Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Austin opens his mouth—
“No,” I say. “Don’t say he threatened you first. I heard it, and I’m mad as hell at him for it. Both of you should know better.”
“Baby, I won’t let anyone talk about you like that, even your father,” Austin says. “However, we’re on the same side, caring about you. Mr. Vance, I apologize.”
“It’s Mayor Vance,” Dad says, “and you should be apologizing to Carly.”
“He has no reason to apologize to me.” I whip my hand to my hips. “He’s done nothing wrong. In fact, he’s done everything right.”
That doesn’t make my dad any happier.
I push on. “You should apologize to him.”
Dad scoffs. “Not in this lifetime.”
“Then we’re done here. Unless you want to tell me how you ended up here in the first place. Did you search every house in town or come straight here?”
“I don’t trust them,” Dad says.
I tip up my chin. “I do.”
“You don’t know everything.”
“Go, Dad. Go home. You can tell me all about why you hate the Bridgers so much, but standing here, in their house? It’s not okay.”
Austin’s hand settles on my hip again and he gives it a squeeze. I’m reassured, but it doesn’t feel good to tell my dad off.
His lips thin into a straight line. He glares at Austin, and then at Chance and Miles in turn. He sets his hat back on his head, turns, and storms out. The front door slams in his wake.
No one moves. My father sucked all the oxygen from the room with his departure.
Austin’s pocket starts playing “Superwoman” by Alicia Keys. He pulls out his phone and immediately answers it.
“Mom. Is everything ok?”
I look up at him as he listens. He didn’t look the least bit worried facing off with my dad, but he does now.
“What? Are you fucking kidding me?”
19
AUSTIN
* * *
After what just went down, I hate leaving Carly with her dad all pissed. Even to talk to my mom. So I don’t. I tag her hand when she thinks to step away from me and wrap my arm around her. She looks up at me but stays quiet.
The guys already know about my mom. The last time she and I talked—we texted a few times since—I was in Chance’s truck headed into town.
Carly knows about Mom’s illness. This call though, isn’t about that because…
Fuck.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“Sure that Greg secretly works for Sea-Air and has been taking on our flights to steal our transport clients? Yes. I’m sure.”
Greg was hired to be my fill-in while I’m in Montana, to take all the routes I usually fly. That includes passengers who reserved travel through our website, and also cargo—like the day Shankle showed up and I was shuffling oysters to a client.
“How many?”
“So far? Five.”
“Five?” I tip my head back and stare at the ceiling.
Five transport routes gone.
“Who’s the owner of Sea-Air again?” I ask.
“Frank Parcell,” she replies.
“Right. The asshole hears about me going to Montana and… what? Decides to finish us?”
I hear her frustrated sigh through the miles.
“He knows I’m sick. That’s not news at this point. I don’t know how he learned about your father’s will though.”
I think on it. “It’s got to be Ed.”
“From the dock?” Surprise laces Mom’s words.
I nod even though she can’t see me. “He was there when Shankle showed up. I can’t remember how much Shankle shared before we took off, but I do know he overheard that Jonathan Bridger died.”
“So he put two and two together.”
“I did leave within the month,” I remind her. “I doubt Ed did anything on purpose. He probably just mentioned my situation to Frank in passing. I mean, we’ve known him forever.”
Mom is quiet for a minute. “What are we going to do?”
“You’re not going to do anything. Not even worry,” I say.
She laughs.
Carly, Chance, and Miles are staring at me, concerned.
“Is your mom okay?” Carly whispers.
I put my hand over the phone. “She’s fine. The fucker we hired to fill in was a mole and stole our routes.”
“You’re not alone,” Mom says, apparently realizing I’m updating the others. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
I take my hand away. “It’s fine. It’s Chance, Miles, and Carly.”
“Who’s Carly?”
Yes, I hear the curiosity in her voice. The one that always comes out when a woman is involved, because that’s the key to her desire for grandchildren.
“You want to ask me that now?” I pose.
I need to get Mom back on track. She wants to know about the woman in my life when a sneaky bastard is taking advantage of her and stealing our business.
Mom sighs again. “It’s done. He’s fired. Obviously.”
“Obviously.”
“But without a pilot, no flights are going up now. I had to cancel the passengers for today, which means they got their money back and went to another company.”
“Sea-Air probably,” I grumble. “I can send you money to pay bills, but without routes—without a pilot—we’re doomed. I’d say hire another one but who knows who we can trust at this point.”