Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
That earns me a small raise of his lips. “Your only brother, you mean.”
“Eh, semantics,” I pause, waiting to see if he offers any more information, but he doesn’t.
“Jude . . .”
“I’m fine, T. I promise. Just the usual juggling of hockey and studying and whatnot. Once I get this econ paper turned in, I’ll be fine.”
“You know it’s all right not to be fine? If you’re struggling with workloads—or anything else for that matter—it’s okay for you to say it and ask for help.”
“I know.”
“And the same goes for anything not work related too. Hobbies . . . love life . . . relationships . . .”
“Okay, you can stop now.” Jude gives me the smile I’ve been looking for since I got here, and I find myself relaxing a little.
“Honestly, I’m okay. A little stressed with this paper, a little hyped about our next game, but that’s it. And, nice try with the love-life digging, but there isn’t anything to tell. But, thanks, Thea, for looking out for me. It means a lot.”
“Of course,” I tell him earnestly. “We’re siblings, right? That’s what we do.”
Instead of agreeing, something catches Jude’s attention behind me and, whatever it is, has him furrowing his brows. I’m about to turn around to take a look but am saved the bother when a familiar voice greets us.
“Hey.”
“Hey man,” Jude answers as Adam comes to a stop beside our table. He’s the last person I expect to see here; firstly, because he’s not a student and secondly, since we broke up, we cut off all contact with each other. So, to say I’m surprised to see him is an understatement, which is evident in my response to him.
“What are you doing here?”
“I . . . er . . . I was going to look for you at the house, but I ran into Saul, I think it was? Anyway, he said Jude was meeting you here, so I tried my luck, and here you are.” To his credit, Adam looks a little sheepish with his admission, but he still hasn’t answered my question.
“Okay, but what are you doing here, in Northport?” I ask again, hoping for a better response.
“I had a site meeting,” he says, which explains the suit and tie he’s wearing, “and, well, honestly? I was hoping you might be able to help me with something.”
My eyebrows raise up to my hairline in surprise. I can’t possibly think what he would want my help with, especially after how things between us were left. He wasn’t exactly pleasant with his words, and honestly, neither was I.
“You want my help?” I say with a bite and cringe a little as it comes out a little harsher than I intend it to.
“Thea,” Jude says quietly, “hear him out.”
Adam nods in Jude’s direction, signaling his gratitude for stepping in, and runs his hand through his hair. It’s a nervous tick he had years ago when we first started dating, and I’m hit with an odd sense of nostalgia. No matter how things ended between us, we were once a good couple together, we loved each other, and I owe it to him to listen to what he has to say.
“Actually,” Adam continues, “it’s more a favor to all of us, my mom and dad too. Thing is, we found out recently Austin has a child. You may remember dad made a flippant remark at Thanksgiving dinner, but none of us—well I—didn’t take him seriously and thought he was just being his usual crass self. Turns out, it’s true. Austin had a relationship with a girl from out of town and she ended up pregnant just before he got sentenced. With his parole hearing coming up soon, we, or rather his lawyer, is trying to get all the information he needs to present a favorable case to the parole board, and that includes portraying Austin as a family man, one who is regretful for all the time he’s missed out. His lawyer has managed to set up a meeting with the mother and thinks it would be a good idea to have a female presence there, instead of three men. You know, to make her feel a little more at ease?”
I exhale slowly but am a little bewildered by everything Adam is telling us. My mind is still caught up on the fact Austin has a child. Even so, I let Adam continue.
“My mom . . . she’s so conflicted and overwhelmed by everything. You know yourself she took Austin’s sentencing badly, because of the bad name it gave the family. As much as she wants to, she doesn’t think it’s a good idea to attend the meeting because she doesn’t want to get over-emotional and have to start depending on the antidepressants again. You know how bad she was after the sentencing. And honestly we really need for this meeting to go well and for Austin to be in with a chance.”