Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
But I couldn’t do that. “Is that why he started up with you? Because he said I didn’t understand him?”
“Among other things.” Tanya seemed uncomfortable with this line of questioning.
“Does it strike you as a little off that he blames me for the fact that he cheated?”
“It wasn’t cheating,” Tanya insisted. “He just met someone he liked better. Me.”
“Yeah, except he skipped a few steps. Like breaking up with me first.”
“So?” Tanya’s voice was belligerent, but I sensed it was partly a façade.
“He’s blaming you now for him flirting with other women. Don’t you see how wrong that is?”
There was a hitch in her voice. “That’s not what happened.”
“It sure sounded like it to me.”
“You shouldn’t spy on people,” Tanya said angrily.
“Maybe you shouldn’t loudly discuss your relationship in front of a busy coffee shop.”
“Mind your own business,” Tanya said.
“I intend to. But I just wanted you to know, you don’t have to let him treat you like that.”
Tanya looked like she was about to deny that Jeff treated her badly, but instead, she said, “You did.”
“Yes, I did. For far too long.” I reached down deep and managed to come up with a little sympathy. This was Claire’s sister. And Aunt Denise’s daughter. Even though Tanya had hurt me, I didn’t want Jeff hurting her. “Don’t wait as long as I did.”
“We’re nothing alike.” She said it loudly, as if to prove that it was true.
“Perhaps not, but this is the beginning of your relationship, and he’s on his best behavior. But the thing is, he doesn’t know how to treat a partner in a relationship. It’s only going to get worse.”
“You don’t know that.” Her voice wasn’t much louder than a whisper.
I shook my head. “Sadly, I do.”
Tanya turned on her heel and stormed off. I doubted my words had gotten through to her, but I was still glad I tried. Even though I could feel a tear making its way down my cheek.
Deciding I didn’t want coffee anymore, I started toward the guest rooms at the same time as a woman exited the coffee shop.
It was Naomi. Her face was grim as she met my eye. “That was… that was quite the conversation. Both parts of it.”
“You heard all of it?”
“Yeah. I couldn't get out without walking right between them, so I was a captive audience. A very unwilling audience, I might add.” She stepped closer, examining my face. “Are you okay?”
I shook my head and gave her a brief smile. “Not really.”
“I don’t blame you.” She went back into the shop and brought me a napkin. “Here.”
“Thanks.” I dabbed my face with it.
Naomi was still staring at me.
“What?”
“I just—I admire what you were trying to do. Trying to help her even though she treated you so badly. This is going to sound corny, but that takes integrity.”
It didn’t sound corny at all. I hated the way I’d handled my relationship with Jeff, and it was oddly comforting that someone, even a woman I barely knew, felt I’d done the right thing today.
“What are you doing now?” Naomi asked.
“Avoiding coffee shops for the rest of my life?”
She laughed. “Come get a massage. I think you need it.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine.”
“I insist,” Naomi said. “You’ve got an hour or two before you need to get ready to go out tonight, right?” She shrugged when I looked at her questioningly. “I hear things when people are on my table. Like you should be.”
“I’d love to, but Ja—” I stopped dead, aware that I’d almost given the wrong name for my supposed boyfriend. “Reid’s on his way here.”
“Bring him. He enjoyed the last couple’s massage.”
I frowned. Reid definitely had, so maybe his brother would too. “But your friend’s not up there. The guy from the other day.”
“Nope, it’s just me. But I’ll take good care of you both. I can put heated stones on your back and let you bliss out while I massage Reid, and then vice versa. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. And your hot boyfriend, too.”
She tilted her head toward the front door where Jackson had just entered.
“Don’t—”
“Don’t tell him that you almost said Jeff?” She winked at me. “I’d never do that.”
I frowned, confused, but then I realized that when I’d almost said Jackson’s name, she thought I’d been about to say Jeff’s. But if there was one thing the triplets had taught me, it was to go with the flow in situations like this. “Thanks.”
Jackson joined us. He was holding a suit on a hanger.
“Hi,” he said, and I realized he didn’t know who Naomi was. Uh-oh.
“Hi, honey. Naomi here has offered to give us another couple’s massage like she did on Monday.”
He gave her a warm smile. “That was the best one I ever had. But don’t we have to change and stuff?” He shifted the suit.