Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 122219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“Yes.”
“Why are you waking up on the floor?”
He pushed himself up to a standing position and stretched his arms to get the knots out of his body. “I must’ve fallen asleep sitting next to your room.”
“But why were you sitting next to my room?”
“I wanted to know that you were okay. I wanted to stay next to the room until you stopped crying, in case you needed me to come in. I must’ve fallen asleep here.”
I grimaced even though my tired heart wanted me to smile. “That’s stupid.”
“I’m stupid.”
And sweet.
So, so very sweet.
“Can I cook you breakfast?” he asked.
“I don’t want your old eggs.”
He grinned. Ugh. That smile. “I ordered some groceries last night. I figured you might be hungry since you didn’t eat dinner.”
My stomach rumbled as if it knew exactly what he was asking. “Sure. Okay.”
I moved into his living room and curled into a ball as he walked into the kitchen. I peered over at him, confused about what to say or do as he cooked breakfast for me. So I figured it was a good time to check my text messages.
Which wasn’t the best idea.
Forty-three new messages from Willow, Yara, Tatiana, and my father.
Daddy’s texts were very sweet.
Dad
Just checking in, baby girl. I hear Nathan’s looking after you. Always liked that boy. Call me when you’re ready.
Dad
I love you, Avery.
Dad
I love you so much, baby girl. If you need me, call me. Day or night.
Dad
I love you.
Leave it to Daddy to make my eyes almost tear up from his love. I knew he told me he loved me repeatedly because he knew how much my heart was hurting, and he knew how hard it was to say those same words to myself. Sometimes those three words made things a little easier to digest. Sometimes those three words from Daddy were the only thing that made me able to get up each morning and keep going after this thing called life.
A father’s love was just as important as a mother’s. I was lucky I still had Daddy around to give me his love.
Tatiana’s messages were packed with love and a bit of revenge.
Tatiana
I love you, Ave. Let me know if you want Wesley to go missing. I’ve listened to enough murder mystery podcasts to know how to get away with murder.
Tatiana
Call me when you’re ready. I’ll stay in the loop with your dad and your sisters. No pressure. Just love.
Willow and Yara’s group chat messages, on the other hand, were a little more chaotic. I didn’t expect anything else, truthfully.
Yara
Avery! Where are you? What’s going on?
Willow
I’m sensing that something major happened, but I can’t pinpoint it.
Yara
Do we need to kick Wesley’s ass? I’ll kick his ass.
Willow
I’m more of a lover, not a fighter, but I will whoop someone’s butt if they hurt you.
Yara
WHY DID NATHANIEL PIERCE JUST CALL ALEX AND SAY YOU’RE WITH HIM?!
Willow
OH MY GOSH, WHAT?! ARE YOU TWO HAVING A RUNAWAY BRIDE MOMENT?
Yara
IS HE YOUR RICHARD GERE?
Willow
DID YOU TOUCH HIS PENIS? WHAT IS HAPPENING?! CALL US NOW.
Yara
Like right now! RIGHT NOW, AVERY HARPER KINGSLEY!
Willow
I knew the two of YOU were twin flames.
Yara
Don’t make the group chat hippie-dippie, Willow. You know hippie-dippie keeps Avery away from engaging.
Willow
That’s because she has an avoidant attachment style.
I do not!
Okay, I did.
Avoidance was my favorite hobby. I truly wished I could’ve avoided having my mental breakdown last night, too.
Yara
Great, now Avery will never come back to the group chat. You can’t just call people out like that.
Willow
Sorry. I met a therapist on a hike in Japan last month, and he told me all about attachment styles. Like you, Yara. You were previously an anxious attachment style that slipped into a secure attachment style after Alex and you got together.
Yara
What’s your style?
Willow
Well, therapist man said I was an avoidant, too. So I blocked him.
I snickered lightly, shaking my head.
Yara
We love you, Avery. Call us.
Willow
We love you so, so much, sister. Please. Call us.
I began to text back finally, first Daddy, letting him know I was okay. Then Tatiana. Then my sisters.
Avery
I love you two, too. I’m okay. Just processing. I’ll be back in Honey Creek on Monday night.
They both instantly texted me back as if they’d been waiting by their phones.
Yara
We’ll be here with hugs.
Willow
And wooden baseball bats if you want us to take out Wesley’s kneecaps.
Avery
I thought you were a lover, not a fighter?
Willow
Yeah, well. I go to war for my sisters. I know if it was the other way around, you’d take out someone’s kneecaps with a bat. Love you, big sis.
Avery
Love you, too.
At the same time, two messages came through.
Yara and Willow
BUT NATHANIEL PIERCE?!
I chuckled again and placed my phone down.
“Talking to your sisters?” Nathan asked from the kitchen as he whipped eggs in a mixing bowl.
“How did you know?”
“Because you laughed a few times. They were always able to make you laugh, no matter what.”