Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“What’s that smile about?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s not a nothing smile,” Ven says from her pedicure chair beside me.
“Can’t I be happy to spend time with my cousin?”
“That smile has nothing to do with me. I saw the look on your husband’s face when I picked you up.”
I pause to think about Ant’s demeanor this morning. While he seemed happy to have me there, it was like he was holding something back. I almost forgot about that.
“Should I be worried? Well, not worried, but is there a girl Kid didn’t know about that I might have to put on notice?”
“No, Ox is all about work and his family. I’ve never seen him date much. He’s always been with Kid if I ever see him with anyone.”
I feel a pang in my heart. I want to do something special to show how sorry I am for messing up that friendship. I hope Ant will forgive her.
“Stop worrying about him and Kid. It will all work out. When he can relax, he’ll forgive her.”
“Maybe.”
I’m not too convinced. Ant can hold on to some anger. I’m still surprised he was able to forgive me so soon. I thought it would be much harder. If not for Ven and the others, I know it would have been.
“By the way. I owe you big time. Thank you so much for helping me with Ant.”
“That’s still so weird to hear.”
“What’s that?”
“Ant,” she replies. “I’m used to calling him Ox. That’s who Pit introduced him as. I don’t think I’ve called him by his real name more than a handful of times.”
“Yeah, well, Ox is weird to me. It had to grow on me when Jenny first told me about it.”
“That’s another one. Although, I don’t think any of us will be calling her anything other than Kid.”
I laugh. “She wouldn’t want any of you to. She’s talked about legally changing her name to Kid.”
Ven looks at me like I’m crazy. “What’s up with that?”
“I don’t really know why she hates her name, but I started calling her Kid when I learned she did. I’ve been calling her that since.”
“And you trust her?”
“Yeah, I do. She’s the only person I’ve had.”
“She’s also the only person who knew when you were trying to come back to Vander, both times.”
“Kid would never.”
“Okay, I’ve just been thinking. I thought I’d bring it up for you to think about. Someone had to know you were trying to come back somehow. In my book, she was the only person to know all your moves.”
“Yeah, but she would never do that. You guys are a lot alike when it comes to me. Kid always has my back. She’d die before betraying me or allowing someone to harm me.
“She has always tried to get me to return. Besides, what would she gain from any of this?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. It was just a thought. Unhappy people like to mess with happy people’s happiness. She knew you had a husband and you were happy. Who else knew?”
“No one. Nobody I can think of. I never told Daddy. You know I kept it from you and Shawna. Ant never told anyone either.”
“That’s a fact. I had no idea he was married until he called Pit for the plane,” she says.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you. Were you really going to fight me?”
She looks at me pointedly. I burst into laughter. Okay, okay. I know she was.
“I love you for that. I’m happy to know he’s had so many people to care about him in my absence.”
“Speaking of absence. I may have mentioned you to Dad. He insisted on coming home. He wants to see you.”
I groan. “I was hoping to avoid him for a while. Him and Aunt Monica are going to make a big deal out of this. I know they are.”
“Lex, this is a big deal. Someone tried to keep you away from your family and they did so by threatening us all. Do you know how much we all missed you?”
“I know you missed me and Shawna would call from time to time, but I didn’t think Uncle Marvin or Aunt Monica cared much. Not after your mother died.”
“You are so wrong. Daddy sees you as family as much as he does Shawnnie. I don’t know why you think otherwise.”
“Two words. Lester Smith.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know about that. My dad has a strange way of showing his feelings, but when he does, I know who he cares about. I never got that he didn’t care about your dad.
“Aunt Monica shared some things with me, but the more I think about it, the more it doesn’t add up. I think that’s a conversation I finally need to have with my father himself. He’s changed a lot. You’ll see.”
“Well, I always knew I’d have to face the music if I ever made it back. I guess the sooner, the better.”