Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100070 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100070 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“It’s a beautiful house, but even if they’re interested, I can’t afford it, Parrish. And I’ll be damned if I mortgage any part of the salvage yard to get a fancy house. I’m handy. I’ll build out on this place myself. Add a bedroom and maybe a bathroom. That’s the best I can do, and it’s better than most people have.”
So I’d nodded and agreed. And if I maybe had some private concerns about how that would stack up against Marigold’s rich grandparents, I kept them to myself, along with an offer to lend him the money. The last thing Diesel needed was to be any more nervous about this visit.
“By noontime it’ll be over,” I continued to Miss Sara. “Marigold’ll be going to visit her grandparents for the night on an unsupervised visit, which is a little nerve-racking, not gonna lie, ’cause she is smack in the throes of the ‘stranger danger’ stage, and tears are probably gonna happen. But then the caseworker will bring her back tomorrow afternoon, and everything will go back to normal for the two of them, building their little family. Together. Which will be great!”
Miss Sara raised a skeptical eyebrow.
“Seriously! If it were any peachier, it’d be pie!”
“Uh-huh. But what about—?”
“The actual court appearance next month?” I hopped off my stool, suddenly too filled with energy to sit still. “Yeah, there’s that too. I’ll definitely have to be there when the judge makes his decision. And I’ll keep stopping by to see Marigold regularly, too, so she stays comfortable around me. You shoulda seen how she shrieked when Jackknife and the Devoted Dogs boys came to wash and paint the house this week. But by last night, she was waving back when they said goodbye.” I couldn’t help but smile as I did a little impression of her fingers opening and closing in a wave. “So it’s not like I’m moving away. I’ll still see them. As a friend. As Uncle Parrish, maybe. I just mean I won’t be going there every night after work anymore, like I did this week.”
I stifled a sigh, remembering how it had felt to sit by Mari’s high chair feeding her soft fruits and chatting with Diesel while he chopped vegetables for pad thai. It was funny how fast you could get used to something like that, how comfortable you could be borrowing a life that wasn’t meant for you.
“But that means I’ll be around here for dinner more, Miss Sara. Maybe I could cook for you,” I offered.
Miss Sara nodded thoughtfully. “That’d be nice, honey. I enjoy your company.”
“I already decided, no more trying to find a date in Licking Thicket.” I stopped in front of the refrigerator and turned on my heel to continue pacing. “I don’t want anything getting back to anyone involved in the case. Marigold’s grandparents are all the way up in Nashville now, but I wouldn’t put it past them to hire an investigator to get dirt and go behind our backs to the judge.”
I figured it was safe enough talking to Miss Sara, since I’d blurted out the whole plan to her on day one anyway. Keeping quiet about it now seemed like locking the barn door after the entire barn had burned down. Besides, I trusted Miss Sara’s judgment, and Lord knew I needed someone to talk to, otherwise I’d have to talk to myself, and wouldn’t that be crazy?
“You just never know about these things,” I continued darkly. “Thanks to my aunt Marnie, I’ve probably watched at least part of every episode of Law & Order, and Law & Order SVU, and Matlock before—only part, though, ’cause I tend to fall asleep partway through. Anyway, I’ve learned that judges can be bought and blackmailed and connived. I’m taking no chances.”
Miss Sara managed to smile and whistle at the same time. “I s’pose it’s for the best, now that you explain it. It’s not that you’ve got your heart set on anyone, of course, or that you don’t want to date…”
“Exactly.” I spread both hands in emphasis. “Besides, if I started dating someone, I’d wanna be open and honest with them, and I’d have to explain how I was lying about being engaged and lying about Diesel being in love with me.” I shook my head and paced faster. “Not a good look.”
“And lying about you being in love with Diesel.”
I blinked. “Yes, ma’am, that’s what I said.”
“Right. Silly me.” She made a motion toward her ear. “My hearing, you know.”
“Anyway, once the store is up and running, I’ll be going back to Nashville, anyway! And yes, I know that’s not the dark side of the moon,” I added quickly when it seemed like she was going to speak. “But the business keeps expanding, and who knows where Beau might send me next?” Especially if I asked him to send me somewhere far, far from here. “Best not to get involved with anyone in the Thicket.”