Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
We are a pair, and I don’t see how either of us fixes it. Good family. Bad family. It seems to all lead to the same place. We are worried we will let them down.
I know I let mine down, but I’ve never been able to reconcile having the kind of life I want, the kind I think will make me happy, with pleasing my mother. She’s lived in misery for so long I worry she doesn’t believe happiness is possible.
I worry I’m going to go the same way eventually.
“I think I’ll take that hug now.”
“Jeez, I think I can use one, too. This is a mutual comfort hug.” He stands. “So you have to put something in it.”
He is the weirdest guy. Most guys would use it as an excuse to touch my butt, but no, Heath Marino has to put something mystical behind it. “I have to put something in a hug?”
He nods. “I’m going to hug you and wish the best for you, and you’re going to do the same for me.”
It strikes me suddenly that this might have been what Anna and Phil had meant—that their version of compromise is to always have the other in mind when they make decisions, to always wish the very best for the person they love.
When he wraps those big arms around me, I do what he asked. I wish the best for him.
And somehow in doing it, I feel lighter.
I just wish the best for him could be me.
Chapter Eleven
“It’s the last one on the right.” Heath is once more practically running away from me, but I don’t blame him this time.
After our overly long hug that was also over way too fast, we’d made our way to the train. He’d been talking about the project when he’d gotten the call from his grandmother’s nurse.
I’m still not sure what’s happened, but I’m not going to leave him alone. Or maybe I like being with him enough I’m willing to put us both in an awkward position since I’m about to meet his grandma and she’s probably hurt.
I do jog this time. I’m not a great believer in running, but this is an emergency. At least it feels like one.
He has his key out as I catch up to him. He opens the door and I follow him into a foyer that leads me into what looks like a sitting area. This is a nice building, and I would bet it’s not rent controlled. Heath might live in a dump like the rest of us, but someone in the family has cash. This is the kind of place one buys, and the building fees are more than most people’s rent.
An older woman in scrubs arrives. She shakes her head. “It’s nothing serious. She took a little spill.”
Heath drops his bag on the coffee table. “What was she doing?”
The nurse frowns. “She was practicing her line dancing. There’s a party next week.”
The groan that comes out of Heath’s mouth is pure frustration. “Line dancing? I thought we talked about her taking it easy.”
“You should mind your business, nipote.” A short woman in a wildly colorful caftan walks in, leaning on her cane. “I’m not sick anymore, and I can take it easy when I’m dead. Which is not going to be today. Oh, look, it’s lunchtime, Maggie, and my grandson is here. I’m glad I made enough.” She sees me and stops, her eyes widening, and for a moment I think seriously about running. “You brought a friend.”
There is a wealth of expectation in those words. Friend does not mean friend to this woman. Friend means potential mother of a whole new generation. She’s already planning out how many babies I can give her.
“Nonna, did you have Maggie call and freak me out because you wanted me to have lunch with you?” Heath is giving her the sternest look I’ve seen from him so far.
“Yes,” Maggie says as she grabs her sweater. “That’s exactly what she did, and I’m going to leave now. I have two more clients to see today. You are a menace, Lydia Marino. Have a nice lunch.”
“Love you, too,” Lydia says with a wave. She moves into Heath’s space, putting a hand on his arm and tilting her head. “And I did fall. It was terrible. I was in the middle of a perfectly good Tush Push when I rolled my ankle.”
“I do not want to know what that is,” Heath says as he dips his head down and gives her a kiss on the cheek.
My curious nature gets the best of me. I know I should probably be sneaking out right behind Maggie, but I stand there. “I do.”
Lydia Marino gives me the biggest smile. “It’s a song my friends and I line dance to. It’s a bit older. I can also do an excellent Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy.”