Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 92743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
I could text him, give him some names of places and their phone numbers…but he won’t be able to see the text or claim a rehab bed if he’s in jail.
“Shit,” I mutter, my stomach starting to ache again at the thought of what I have to do.
But I have to do it. I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t at least try to help Dad now that he’s finally asked for it.
So, I lift my phone and send a message that might very well destroy what’s left of my budding romance.
chapter 23
WEAVER
I’m nearly back to the yacht with a clean bill of health for my internal organs, a painkiller prescription for my swollen nose, and advice to ice my bruised ribs several times a day, when the texts come through from Sully.
I hit the play button on the car’s screen, listening to the robotic voice relay her message—
Hey, I know this is a big favor to ask, but is there any way you would reconsider pressing charges against my dad? I know he absolutely deserves to be punished for what he’s done, but I think he has been.
He’s really upset, Weaver, and really sorry. He used his one call to leave a message for me, promising that he was going to get sober.
That’s the first time he’s ever done that.
It’s a big deal. And I think he means it.
If I can get him into a bed at a rehab in the next twenty-four hours, before the withdrawal gets too bad, this might be the chance I’ve been waiting for my entire life. Maybe he’s finally hit rock bottom and is ready to make a real change. If so, I…I might get my dad back, the one I remember from when I was little.
But there’s no chance of that happening if he stays in jail waiting to be arraigned or for bail to be set or whatever happens when you’re facing assault charges.
She sighs and I brace myself for the rest of the message.
I can see your face right now in my head. I bet your jaw is all clenched and the muscle is bunched up into a ball under your skin.
I reach up, touching the muscle.
It is indeed a tight ball beneath my stubble.
And you’re right to have doubts. I have doubts, too. But I also believe in helping people when they ask for it. This is the first time he’s actually asked. I don’t want to let him down, and you did say you would be supportive of helping pay for treatment for a relative more than rent or food or whatever, so…
Maybe you can see how this makes sense? If so, I would be so grateful. And if not, I understand. It would hurt, but…I would.
Hurt.
She said the magic word.
I can’t hurt her. That’s why I stood there, doing my best to deflect Leon’s beating without fighting back. If you’d asked me ahead of time, I would have sworn I’d never do such a thing.
But in the moment, with Sully on the floor watching it all go down…
I couldn’t hurt her father, even though he absolutely deserved it, because I couldn’t risk hurting her.
And I won’t risk hurting her now. She’s been through enough. If I can spare her even a little bit of pain, I’ll do it, even though I don’t think Leon’s going to change. He’s too far gone, too set in his ways. It takes one hell of a person to turn their life around in their fifties, and Leon isn’t one hell of anything.
Except for one hell of a violent pain in my ass…
Turning onto Main Street, I intend to text Sully back as soon as I swing into my parking spot at the edge of the marina’s lot.
But there’s someone in my reserved spot—a familiar red Jeep that signals the presence of the last person I want to deal with after the day I’ve had.
It’s Mark, probably here to whine about how unfair his life is, yet again.
But as I park in a free community space a few spots down and slam out of the car, I realize that it’s still Saturday, not Sunday. Mark knows I planned on being out of town until Sunday afternoon.
Or, he should. I told Laura, in case she needed me for some reason, and Mark and Laura have always been close. He wants to be like his father, but he depends on his mother to keep his life running smoothly.
But maybe Laura neglected to tell him that I wouldn’t be here today. She is genuinely grieving, maybe the only person truly sad my brother is no longer above ground.
I brace for another uncomfortable conversation, promising myself I’ll get rid of Mark as quickly as possible so I can turn my attention to the things that really matter—namely, Sully. I need to text her back about her father, contact the police station to withdraw the charges against Leon, and set a few other things in motion that will hopefully make her life easier. Her shoulder is going to take time to heal. Neither she nor her grandfather—even if he makes it through surgery—are going to be up to lobstering for a while.