, and I tilted my head down once in acknowledgment.
He didn’t return the gesture…not that I’d expected him to.
Shit.
I thought about leaving, and honestly, I was ready to say to Cobie that we should go, when she exhaustedly collapsed into the seat and looked at me like she was ready to break.