Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 94585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
I hung up, telling Royal, “She's on her way.” That done, I texted Clay directions to the waiting room we'd taken over. Hope and Griffen were still gathering provisions from the cafeteria, but Tenn showed up just after I hung up with Grams, his eyes worried when he saw us.
“Any news?” he asked as he slouched into a chair near Royal.
Royal shook his head. “Not yet. Might be awhile. Griffen and Hope went to get food. If you want anything, just text them.”
“No, I'm good. Everyone sends their love.”
“Everyone?” Royal asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, not Bryce. But everyone else,” Tenn admitted, the side of his mouth curving up. After a moment, he sighed. “I should have talked to Vanessa, given her some money.”
I was already shaking my head as Royal said, “Don't. Don't second guess. This wasn't just about money. Vanessa told Daisy someone ordered her to go after me. We don't know who, but this afternoon she told me she knew who killed Dad. Not too much of a stretch to think it's the same person.”
Wait, what? Why hadn't he mentioned this earlier? “She told you she knew who your father's killer was?”
“She claimed to know and said she'd tell me for a cool million. Cash.”
I whistled. “Do you have a million in cash?” I had to ask.
Royal's teasing grin was the sweetest thing I'd seen in ages. “I could get it, but even if I did, I wouldn't give it to Vanessa. And now, I think the money was more about getting me alone to make the exchange. Somewhere she or whoever's behind this could get to me.”
I shivered. What had happened to J.T. was bad enough. I couldn't stand imagining the same thing happening to Royal.
Grams made it to the hospital before Hope and Griffen got back from the cafeteria. Still wearing her house slippers, hair falling out of its usual braid, gray eyes bleak, she made a beeline straight for me, arms outstretched.
I jumped to my feet. My heart broke as Grams dropped her arms and stopped, uncertain of her welcome. Whatever problems we had, they weren't bigger than this crisis, and they absolutely weren't bigger than our love. This woman had raised me, been there for me at every hard moment in my life until the last few weeks. I wasn't going to turn from her now. No way.
I barreled into her arms, my head on her shoulder, exactly where it had fit so perfectly since I was a little girl. She smelled of lavender and vanilla. Grams. Her strong arms came around me, hesitant at first, then closing tightly, holding me to her as her breath hitched.
“Oh, Daisy, my girl, my sweet girl.” She rocked me from side to side, murmuring, her tears falling down her cheeks to drop on mine. Drawing in a deep breath for strength, I hugged her tight, my arms steel around her.
It struck me that this time Grams needed me to comfort her. We had issues to work out, but none of that mattered right now.
For the first time in memory, Grams was fragile, on the edge of breaking, her heart too sore to comfort me. After all these years of love and support, it was my turn to comfort her.
My heart swelled as I rocked her, stroking a hand down her braid, murmuring, “It's all going to be okay, Grams. Shh, it's okay. J.T.'s going to come through this, and we're all going to be okay. I promise.”
We both knew I couldn't promise any such thing, but I said the words anyway. J.T. was going to be okay. He had to be.
When she was cried out, I settled Grams into the seat beside me, handing her the honeyed tea Hope brought me. Neither of us wanted the turkey sandwich, but Royal and Hope glared at me until I ate half. I knew better than to think I could fight both Royal and Hope if they were teamed up against me.
The sandwich was dry and had too much bread, but I felt better once my stomach was full. The cookie wasn't one of mine, but it didn't hurt either. Done eating, Grams still sipping her tea, we sat in silence for a while, everyone tensing every time the door at the end of the hall opened. None of the white-jacketed doctors were there for us. Ditto for every figure in scrubs who strode through. We sat, and we waited, worry winding tighter with every quiet minute that passed.
When her tea was empty, Grams rose to throw out the cup, standing so slowly I imagined I heard her bones creaking. She'd always been so vibrant, but now I saw the weight of age dragging her down. I hated my parents for bringing her to this.
I was going to be fine. I had myself and my friends. Most of all, I had Royal. I couldn't see the future, but I knew Royal would be a part of it. This love was forever. I didn't know what was going to happen next for me considering I was homeless and unemployed, but I knew Royal and I would get through it together.