Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Rory coughed twice on the way down the stairs because the little hands were so tight around her neck. She didn’t stop though. Her phone continued to vibrate in her pocket. She realized she should have answered Gideon before she offered to give Ellen a piggyback ride.
Lydia had explained that she had also suffered from selective mutism as a child, although no one had put a name to what she had. She simply was so severely shy that she didn’t speak to anyone, not even most relatives. Later, she had anxiety attacks. Lydia didn’t want that for her daughter, and she was doing her best to get Ellen the tools to deal with her social anxiety. Her friends wanted to give her whatever she needed to help.
Rory set Ellen on one of the machines that was vibrating. Ellen laughed and clapped her hands. Sally stood close, wrapping one arm around her waist to ensure that the little girl didn’t fall. They watched as Rory transferred the clothes from the washing machine to the dryer. Several of the washing machines were being used but only two of the dryers.
She pulled her phone out and glanced down. Gideon was worried.
I detest that I can’t come myself. Should I send Javier?
When she hadn’t answered him right away, he had waited approximately two minutes and sent another text.
He said you were uneasy around him. Ethan is free.
Gideon was such a good man. He was so worried about her. He was the one injured, and yet because he couldn’t get to her, he was going to send one of his friends to check on her.
She texted him back. I’m sorry I worried you. I’m washing clothes and playing with a friend’s little girl. All is well. When I’m finished with chores, I will come to you with food. Let me know what you’re in the mood for.
She hoped by mentioning Ellen, he would relax.
There was a brief silence. Normally, Gideon texted lightning fast. He also had a tendency to touch her mind. It was always light, but he took advantage of the connection between them. He hadn’t done that, not since he’d awakened from whatever dark place he’d been. She suspected he’d been put into a medically induced coma by a doctor. It was the only explanation she could think of that would have taken him so far from her. Had that broken their mental connection—made it so they no longer could touch one another telepathically?
I’ll call in an order to the restaurant in the harbor. The Salty Dog. It will be waiting. An hour?
She’d told him two hours. She still had to shower, dress, fold her laundry and interview with Larrsen.
Seriously need two hours to get everything done. Will hurry. If I get it all done before then, I’ll text you.
She did her best to sound matter-of-fact. She could tell he was uneasy, but she didn’t know why. She shouldn’t have tried to tease him about not having a kitchen. She wasn’t good at texting. Until she’d made friends with the women at her apartment building and Lani and Dana at work, she rarely texted anyone other than a boss for work. It was no wonder she didn’t know how to make him laugh.
He gave her a thumbs-up. She really wanted to see him sooner, but she wasn’t going looking as if she’d spent the night on a couch.
“Come on, little Miss Ellie May Rider, you need to get back on your trusty steed.” She galloped around the room and deliberately looked as if she were bucking and rearing. “If you dare.” She made her voice menacing and then whinnied loudly.
Ellen squealed again and held out her arms to Sally as Rory continued to trot around the room like a crazy person. “I dare,” Ellen insisted. “I dare. I dare,” she repeated, her voice pitched higher with excitement.
Rory and Sally exchanged a look of triumph. Ellen had spoken to them on a couple of occasions, but it was only a word or two and never with the animation she was displaying now. Sally lifted her from the washing machine and placed her on Rory’s back. Rory reared up like a wild stallion, making all the appropriate horse noises.
Ellen laughed and clamped her knees tightly around Rory’s ribs. They raced up the stairs as fast as Rory could go, her lungs burning for air. She could hear wheezing each time she tried to make her stallion trumpet. Ellen didn’t seem to mind the strange noise that interfered with Rory’s best horse sounds. Once in the lounge, Sally hastily removed the child from Rory’s back, allowing her to collapse on the floor.
She pulled out her inhaler and took a deep breath of the medicine. Ellen sank down next to her, wrapped her arms around her neck and hugged her.