Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Brecken tilted her head, sizing me up from where she sat. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a braid, and I wondered if that was what color Aspen's hair would be if she didn't dye it.
The two looked a lot alike, but there was an even more identical look of shared love and protection between the two that I’m not sure they noticed.
“What charities do you give to?” Brecken asked, after we placed our orders with the server, and I couldn't help but notice that Aspen was practically chugging her drink at this point.
“My friends and I predominantly donate to Doctors Without Borders, but I also have a particular interest in hospitals and the services they provide,” I said. I could see the gears turning behind Brecken’s eyes as they softened just slightly with my answer.
She was hunting for another question, another bold ask in the hopes of tripping me up and revealing my true nature, no doubt. I couldn't blame her; I did the same thing to all of Bristol’s romantic interests back when she was single. Hell, I'd almost been the cause of ruining her now husband’s career back when I’d caught him kissing my then seventeen-year-old sister.
The years that had passed—and a hell of a lot of education from Bristol—had taught me that I might have overreacted by kicking him off of my team back then, and thankfully it all worked out for them in the end.
“How are you liking NYU?” I asked before she could come up with another question, genuinely interested in how she was getting along at the university.
“I love it,” she said the answer rolling off her tongue easily. “My courses are still introductory, but I'll be going into family law.”
“Brecken took on a double caseload this year,” Aspen said proudly. “She doesn't even make the extra coursework look challenging.”
Brecken waved her sister off, but there was a glimmer of happiness shining in her eyes. “I can never get enough,” she said. “Plus, I want to make sure to put as much coursework as I can into each semester so I can reach my goal as a family lawyer that much sooner.”
“That's no small major,” I said just as the server brought our food to the table. We all took a couple bites before I continued. “And you're still so early in your college career, what makes you so certain that's what you want to do?”
I opted to ask the questions that I would ask Bristol if it was her sitting across from me, hoping that it would help me prove to her that I had no bad intentions when it came to her family.
“I picked my major years ago,” Brecken said determinedly. “Watching your big sister struggle with the courts to gain custodial rights will do that to a girl.”
I flinched, grinding my teeth as I nodded. “I hate that you both had to struggle with the system for so long before finally being free of it. It's super admirable that that's the career choice you would go for, no doubt to help people who are in similar situations.”
Brecken smiled softly, nodding as if she'd made up her mind about me, but I couldn't tell if it was favorable or not yet. “That, and I've always been fascinated by the justice system,” she continued.
“And she's always been the top of her class in everything,” Aspen added. “School has always come naturally to her, which is why I wanted her to be able to go to her dream college when she got out of high school.”
“And you never had any interest in attending university?” I asked Aspen, generally curious since the topic had never come up.
Brecken laughed, and Aspen flashed her chiding look, but it was purely playful.
“That's one thing that’s entirely different about the two of us,” Brecken said. “Aspen hates school. What was it, junior year?” she asked. “You were absent like a hundred and eighty days or something?”
Aspen chuckled. “A hundred and eighty-two, if we're trying to be precise. I still managed to pass all of my classes, which kind of sealed the deal for me on how pointless it was.”
“In your opinion,” Brecken said. “Some people love school. Some people see the value in education.”
“I see the value in education,” Aspen countered. “There’s no denying how important it is. But some of the classes that you're required to take are completely pointless when it comes to the real world. Now, had junior year in high school offered classes on budgeting, taxes, and basically being able to survive on your own as an adult, then I absolutely would have showed up. I'm not missing anything because I skipped out on a few gym classes.” She reached across the table and squeezed Brecken’s hand. “And of course I appreciate that there are universities with incredible professors who are dedicated to giving you the specific skills you need for your dream career as a family lawyer. I appreciate education, I'm just saying it's not for everybody.”