Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
A few minutes later, Faith joined them, and they headed over to Joe’s. The women pulled up chairs around a small table and each ordered a glass of wine, except Faith, who favored club soda. They toasted in celebration.
“Faith, your mother is something else.” Liza shook her head. “You must be so proud of how she’s holding her head up after everything. And the way she stuck up for you…”
Faith smiled. “Yes, but don’t be deluded. My mother is still…my mother. She can be as obnoxious to Ethan as the next person, but she’s learned the value of supporting those close to her. Yeah, I’m proud in a twisted way.” She shook her head and laughed. “But ten years ago, she would have been no better than Mary.”
Liza nodded in understanding. “My parents are still just like her,” she said quietly. She was happy when talk turned to plans for meeting up at the caterers, meal tastings, and other things for the gala.
When a yawn escaped her lips, Liza couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m exhausted. Would you all mind if we called it a night?”
“It’s fine with me. Just coordinate with Dare so you won’t be alone,” Faith said.
Liza appreciated it but didn’t need the reminder. The fear never really left her, and she reached for her phone. She dialed his number, but the call went to voicemail. She glanced at her watch. “He’s not answering, but he should be off from work by now.”
“When I spoke to Nash, he mentioned that Dare was going with Cara to check out a condo complex in Easton.”
Liza turned to meet the other woman’s gaze. “He what?”
Kelly fidgeted in her chair. “Went looking at condo units.”
“With Cara?” Liza didn’t know what surprised her more—that he hadn’t mentioned it or that he took Cara with him rather than her.
Which immediately set off alarm bells in Liza’s head. Since when did she expect Dare to report his every movement to her? And why should it bother her if he was out with one of his closest friends and co-workers? Even if she was an attractive female.
Liza didn’t know, didn’t understand it. She just knew the idea of the whole thing had her stomach in an uncomfortable knot.
“Liza, are you okay?” Kelly asked, placing a hand on top of hers.
“Yeah,” she mumbled. But was she?
“Maybe he just forgot to mention it,” Faith said, shooting Kelly a glare.
Kelly narrowed her gaze. “Hey, nobody told me it was a secret.”
“It’s fine. He left me a message saying he’d meet me at home by ten. I don’t know why it threw me. Silly, really. They work together. It makes sense that they’d—”
“What? Look at condos together?” Kelly asked, being blunter than Faith would have been.
“Kelly!” Faith yelled at her, but something in Kelly’s face told Liza she understood her reaction.
“It’s not like they’re moving in together. They’re just both looking to buy something, and they went to check it out,” Faith said. “Together.” She added the last somewhat lamely.
“There’s nothing wrong with friends doing that,” Liza said.
“Nope, not at all. As long as the current girlfriend is told up front so she isn’t shocked by the news. Right?” Kelly asked, looking at Liza.
“Right.” She nodded.
Faith did as well, seeming to agree and understand.
But Liza was still thrown by the idea of Dare and Cara condo hunting together. Or Dare condo shopping at all, she realized. Which was stupid. Liza owned her own place. Why wouldn’t Dare want to do the same?
And really, since she all but anticipated their relationship to end sooner rather than later, wasn’t it better that he obviously expected the same thing as well?
Chapter Fifteen
“I am in love with these condos,” Cara said for the fifteenth time since they’d left Easton.
Dare nodded, not feeling the same pull that his friend did. “It’s a nice area.” But his heart wasn’t in apartment hunting. In fact, he’d been uncomfortable all evening.
The pristine condominiums with their new appliances and empty spaces left him feeling equally empty. Cara, on the other hand, was contemplating buying.
“Come on. Let’s go get a drink,” she said, pulling into a spot behind Joe’s instead of dropping him off at his car so he could drive back to Liza’s.
He glanced at his watch. He still had an hour before he was due to meet Liza at her home, and since he hadn’t heard from her that she’d be early, he figured he had time for a quick drink.
“Yeah, fine.” He walked into Joe’s, and within seconds, he heard the feminine laughter and distinctive voices.
Surprised, he headed over to the table of women. At the sight of Liza, the constricting feeling that had been banding in his chest all evening, the one that made the condo units seem cold and empty, suddenly eased.
“Hey,” he said, unable to stop the smile that took hold.