Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
“I moved there after college. Got an entry level position at an accounting firm. Well, it was also where Jesse grew up, and he wanted to move back once he’d graduated.”
Even hearing her ex-husband’s name irritated me. All I knew about him was that he’d kept her away from her family and that Nuala—the ray of sunshine who tried to see the best in everyone—considered him “not a very nice guy.” Those alone were good enough reasons to hate him.
“I see. You liked it there?”
“Sure.” She pressed her lips together, and somehow, I suspected that wasn’t the whole truth.
I arched an eyebrow. “Even though the weather was just as desperate as it is here?”
Charli laughed softly, and I savoured the sound. It was a relief to hear some joy in her when she seemed so down. “Hey, Boston girl, remember? I grew up shovelling snow.”
“Right,” I replied fondly, my eyes tracing her features. “How could I forget?”
A small moment of quiet passed before Charli stepped by me. “I better be getting inside before Aunt Jo starts worrying.”
“Yeah, go ahead. I’ll see you around.”
Charli paused a moment, looking back. “Are you living nearby?”
“Nah, I’m in the city now. It’s closer to work. I only drive out here when I need to check in at the coastal hotel. Well, and on Fridays for dinner.”
“Ah, right.” Her eyes went to my hands for a moment. Was she … was she checking for a wedding ring? Something hot filled my chest at the notion. “I guess I’ll be seeing you at work then,” she went on.
“When do you start?” I asked, unable to disguise the eager curiosity in my voice.
“On Monday. I’m taking the weekend to unpack and settle in.”
“Sounds like the right idea.”
Charli bobbed her head, and I couldn’t help being a little mesmerised by her beauty. Despite the sadness that seemed to permeate her, the features I’d adored so many years ago were stunningly gorgeous and matured. “Anyway, I’ll let you go,” she murmured, heading inside. I watched her disappear into the house then clicked the button on my car keys.
The entire journey to my house I couldn’t stop thinking about her, how the attraction was still there. The years hadn’t dulled it at all. In fact, it felt stronger somehow. I had to remind myself that Charli was newly divorced, and I was newly broken up with Stephanie. Neither one of us was in any kind of headspace to revisit the feelings we’d left behind as teenagers. But I could be a friend to her, look out for her wellbeing.
If the shadows in her eyes were anything to go by, a friend was something she could surely use while she started over, and I was more than prepared to be that person for her.
21.
Charli
When I returned home from my late walk on the beach, I went in search of Nuala, my feelings all over the place after bumping into Rhys. The way he’d looked at me, so full of careful concern, made my chest pang.
I couldn’t remember the last time a man had looked at me that way, like he was concerned for my wellbeing.
Sometime after our second year together, Jesse had only looked at me with paper thin tolerance and disdain. No matter how much I’d tried to impress him and win his approval, it had never been good enough. I’d been locked in a psychological prison, one he’d built around me. I’d felt like I’d needed him, like if I hadn’t had him, everything would have fallen apart.
But really, I’d fallen apart because of him. He had been the reason my life grew increasingly dark and isolated.
When I’d become upset and rejected over his lack of attention, he’d say I was overreacting, that I should consider speaking to my therapist about upping my medication. Never mind that I’d been depressed because of the way he’d treated me. I’d even made the mistake early on in our relationship of confiding in him about my birth mother, Nadine, and the circumstances of her death.
It had been one of the biggest mistakes I’d ever made because Jesse had no problem using the information against me. He’d say things like I was “losing my mind” or that I’d needed to get “my mental health checked out.” Little comments that had only functioned to increase my worry and anxiety. It had taken me a long time to realise he’d been using my worst fears to control me, keeping me in a constant state of paranoia.
“Is Nuala still about?” I asked Derek when I found him in the kitchen texting on his phone.
His eyes flicked up. “No, she left already. Something about packing for a weekend in Kilkenny with some of the teachers at her school.”
That was right. I vaguely remembered her mentioning she was going on a trip with a few of her coworkers. One of them, Martin, she’d just started dating, but it wasn’t very serious yet. Damn, so Nuala would be gone for the entire weekend, and I wouldn’t get the chance to grill her about Rhys. I was still a little mad she hadn’t at least mentioned the fact he was head of security at her father’s hotel.