Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Pax: ?
Me: I don’t want Jasmine to be confused about what’s going on between us. I’m going to tell her we’re just riding with you. We need to keep things platonic between us.
Pax: You mean for tonight only, or all the time?
Apparently, I’m not the only blunt one. I laugh as I write my reply.
Me: I was thinking tonight. And we should maybe have a conversation about whether this thing between us is still fake?
Pax: Agreed. Can we discuss it over dinner when I get back from my road trip?
Me: Yes.
Pax: And tonight, I’ll be on my best behavior. Pick you guys up at 6?
Me: That would be good. Should we bring swimsuits?
Pax: Yes. You should bring that red one you were wearing over at Pike’s when I saw you there.
Me: I leave that one at his house. I’ll have to bring another one.
Pax: As long as it’s on you, I’m sure it’ll be sexy.
My stomach flutters as I imagine him right now, his biceps completely filling the sleeves of his T-shirt as he thinks about me being sexy. It’s been so many years since I felt like anyone thought of me that way.
Duty calls, though. Shoving the last of my sandwich in my mouth, I send a final text.
Me: Have to go. Crazy busy at work. See you tonight.
Pax: Looking forward to it.
Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I wash my hands and check the list of bath assists at the nurses’ station. Then I head back to room 87 to check on Melinda.
She’s reading a book when I walk into the room, and she looks up at me brightly.
“Can I help you, dear?”
“I came to see if you’d like to have lunch in the dining hall. There are lots of people there to talk to, if you feel like it.”
She smiles, setting the book down and standing up. “That sounds nice. Maybe Barry is there.”
I walk with her to the dining hall, taking her to sit with Glo, then head to the room of the first patient on the bath assist list. It’s going to be an exhausting afternoon, but my mind is already on the evening ahead.
Chapter Thirteen
Pax
“Everything okay, Jasmine?” I ask, looking in the rearview mirror of my Suburban.
Other than a “hi” when she got in the car, she didn’t say a single word during the first ten minutes of our drive to Dave Wellington’s house.
“I’m just crying because I’m sad,” she says mournfully.
I give Kylie a panicked look. Sad? Crying? I have no idea what to say to that. Kylie shakes her head and turns to look at Jasmine.
“Enough of the dramatics,” she says. “I said I’d think about it. If you want a dog, the best thing you can do is work hard at school and bring home a spectacular report card.”
Jasmine sniffles. “But I want one now. And how do my grades have anything to do with giving a poor homeless dog a home?”
I suppress a smile, because she’s smarter and more articulate than I realized. Usually when I see Jasmine at Pike’s house, she’s swimming or running around the yard playing.
“Having a pet is a privilege, and you have to earn privileges,” Kylie says, turning back around in her seat.
“The clock is ticking, though.” Jasmine’s tone is pleading. “The dogs need our help now.”
Kylie sighs through her nose. “I told you not to watch those animal shelter commercials, Jas. If I watched those, I’d have a houseful of animals.”
“Really?”
“Look, even though we were short on time tonight, I discussed this with you while I was in the shower. I gave you my answer. So let’s enjoy our evening and we can talk about this again another time, okay?”
“Okay, but…there was a black and white dog named Rocky and he’d make a great Starfish, that’s all I’m saying.”
I look out the driver’s side window so Kylie doesn’t see my grin. I’m pretty sure I’ve got a damn good future attorney in my back seat right now.
“Jasmine,” Kylie says in a firm tone.
I jump in, hoping to help. “You want to turn a dog into a starfish, Jasmine?”
“No,” she says, a smile in her tone. “I want to name him Starfish. And I’ll take him for walks and he’ll sleep in my bed with me.”
I look over at Kylie, whose expression is a cross of exasperated and amused.
“That’s a great dog name,” I say. “What’s your favorite subject in school?”
“Art and recess.”
“Nice.”
“Are you better at hockey than my Uncle Pike?”
Kylie shakes her head again, but I laugh.
“We have two completely different jobs,” I say. “His job is to stop the puck and mine is to keep the other team from being able to score.”
“I know what goalies and defenders do,” she says defensively.
“Jasmine!” Kylie scolds. “Attitude.”
“Sorry,” Jasmine says.
I try to lighten the mood, pointing at the entrance gate ahead on the left.