Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 76000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“Christmas.”
Rob lets out a snort of disbelief. “And you weren’t going to ask for help? Are you a glutton for punishment? When did you plan to sleep?”
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” He doesn’t laugh, so I shrug. “I don’t know, Rob. I’ve been excited to build my own home, you know? I’d like to be in by Christmas so I can have my own tree decorations without having to wait a year for it.”
“I can understand that. Listen, we’ve just wrapped up a couple of jobs, and the few things still in the works are light enough that we can wrap up by three each day. What if we ask the guys to come here until six and put in a few hours with you? Yeah, it’s a favor, but if they’re petty enough to ask you to pay them, then they’re jerks. Besides, you’d do it for us.”
I open my mouth and then close it again. I would do it for them, and having just those few hours of help each day would be huge.
“Okay, I’ll ask them, but if they say no, I won’t hold it against them.”
“You might not, but I will.” He claps me on the shoulder as Apollo walks through the door. “Something going on there?”
“Something,” I confirm quietly as Apollo approaches. “What are you up to?”
“I heard your windows went in today. Thought I’d swing by and check them out. Hey, Rob.”
“Apollo,” Rob says with a nod. “They did a good job, once I reminded them which order June wanted them in. Then it was smooth sailing. I’m going to head home to the wife. Thought I might take her out for dinner.”
“I recommend Gordy’s,” I say. “I took Grandma and Cullen there for lunch, and the onion rings were especially crispy today.”
“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.” Rob smiles before heading to the door. “See you tomorrow, Boss.”
“See you. Thanks again, Rob.”
“Don’t mention it.”
When the door is closed behind him, Apollo reaches out and takes my hand in his. He doesn’t kiss me or pull me closer.
He just holds my hand.
“How was your day?” he asks.
“Completely different from what I thought it would be when I woke up this morning.” I tell him about Grandma’s bad mood and our lunch with Cullen. “I feel bad that she’s been lonely. I should have known.”
“You’re not a mind reader,” he reminds me. “Now that you know, you’ll make sure she doesn’t feel that way again.”
“That’s for sure.”
“You don’t happen to have any leftover onion rings that you brought with you, do you?”
“No.” I laugh and pat him on the arm. “Sorry.”
“I’ll get some sooner or later.” He takes a deep breath and looks around. “What else do you have on tap for today?”
“I’m going to put in some hours here. Now that the exterior is finished, I can really dig into getting these walls up and the kitchen framed in. Rob—” I shake my head and pace away from Apollo, still a bit shaken by my employee’s offer. “He says he’ll help for free and that the other guys will, too.”
“Okay.” Apollo tilts his head to the side. “Does that surprise you?”
“Well, of course, it does. I can’t ask them to work here for me for nothing.”
“It sounds like he’s offering without your having to ask, June. They want to help.”
“That’s what Rob said. I just didn’t expect it. I don’t ask for help like that.”
“Why not?”
I move to where there’s still blue tape on the floor, outlining where my kitchen island will be, and I walk on it like it’s a tightrope.
“Because asking for favors sets you up for disappointment. It’s just easier to do things myself.”
“Juniper.”
I look over at him and find him frowning at me.
“It’s okay to ask your friends for help, whether it’s big or small.”
I blow out a breath and then decide, fuck it. “When I was very young, my mother made it clear to me that I was on my own for a lot of things. She was messed up, Apollo. She gave us some dude’s last name, but I would bet that he wasn’t really our father. In fact, I’d put money on the fact that all three of us siblings have a different father. Not that it matters, really.
“When she finally just dropped us off at Grandma’s house and left, I was relieved but also guarded because, what if Grandma didn’t want us either? Mostly, though, I was relieved because my mom was pretty damn shitty. Have you ever wondered why I don’t like to cuddle? It’s because no one ever cuddled with me when I was a kid. Never. Grandma would give hugs, but she wasn’t a cuddler, either. So, it’s just not a thing for me.
“I know that Sarah had it far worse with abusive parents, and my mom just ignored us, but it still left a mark on me. She didn’t hit us or yell and scream. She just kind of forgot that we were there and needed her. So, yeah, having Grandma there to actually take care of us was awesome, but I never let myself get so used to it that I assumed we’d always have that. I love her with everything in me, and I know now that she’d do anything for us, but for a long time, I didn’t trust it.