Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 78227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Once I reach the house, I don’t bother knocking. I walk in through the back door. No dogs stop me.
“Dad?”
“In the study, Brock.”
Study? I don’t know where the study is. I walk through the short hallway and look in the first room. Clearly Brittany’s bedroom.
The second room, and—
I drop my jaw, but I manage to hold back a gasp.
My father…
“What the hell are you doing, Dad?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
RORY
Callie and I fix a late dinner—rather, I fix it because Callie is a menace in the kitchen—for the three of us. Mom always keeps a stocked pantry and refrigerator. The only difference is that it’s stocked with less expensive foods than it normally is because we don’t have much money coming in right now.
So ground chicken it is, fashioned into burgers, on slices of white bread with cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. And potatoes—boiled, cut into cubes, and mixed with some chopped onion, mayonnaise, and chopped pickle. Poor man’s potato salad.
I call Jesse in for dinner as Callie sets the table.
“Look at the two of you,” Jesse says, smiling. “Feminists that you are.”
“Are you kidding me?” I give him a good glare. “You’re a worse cook than Callie. I’m glad to cook if it means we don’t have to eat your slop.”
“But you, Callie, lawyer-to-be, setting the table.”
“Shut your trap,” Callie says dryly. “You’ll be cleaning up.”
Jesse chuckles as he sits down. “Where’s the ketchup?”
“In the fridge,” I say. “Get it yourself.”
My brother rises, still chuckling, and retrieves the ketchup.
“Ketchup on chicken burgers is disgusting anyway,” Callie says.
“What do you suggest?” he asks.
“Mayonnaise, of course. With a little cumin added. Donny’s aunt clued me in, and it’s fabulous.”
“That sounds amazing,” I say. “I’ll whip up a batch.” I grab the mayo from the fridge, squirt some into a bowl, add a little cumin from Mom’s spice rack, and mix it together. I set it on the table. “Here you go.”
“Thanks,” Jesse says, “but I’ll take the ketchup.”
I roll my eyes. “This is what I’m going to be putting up with for the next week?”
“Actually, on tour we can’t afford ketchup.” Jesse takes a bite of his burger.
I laugh. “Just as well. Ketchup, as a condiment, is overrated.”
“Blasphemy,” Jesse says through his second bite of burger.
“If Mom were here, she’d be all over you for talking with your mouth full,” Callie says.
“Well, Mom’s not here.”
We chat about mundane things after that. We leave the elephant in the room alone. Until we hear otherwise, we’ve decided to assume Dad is okay. After dinner, we’ll check in with him and Mom.
And you know what? Dinner is delicious.
Which is strange, since I haven’t been able to eat or taste anything for a while.
But my father is healing well. And I’m going on a mini tour with Jesse and the band. Strange how that has made me happy.
Plus, I have Brock. I’ve found the love of my life, and he loves me back.
For some reason, all those things together make chicken burgers on white bread taste like a feast fit for royalty.
After dinner, Jesse cleans up, but only after trying to escape the kitchen and getting a stink eye from Callie.
Callie and I retire to the deck with some water, and we watch the dogs play.
“So when does Donny get here?” I ask.
“He’s having dinner with his parents. He’ll be over when he’s done.”
“How come you aren’t having dinner with them?”
“Honestly?” She shrugs. “I begged to be let off. I played the I’m worried about my father card. I love Talon and Jade, but I didn’t want to be peppered with questions about Dad.”
I nod. “I get it.”
“Besides, I figured they’d probably be talking about the Steel family troubles, and I’m interested, of course, but I don’t want to be concerning myself with anything other than Dad right now.”
“Yeah. I hear you. Brock is in Wyoming, finding out God knows what, and I haven’t been able to bring myself to text him and check in. I care. I truly do, but I just…”
“You just want a break,” Callie says. “It’s okay to feel that way, Ror.”
“Still, I feel pretty guilty about it.”
“So do I, but just keep telling yourself that it’s okay to need a break from all of it. Especially after what happened with Dad.”
Jesse joins us then. “The kitchen is spotless, my ladies.”
“You want some water?” Callie asks.
Jesse holds up a Fat Tire. “No thanks.”
Callie rises. “You know what? I think I’ll have a beer as well.”
“Yeah, get me one.” I absently glance at my abdomen. I’m not pregnant, so I don’t need to worry about drinking anymore. And a beer sounds pretty good.
Callie returns with two bottles, already opened. I take a sip of the sweet ale.
“Hello,” I say to the bottle. “It’s been a while.”
Callie laughs. “Rory, you’re such a card.”
“What do you mean it’s been a while?” Jesse asks.