Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“I promise.” Lou looked so much younger than these girls, but then she was. And they were roughly the same age as the girls she went to school with, and not once had she seen those girls reach out to Lou the way Kala was.
Kala’s lips kicked up. “Come on, kid. I’ll show you around. Whatever you do, don’t breathe around my brother. He smells like feet.”
“You’re terrible,” Tasha said with a shake of her head before looking Daphne’s way. “Is it all right if we show Lou around, Ms. Carlton? We have some snacks and water in the back. Is there anything she shouldn’t have?”
Oh, that girl was a babysitter, and likely an excellent one. “She’s good to go. She knows not to load up on sugar, but a little is fine. And do your homework, Lou.”
Kala shook her head as though she’d terribly disappointed her. “And I thought you were a rebel.”
The girls walked off, chattering happily.
“Wow, you almost had Kala.” The receptionist was still watching them. “She was practically polite. She must really like Lou.”
“She just met her,” Daphne pointed out.
“Oh, I’ve found teenaged girls have these weird powers of perception,” the receptionist said with a nod. “Not some of them, of course, but Kala is like an antenna for ass…bad people.”
“She pretty much hates everyone,” Boomer said. “So I’m not sure how great she is as a radar. This is Yasmin, by the way.”
“If you go in thinking everyone is bad, you get happily surprised when they turn out to be okay,” Yasmin said with a bright smile that belied an obviously cautious nature. “Whenever I meet someone new, I remind myself to be like Kala. But that’s mostly for men. You seem lovely.”
Daphne had to smile back. The woman was a bit infectious. “So do you, and I get you. I haven’t dated since my husband died, and if I ever do, I will be like Kala.”
“I don’t think we should take our cues from Kala.” Boomer was frowning, an oddly adorable expression. “I think Kenz and Tasha are way better role models. And that’s coming from a guy Kenzie shot with an arrow.”
“That was arrow girl?” She certainly hadn’t forgotten that story.
Boomer nodded. “Yep, though she was just a little kid at the time. Also, Kala got upset because Kenz got to shoot me and she didn’t, so think about that when you’re being like Kala.” He chuckled. “Yasmin’s got a daughter who comes to the day care.”
“It’s amazing.” Yasmin put a hand on her heart. “I swear this job is the best thing that ever happened to me. I got divorced, and my husband tried to get custody because he claimed I couldn’t possibly take care of her. I had recently hired on here, and Big Tag heard my tale of woe and let his personal lawyer talk to my ex. He dropped the case immediately. I don’t know how that lawyer did it, but my ex is so reasonable now. Boomer, didn’t you go with him? What did Mitch say?”
Boomer was suddenly looking anywhere but at Yasmin. “Oh, Mitch is real good at his job. He talked to Paul about how much money he could save if he didn’t go after custody. I’m going to show Daphne around.”
Boomer was a horrible liar.
She kind of liked that about him.
She waved good-bye to Yasmin and followed Boomer through the doors that led into the main office. “Okay, so what did you actually do to get him off her back?”
“Nothing. We didn’t have to. I went with Mitch. He’s kind of our legal go-to guy. He explained the ways of our world to him. Paul was a jerk. He was cheating on Yasmin, and I’m pretty sure he was abusive. He wanted their daughter to maintain control over Yasmin.”
“Why were you there?” She had an inkling.
“I was just there for…”
“You were there to intimidate the man.”
“Well,” Boomer began.
“Hey, good for you. I wish someone would do that for me when I have to deal with the guy who owns the building I lease.” Or her in-laws, though she wouldn’t say that out loud. She knew she should be grateful for everything they’d done for her and Lou, but that help hadn’t come without a price, one that got harder and harder to pay.
“Sometimes the regular things don’t work, and a person like Yasmin needs a little extra help.”
And Boomer was the kind of man who gave it to her. She’d sat up most of the night thinking about him, weighing how much she wanted to trust him with how little trust she had left. “It’s good that you helped her.”
“Her daughter is happy. Yasmin is happier than she was before, and Paul knows the rules.”
“And if he violates the rules?”
“He gets to meet with me again.” Boomer kept walking.