Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
The door opened behind her and Charlotte’s face lit up as her girls strode into the room. Tasha was carrying a couple of packets of creamer in her hand. She placed them in front of Charlotte. “I found some in the storage room, Mom. I refilled the break room, but I knew you would miss it.”
“Thanks, sweetie,” Charlotte said, patting her oldest daughter’s hand.
“Mom, there’s something wrong with Mr. Kent’s brother,” one of the twins said with a frown on her face. “He’s weird.”
For a second she’d been scared, but Ezra was weird. “What did he do?”
The girl with strawberry blonde hair turned toward her, one brow arched over her eyes in an amazing imitation of her father. “He overheard me talking to Kenzie about this girl in camp last year who was mean to me and how I’m not taking it this year.”
“You didn’t take it last year,” Charlotte pointed out. “You punched her.”
“She punched me first,” the girl who was definitely Kala announced. “And Mr. Kent’s brother told me I should turn the other cheek. Why would I do that, Mom? Do I want her to hit my other cheek?”
“I believe he’s talking about the Christian principle of nonviolence.” Charlotte winced. “We need to go to church more often. You see Mr. Kent’s brother is a priest.”
“I thought that was his cover,” Tasha said, her arms folding over her chest. “I heard he was a criminal on the run.”
Charlotte was the one arching a brow now. “Where did you hear that?”
Tasha flushed slightly. “I’ve just heard rumors around the office. I wasn’t eavesdropping. Uhm, Uncle Alex is loud.”
“Your Uncle Alex said Father Ezra was a criminal?” Charlotte asked.
“I didn’t hear him say that,” Kenzie replied. “I heard him say that it was good we had a priest around now because someone should make Kala exercise.”
Kala’s eyes rolled. “He said he wanted someone to exorcise me.”
“What did you do?” Charlotte asked.
It didn’t get by Kim that Tasha had retreated to the door.
Kala shrugged. “I put a couple of bugs in Cooper’s lunch box. Or I thought it was Coop’s box. Turned out Aunt Eve used it, and she does not get a joke. They weren’t real or anything. They were plastic.”
Charlotte leaned over and put her hands on Kala’s shoulders. “You are never going to get Cooper to like you by playing practical jokes on him, baby.”
Kala made a gagging sound and backed away. “Like I want him to like me. I don’t even like boys.”
“You keep that up, baby girl. Boys are stinky and gross and bad for you.” Ian Taggart walked in and winked Tasha’s way. “Any chance I can get you on the no boys train?”
“Sure, Dad.” Tasha gave her dad a hug. “After all, you smell stinky lots of the time.”
Ian simply chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “True. And that’s what you’re in for. Now go, my daughters. I’m paying you. You gotta work before you go to camp.”
The girls all rushed out.
Ian raised an arm and gave himself a sniff. “I’m not stinky. I took a shower and everything.”
“I don’t think your daughter likes me very much.” It was good to have something to distract her from her previous thoughts. Not that it was a problem for her. She’d had lots of people not like her, but she usually had to do something to them first.
Tag waved a hand and took a seat by his wife. “I wouldn’t worry about it. Kala doesn’t like anyone.”
“Except Cooper,” Charlotte said.
Tag flinched. “I reject that notion.”
“I was talking about Tasha.” There was something going on with that girl. “Does she have a thing for Beck?”
Ian’s whole body shuddered. “No. Ewww. That is a sweet baby girl we are talking about, and she doesn’t like boys much less super-old dudes who haven’t smiled in seven years.”
Charlotte frowned and glanced out the conference room windows. “She did seem a little off. I’ll talk to her. I’ve never noticed her paying Beck any attention. Not more than she pays any of the adults. I would be less surprised if she had a crush on the younger guys. We’ve got some attractive bodyguards.”
“And they’re smart, too, because none of them would be interested in fourteen-year-old girls,” Tag said and then seemed to get serious. “Has Tash been rude? That’s not like her. She’s the sweetest of my kids. Probably because she doesn’t actually have any of my DNA. I swear Kala got a double shot.”
“I wouldn’t say she’s rude exactly.” Kim shook her head. “Or I’m being paranoid. It’s been a long time since I hung out in an office. Forget I said anything.”
“She’s a teen. They’re all on the moody side.” Charlotte nodded as the door came open again. “And honestly, she gets a bit emotional any time the fact that she’s adopted comes up. It’s why we don’t talk about her dad often.”