Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
I followed her inside and stopped when I saw a dog on the floor in the middle of her office.
“I’m not letting her do anything with my son. He’s sixteen, and he expressed interest in getting to know his mother. Since, technically, she still has visitation rights, I can’t do anything about it. And even if I did take it to court, Linc is at the age where he’s allowed to tell the court what he wants. And I know what he wants is to be able to see his mom,” I hesitated. “Big Papa thinks that I should let Margot show her true colors and allow him to figure it out by letting him spend time with her.”
I hunkered down next to the dog and stared at it.
“It’s a malamute or husky, I think,” she said. “I found it outside. And, as to your problem with Margot. I think Big Papa gave you some sound advice. Though I don’t see this ending well at all.”
I wholeheartedly agreed.
“I agree,” I told her. “Why don’t you know what kind of dog you have?”
She grimaced.
“It’s not mine,” she answered. “I really found it on the side of the road.”
I continued to look at the dog.
I didn’t care what she said, this wasn’t a dog at all. This was a wolf.
“Ellen, this is a wolf,” I told her. “Look at his fuckin’ eyes. They’re fucking glowing. Huskies don’t have gold eyes like this. They have blue.”
Ellen snorted. “Whatever. I don’t believe you.”
I ran my hand over the wolf’s coarse fur, and he pushed his little head into my hand.
“And I’m pretty sure they’re illegal as fuck to keep. Where did you find it again?”
Ellen started to open a box at the counter.
I looked up at her and watched as she removed what looked like a hundred pairs of colorful swatches.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Leggings,” she answered. “I’ve decided to bolster my income by selling them.”
My brows rose.
“You’re struggling?” I asked.
She shrugged. “There’s not much need for an interior designer here.”
My belly clenched.
“Why did you do that and not get your medical degree like you always wanted to?” I questioned. “That was what you always planned. What happened?”
She frowned. “Life happened.”
I didn’t believe that for a second.
“Ellen…”
She sighed. “I tried. I started to…but I just couldn’t. I dropped out within the first year, found myself interested in this, and decided to pursue this career instead.”
That wasn’t all of it. I knew it. She knew I knew it. And she practically dared me to ask.
“What brought you back to Mooresville?” I asked. “Your brother’s here, yes, but why did you bring something like that to this small town?”
And expect it to prosper was the part of the questions that I didn’t air aloud.
But she knew what I was asking without my having to voice it.
“I needed a change. And Mooresville doesn’t have anything like what I’m offering. I thought it might be okay, but apparently, I was wrong,” she answered truthfully. “I’ve had a few customers, sure, but nowhere near what I need to have a profitable business here.”
My stomach clenched.
“What are you going to do?” I asked worriedly.
She started to unpack the box into a wicker basket that looked like it was used for laundry, and answered with, “I don’t know.”
I bit my lip, wondering if I should suggest what I wanted to suggest, or if it would be a bad idea.
“Why don’t you go back to school?” I asked.
She shot me a look.
“Don’t go there.”
I held up a hand. “It’s just that…”
“I said, don’t go there. Please.”
I sighed.
“What do you want to eat for dinner?” I asked.
Maybe I’d work up to asking about her plans for the future, once I fed her. Maybe then she’d respond. Right now, it was more than obvious that this was a discussion she didn’t want to have, and I’d give her that out…for now.
“I’m not sure that I realized we were having dinner together,” she answered, looking at me speculatively. “The only reason you’re in here at all is that I saw a knock-down, drag-out fight was about to go down between you and that nasty woman.”
My lips thinned.
“I fuckin’ hate her,” I admitted. “Down to my bones, I hate that woman. She’s ruined my entire life, and all because I made the colossal mistake of sleeping with her once, and only once.”
Ellen frowned. “I just don’t understand her obsession with you. You’d think, after sixteen years, all of this would be getting old to her. But today it looked like she had this vengeance within her. Like you’d wronged her somehow, and she’s going to make sure you never forget it by making your life a living hell.”
“I wish I understood it myself. I have no fuckin’ clue what’s driving that hatred. I’ve literally done nothing wrong,” I hesitated. “Other than refuse to get back together with her again. Though, at the time, it was due to the fact that I didn’t want to date someone who was into drugs.”