Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Jensen was the highlight of the moment. To be fair, he usually took up most of the air in any room he entered. The oldest of the Wrights. He’d been there to help raise the others when their parents both passed away. He’d taken on the mantle of oldest brother and parent, all at once, at such a young age. It was no surprise that he’d agreed to run for mayor.
“You made it,” Jensen said with a jovial smile.
He shook my hand and then West’s. He pulled Nora in for a hug. She actually blushed. Perhaps no one was immune to his charm.
“We made it,” I confirmed. “I’m glad that I was back from Seattle in time.”
“But not your sister?”
“Nah, Harley wanted to get in as much mom time as possible before she comes back for her sophomore year at Tech.”
Jensen nodded in understanding. “I don’t blame her. If I could have a little bit of Mom time left, I’d get it.”
“Fair,” West said. “How’s Emery?”
Jensen’s eyes navigated the crowd easily to find his wife standing with their two children. Robin toddled around her feet while Logan was struggling to escape her arms. An older woman laughed and took Logan out of Emery’s arms, and then Emery grabbed Robin before she could run away.
“We’re lucky that her mom is helping with the kids. It’s a lot for both of us, working full-time with two littles,” Jensen said. “But I wouldn’t trade it. I wish I’d gotten more time with Colton at that age.”
Jensen had a much older son from a previous marriage. Colton lived with his mom in New York City. As far as I knew, he went to a private Upper East Side prep school, and Jensen flew his private jet up all the time to visit him. My dad had only ever been a few hours away in Vancouver. I couldn’t imagine what it would have been like to grow up with him on the other side of the country.
“Are you ready for your speech?” West asked.
Jensen shrugged. “I’ve been making speeches most of my life. Just a bigger crowd. Can imagine that you understand that.”
“No way. I hate speeches. I leave those to Campbell. Put me on keys in front of thousands, and I’ll be fine, but I’m not a front man.”
“I’ve never met a Wright who was comfortable in the background,” Jensen said with a smile. “And I don’t think Campbell Abbey would have brought you on if he didn’t think you could fit the profile.”
West beamed at the compliment. Oh, Jensen was going to be just fine as a politician.
“You already have our votes,” I joked. “You don’t have to butter us up.”
Jensen laughed. “That’s fair. Though I was being honest.” He clapped me on the back. “Come on. Go over my speech with me. Jordan told me that you used to do public speaking in college. You were on student government?”
I groaned. “I should have never told him that.”
But I tipped my head at West and headed across the backstage area with Jensen and toward his wife. The rest of my Wright cousins stopped us along the way to jab at Jensen about his announcement. They were a tight-knit family. I felt more like an intruder on their time than part of it even though I was included as if I was a part of it.
Jensen finally laughed off his brother Austin and pulled out the notecards he’d stuffed in his pocket. He passed them off to me and pointed to a line on the second card. “What do you think of this? Does it seem a little…conceited? I was asked to run by what felt like half the town, but I could cut it.”
I read through the intro. It was good. He was a talented guy.
I lifted my head from the notecards to tell him what I thought when Emery rushed over. “Jensen!”
“Em? What’s going on?” He immediately went into protective mode. “Is it the kids?”
“It’s Vanessa.” She handed over her cell phone.
Jensen reeled back, his face turning sour at the name of his ex-wife. “What does she want?”
“Something happened with Colton.”
Jensen took the phone out of her hand and put it to his ear. “Vanessa?”
I met Emery’s eyes. She was biting her lip and looked frightened. I sure hoped his kid was all right.
“Should I?” I gestured away from them. I was intruding on an important moment after all. I didn’t need to be involved.
“No, no. It’s okay.”
“He what?” Jensen roared.
I’d never heard him raise his voice before. Emery winced. The entire backstage looked over at him in alarm. I sort of wished that I’d already backed away. But I was still holding his speech in my hand, the tips I was going to give him dying on my lips.
Jensen appeared oblivious to the spectacle he was making. “The fuck, Vanessa? Are you even fucking watching him?” He waited a few seconds, apparently listening to whatever she was saying. I could hear her frantic screeching on the other side. “I don’t fucking care. I don’t fucking care. Stop talking. I will be on the first plane to New York, and I will deal with this.”