Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 16214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 81(@200wpm)___ 65(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 81(@200wpm)___ 65(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
“I really don’t owe you anything.”
“You really do. Get in the truck, March.” She looks at me and then into the back window at her daughter.
“Fine. Whatever.” She rolls her eyes and gets in the truck. I move around the hood and get into the passenger seat. I buckle my seatbelt.
We pull out onto the street and on the interstate. I look back at the little girl, who smiles and waves at me.
“Mommy? Who is this?” she asks. March doesn’t say anything at all. I shake my head. She’s not going to answer her, so I do.
“I’m Josh. What’s your name?”
“I’m not really supposed to talk to strangers, but since Mommy let you in the car, I guess it’s okay. I’m Juniper Kingsleigh Graham, but everybody calls me Junie.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Junie.” I reach into the backseat and shake her little outstretched hand. Then I look at her little face. Really look at it. Her vivid blue eyes look familiar. Very fucking familiar. “How old are you?”
“I’m five years old. My birthday was just last week.”
“Well, happy birthday, Miss Junie,” I say, turning around to face the road again. Then it dawns on me. This is my child. Junie is my child. March had my fucking baby and hid it from me. We talked about this. We knew it could happen. Hell, I never once used a condom with her. I thought we wanted this. I thought we wanted a future together. Why the fuck did she keep this huge, life-altering thing from me? I need answers from her, and I need them now.
But I know that I’m not going to get anywhere at the moment. I have to bide my time. I don’t think I’ve ever been this upset or hurt in my life. Only she has the ability to do this to me. No one else matters to me like she does.
“Where are we going?” I ask instead of what I really want to ask.
March sighs loudly and I know this trip is going to be long as hell.
CHAPTER
FIVE
MARCH
Now he wants to know where we are going? Typical man. Jumping in head first before knowing all the facts. “We are going to Wyoming, to drop Juniper off first.”
“With whom?” he asks, his voice suddenly hard and concerned. For what?
“None of your business.” There, take that.
“We are going to my great grandpa’s house.” Of course, she chose this moment to be paying attention.
“That girl talks too much,” I grumble. I hear Josh chuckle beside me, and it takes a lot for me to hide my smile. “Before we get there however, we are stopping in Page, Arizona.”
“What’s there?”
“Why does it matter?”
“Well, I figured I should know what is going on.” Well, he figured wrong, and I say as much.
“Well, you figured wrong. You are the one who insisted on coming with me. But that doesn’t make you privy to my life, so just sit back in the passenger seat and say nothing.”
“For now,” he says quietly enough for only me to hear. Goosebumps break out on my skin at the finality of his words because if there is one thing I know, it is that he always does what he says—well, he did when we were in high school.
The next four hours are a test of my patience. He fusses with the radio, talks too much with Junie, and tries to converse with me. I ignore him, of course, but that doesn’t stop him from trying.
Finally, we pull up to Elijah Morton’s house—man number one. I take a deep breath and get out of the car. Opening the door for Junie, I let her out of the car. “You can leave her here with me,” Joshua says. Once again, I look at him like he has lost his mind.
“I don’t think so. My daughter doesn’t know you, and for that matter, neither do I. "With that, I shut the door, and the two of us walk up to the door. I ring that bell and wait.
“Mommy, where are we?”
“At a man’s house. Mommy needs to ask him a few questions.”
“Is this going to take long?” Smiling, I promise her it won’t. Right when I am ready to give up, a little girl about the age of Junie opens the door.
“Hi. Who are you?”
“My name is Juniper.” I have got to remind this girl about strangers.
Hi Juniper. My name is Corazon, but my dad calls me Cora. Are you looking for my dad?” I look at her so confused. I am not sure.
“I am looking for Elijah.”
“Yep. That’s my daddy. Hold on. Daaaddddy. A lady and a little girl are here to see you.” This is making my head spin. According to what I know, Elijah should be about forty-five.
“How can I help you?” A nice-looking, six-foot gentleman asks. He looks at Juniper and smiles. “Hi to you as well, young lady.”