Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“I just want to say, I’m sorry I went crazy that day. I know you were sincere. You really meant well. The shoes are beautiful.” She started crying. “And my baby would have looked gorgeous in them if I had not had a miscarriage last week.”
I gasped with shock. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry.”
She broke into fresh sobs. “I couldn’t stay in Bison Ridge anymore. Everyone staring, pointing, and laughing at me.”
I stared at her. I knew exactly what was coming.
“I know we never got on, but I want to try to be a good sister to you. I want us to be like the way you and Olivia are. Can I stay with you for a few days?”
I covered my mouth with both hands. “Look, Tiffany. To start with you can’t stay with me because Pogo hates you.”
“Well, can’t you put him in a kennel or something?”
“No, I can’t put him in a kennel or something. Anyway, I don’t think we should immediately jump into being roommates. We can try to be friends first.”
She frowned. “Where will I go then?”
“You can stay in a motel for the time being… until you find your own apartment."
"I don’t want to stay in some flea-ridden motel. Can’t you and Pogo stay at Rex’s place and I can stay here until I find something?”
I shook my head in disbelief. Tiffany would never change. We would never be friends. Nobody could be friends with someone like her. She was so incredibly narcissistic. Everybody in the world was there just to serve and make her life better.
“No, Tiffany.”
She chewed her bottom lip. “Then, maybe I can stay at Rex’s place? I bet his apartment has loads of rooms.”
I began to laugh. I laughed really hard. She was just unbelievable.
“Me being homeless is not funny,” she said sulkily.
“You’re not homeless. You have a home in Bison Ridge.”
“I’m not going back there. Ever.”
“Whatever. Do what you want, but you’re not my problem. I’m not going to help you, Tiffany. You’re going to have to do it all yourself if you want to live in the city. I had to find my own way.”
She deflated like a pricked balloon. “I was so sure I could stay with you.”
“Why? We’ve never been close. Actually, we were enemies for as long as I can remember.”
“That’s because I was jealous of you. I was jealous because your father loved you with all his heart and mine had loved me so little, he left without even a goodbye note.”
I was surprised. That was probably the first honest and real thing Tiffany had said to me in all the time I’d known her.
“Look, I’m sorry about your dad.”
“And you know what else? I wished my mother would have died like your mom. Then my dad would have come and got me and we could have started a new life somewhere else.”
Wow! She was even more messed up than I imagined. She stood suddenly. “Anyway, I should go. I know when I’m not wanted.”
“Where are you going?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know, but I’ll find something.”
“Look, you can stay tonight if you’re desperate. I’ll take Pogo and stay at Rex’s, but you have to sort yourself out tomorrow.”
She gave an odd, almost maniac laugh. Like she had gone mad or something. “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t need your charity, after all. I’ll find my own way. One day, I too will find a rich man, you’ll see. I’ll show you. I’ll show you all.”
Then she turned on her heel and walked out of my door. I stood in the middle of my living room, debating if I should call Nicole and tell her that Tiffany had been to see me. New York could be a dangerous place for a woman alone.
Then I left it.
My conscience was clear. I offered her a place for the night and she refused.
I had my own problems to take care of. First of which was to let that hound out of my bedroom. He was making an almighty racket behind the door.
42
WILLOW
We’ve got take-out and are coming to your place. Hope you like Chinese.
Before I could reply to the text, the doorbell rang. Just like him to send me a text when he was outside the entrance door of my building. I gave them a few minutes to ride up in the elevator, then opened the front door.
“Kayden,” I called, and he ran to me. My heart melted as I hugged him back.
“Would you believe me if I told you I’ve missed you like crazy?” Rex said in a low voice.
I laughed, happy beyond words. His hands were occupied with bags, but he brought his face down for me to kiss him. I planted a very chaste kiss on his cheek.
“Where’s Pogo?” Kayden asked, looking around my living room.