Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Rushing to the baggage claim, I tried not to look around for the woman who’d been sitting next to me. In the last ten years, I’d kept the truth from everyone. Mostly out of fear and keeping my mother happy. One conversation with a stranger on a plane, and she’d somehow figured it out. Or thought she had.
It’s over. Done. Time to move on, Emma. Time to build a new life.
By the time I grabbed my suitcase and made my way to a cab, I felt like I could relax again. In fact, as I made my way out of the airport, I smiled. This is it. The beginning of a new story. I stood in line and waited for a taxi. When it was my turn, a driver pulled up, got out, and flashed me a bright smile. “Where to?”
I returned the smile as I handed him my one suitcase and replied, “The Honda dealership on Colfax. I need to buy a car.”
He looked surprised, but held the back door open for me to get in.
The traffic in Denver was insane. I silently thanked the heavens above I’d decided not to settle in the city.
“Here we go. The Honda dealership.”
I climbed out and exhaled a nervous breath as I waited for him to hand me my luggage.
Handing him a tip, I said, “Thank you so much.”
He looked nervous as he glanced around, then back to me. “You’re sure you don’t want me to stay for a bit? In case you don’t find what you want?”
I gave him a reassuring grin. “For once in my life, I know exactly what I want.”
He nodded as the corners of his mouth rose. “Good luck, then, ma’am.”
“Thank you,” I replied.
A salesman approached, looked at the luggage and then me. “Do you travel a lot or something? Looking for space for your suitcase?”
I laughed. “I only just arrived in Denver.”
His brows drew down in confusion. “Your first stop was a dealership?”
With a nod, I replied, “It was indeed. I need a Honda Pilot.”
“Just like that?” he stated with a laugh.
“Just like that,” I repeated. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with a salesman who thought a woman didn’t know anything about cars. I’d researched SUVs and I knew what I wanted.
“Do you want to test drive it?”
I shook my head. “No, I already have back in Texas. I know what model I want as well, and I spoke with your sales manager, Nick, who assured me you had one on the lot.”
He drew his head back in surprise. “You spoke with Nick already?”
“I did. If you could let him know Emma Middleton is here, I would appreciate it.”
Rubbing at the back of his neck, looking bemused, he nodded, then motioned for me to follow him.
He took me inside and down a hall and knocked on the window of an office. A good-looking gentleman with brown hair and dark brown eyes glanced up.
“Nick, this is Emma Middleton. She said she spoke to you about a Honda Pilot?”
A wide smile appeared as Nick stood. “Emma, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.” He turned to the salesman. “Thank you, Robert. I’ve got it from here.”
The salesman, Robert, still looked confused, but walked out of the office and shut the door behind him.
“Thank you so much for doing this, Nick.”
“It’s my pleasure. It’s not every day your grandmother calls you up and tells you to help out her neighbor who’s moving to Colorado and wants to buy a car sight unseen.”
I smiled. “Not really sight unseen. You sent me pictures.”
He tossed his head back and laughed. “I did. I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
“I decided it would be best to take care of it today and head on up to Estes Park.”
With a nod, he pulled out a file. “It’s all ready to go. If you have the cashier’s check, I’ll get the paperwork finished and you’ll be ready to drive on out of here.”
My hands shook slightly as I pulled out the envelope I’d gotten from the bank. Five years of tucking money away, plus the inheritance and sale of my mother’s house, and I had plenty of money to buy the car outright and still have some left over in case I wasn’t able to find a job right away. I never wanted to be in debt to anyone.
Never. Again.
He gave me a knowing look, and I wondered how much Elaine had told him about me. By the pity in his eyes, I would guess everything.
Nick glanced at the paperwork, then back up at me. “It’s none of my business, Emma…but my grandmother did tell me a little bit about your situation. Does your ex-husband know you’re in Colorado?”
I shook my head. “No. He doesn’t.”
“Is the cashier’s check a way to keep him from tracking you down?”