Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry. From both of us. I realize that doesn’t change anything, but at least you know I’m aware now. And that’s why when Robert asked me to back him up and help him out of this mess, I refused.”
“He betrayed your trust and was using the business to launder money. Of course you wouldn’t help him.”
“No. I can’t say I’m that honorable. If he’d managed to pull us out of the recession mess we were in without getting caught, I might have turned a blind eye.” Her father’s cheeks flushed a ruddy color. “But to threaten you because of it? Robert crossed a line that’s unacceptable. I don’t care if I have to start over from scratch. I want him to pay.”
Her father had defended her? Gone to bat for her? Nicole blinked back tears. “I matter to you?” she asked, hating that she sounded like a pathetic little girl seeking her daddy’s approval, even if that was exactly what she was.
The child who’d never gotten what she needed. Not when she made honor roll every semester. Not when she’d graduated cum laude from college. Not ever.
Until now.
Her father reached out and—awkwardly—placed his hand over hers. “You matter, Nicole. You and Victoria both do.”
She didn’t know how badly she’d needed to hear those words until her father said them. She wiped at the tears with the back of her hand.
“Now I want you to do something for me,” he said, ignoring her show of emotion.
“What’s that?”
“Find a man who deserves you. Someone warm and caring. Someone not like me.” His lips turned up again in a self-deprecating way.
She managed a laugh.
“Someone like that detective of yours.”
She blushed, unable to answer.
Her father wasn’t expecting a reply. He rose from his chair, pulling his jacket back onto his shoulders, and started for the door.
He grasped the doorknob and paused. “Nicole?”
“Yes?”
He cleared his throat. “You’ve done a wonderful job with this place.”
She blinked hard. So many surprises from him that she couldn’t take them all in. “I . . . Thank you,” she said to his retreating back as he shut the door behind him.
* * *
Macy lived in a garden apartment, a low-rise set of buildings near The Family Restaurant. She loved the location, so close to work, and she also liked being surrounded by people. Her neighbors were composed of a mix of people her own age, married couples, and older folks who’d chosen to downsize from their homes. Macy, being Macy, was friendly with them all, and today was the day she normally checked on her next-door neighbor, Monique Tamm, a recent widow.
Yesterday, Macy had picked up sticky buns, Monique’s favorite, so she could drop by for a cup of tea and a chat. She didn’t know why, but she found it easy to talk to people of all ages and always had, which was why her family had designated her hostess, not server, from early on.
She and Monique lived on the ground floor, the last two units near the end of the hall, which had the same apartment layout. Their kitchen windows overlooked the parking lot, which, despite its nature, was surrounded by beautiful flowers and trees. The backyard gave them each a view of a man-made lake.
She brought her bakery box with the brightly colored Lulu and Nic’s insignia and knocked. Monique opened the door. Her dark hair with no gray was pulled back in a sleek bun; she had a warm smile on her face, and Macy was happy to see her looking relaxed and more at peace than she’d been in a while.
They settled around the kitchen table a few minutes later, and Macy was drinking the most delicious chamomile tea. As usual, the conversation drifted from town gossip to Monique’s past. Today, she focused on her early dating days with her husband.
Macy couldn’t imagine losing someone you loved so much, but at least Monique had had over forty-five years. She wasn’t ready to see anyone else, but she was open to the idea of a companionship of a sort. Other people, like Macy’s aunt, never got over a loss and compensated in other ways, but Macy suspected her aunt was still lonely and often wished Lulu would find herself a nice man. But she preferred to be alone.
Macy didn’t feel the same way. She was getting tired of her own company. Her friends were slowly but surely marrying and moving on with their lives. And though she’d fallen for Tyler, she knew her feelings had to be superficial at best. After all, she hadn’t spent all that much time with him, so how well could she really know him?
The problem was, what she did know, she liked a lot. Putting his distinguished good looks aside, he was loyal to people he cared about, a good quality even if she was admittedly jealous of the way he looked out for Nicole. He was funny even when he didn’t realize it or mean to be, and she appreciated a man with a sense of humor. He clearly had a strong sense of right and wrong, if his current situation was anything to go by. And when he focused on her, he looked at her as if there weren’t anyplace else in the world he’d rather be.