Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Hayden motioned for her to go first in the checkout. She set Maren’s stuff on the counter and pulled her wallet out. Her heart raced and her hand shook as she slipped the credit card from the holder. In hindsight, she should’ve said no to Hayden’s invite. She and Maren could’ve gone by themselves later and avoided any possible embarrassment.
The clerk rang the items in and read off the total. As casually as possible, Dev inserted her credit card, pressed the appropriate buttons when prompted, and waited. She saw the word just as the clerk told her the charge had been declined.
“Is the total right?” Hayden asked the clerk. “Did you get everything?”
“Uh, no?” The clerk added the other items and read off the new total while Devorah stood there, speechless.
Hayden stepped forward and removed Devy’s card. He looked at it, furrowed his brow, and shook his head. “This one expired months ago. I’ll call the bank and see why they didn’t send you a new one.” He pocketed the card and then handed Devorah his. “This one should work.”
Devorah eyed him as she worked to keep her emotions in check and the pending tears locked behind her eyes. She didn’t want to cry in front of him, the kids, or the young man behind the counter.
The transaction went through, and the clerk bagged everything in separate bags after Hayden said the kids wanted to carry their own stuff. With little traffic in the parking lot, the kids ran ahead of their parents to the truck.
“Thank you,” Devy said when Conor and Maren were out of earshot. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know I didn’t,” he said. “But I wasn’t going to let your husband embarrass you in front of your daughter.”
Devy wiped at an errant tear. “I can’t believe he did that.”
“Have you spoken to an attorney yet?”
Dev shook her head. “I guess I need to, but I should probably find a job first.”
“Same,” Hayden said, laughing. “I’m not sure what I want to do. The idea of starting a new job while Conor is acclimating doesn’t sit well with me.”
“Me too,” she said as they reached the truck. Hayden pressed the button on his fob, and the doors unlocked. Devorah smiled when Conor opened the back and waited for Maren to get in. Dev looked at Hayden. “You’re teaching him to be a gentleman.”
“As if there is any other way to be,” he said as he opened the passenger door for her. Once she was in, Hayden leaned to the side and asked, “Pizza?”
The kids cheered, which was good enough for Devy.
Hayden drove a few blocks to the nearest pizza place, which was fully equipped with arcade games that produced tickets. It was the kind of place where you walked in, got a black light stamp on your hand that matched your kids’ stamps, and then ordered your pizza before sitting down. But not before you had to buy tokens.
Without any hesitation, Hayden requested the largest token package available and then turned to Dev. “What do we want for pizza?”
“I like mushroom and sausage,” she told him.
“Me too.”
“Maren likes pineapple on her pizza.”
“Conor likes cheese.”
“How about we order half and half?”
Hayden shook his head. “Nah, let’s get them their own. Leftovers are the best part of getting pizza.”
Devorah placed an order for one large and two medium pizzas and unlimited refills at the soda fountain. With two very antsy kids, they found a table, and then Hayden worked to distribute the tokens into four piles. Two for them now and two for later.
With their token cups full, Conor and Maren ran off together, leaving their parents alone.
“When we get back to Crow’s, I’ll give you money for today.”
“You will not,” Hayden said. “It’s fine.”
“I’m appreciative, but I don’t want to owe you anything, Hayden. The last thing I need is for people to say I’m taking advantage of you.”
“People like Sapphire Fleming?”
Devorah rolled her eyes. “She had a crush on Chad back in high school. I bet she’s loving all of this.”
“I know this is easy for me to say, but who cares what she or anyone thinks? Shit happens. You can’t control what others do, but you sure as hell can control how these people make you feel.”
“It’s karma.”
“Why?”
“Because I wasn’t nice to them in high school. I was a stuck-up snob, daughter of the sheriff who never got into trouble for anything. The one who shunned her friends for a guy. No one in town owes me any grace.”
Hayden reached across the table and took Devy’s hand in his, his thumb brushing across her skin in a light caress. “Don’t let the people in Oyster Bay bully you into thinking you’re not deserving of compassion, Dev. Everyone is, regardless.”
Devorah liked the way Hayden’s strong hand engulfed hers, even if it made her feel like they were doing something they shouldn’t. When one of the staff came toward their table with their order, Devy pulled her hand away and then excused herself to find the kids.