Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“You don’t have a problem hurting me!”
“If I hurt you, you should have taken that out on me, not blindsided someone else who was nice to you. That’s fucked up.”
“I’ll talk to her.” Baylin’s voice turned shrill. “I’ll pay for the damages.”
Jody reached out to take her by the jaw, controlling his strength so he wouldn’t hurt her. “You don’t go near Sophie, or the next time, the only one leaving town will be you. You let Knox do the talking for you. If you’re lucky, Sophie will let it drop. If not, you accept the punishment. Personally, I prefer they lock your ass up in jail.” Releasing her, he turned for the door.
“You don’t mean that!”
“Yes, I do. You came after someone who belongs to me. Make no mistake, Baylin; I protect those who belong to me, and Sophie belongs to me.” Jody pinned her in place with his stare. “I better not find out you’re part of the reason customers aren’t coming into the diner because you’re bad-mouthing her.”
When she shifted her gaze away from his, Jody knew he had hit the nail on the head.
“You’re a piece of work. You better fix this mess you created, or so help me, I will.”
“I’ll fix it.” Her hand went to her mouth as she started crying.
Jody turned to open the door, motioning for her to go through. “I’d start now.”
Chapter Sixteen
Looking at her watch, Sophie dragged herself out of bed then lay back down. She pulled the pillow over her face and started crying, smothering her tears in the pillow, wishing her mother were there instead.
After a good cry, she forced herself out of bed and went to the bathroom attached to the bedroom Ginny had given her last night. Turning on the faucet, she splashed cold water on her face. Then, after wiping off her face with a hand towel, she grimaced at her puffy eyes.
She walked back into the bedroom to dress in the jeans and sweatshirt Ginny had loaned her. The jeans were too tight, but the sweatshirt was long enough to hide the gaping space. With lagging footsteps, she left the bedroom, hoping to leave the house without seeing Ginny. Still on the verge of more tears, she didn’t think she would be able to handle any sympathy without breaking down.
“Good morning,” Ginny greeted her cheerfully, coming out of the kitchen. “How are you doing?”
“Better. Thank you.”
“I just made a pot of coffee. Would you like a cup before you head to the diner?”
“No, thanks. I’m not going to the diner.”
“Oh … then you’re going to your apartment. Give me a couple of minutes to get dressed, and I’ll go with you.”
Sophie shook her head. “I’m not going to my apartment, at least not yet. I’m going to a realty company. I’m going to sell the diner.”
“I’d say I’m surprised, but I’m not. Since you’re not opening the diner, stay for a cup of coffee. I can refer a realtor to you who will try to get you the best price. Drake doesn’t open his office for a couple of hours.”
“I could use a cup of coffee.”
Sophie took a seat at the table next to the kitchen while Ginny got the coffee. She noticed several missed calls from Knox. She would call him back after she drank the coffee, sure he was going to ask her to go back to the apartment to see if anything was stolen. She would need to drink a whole pot laced with Baileys before she worked up enough courage to go there.
“Here you go.” Ginny sat down across from her.
Sophie eyed her. “If you’re going to convince me not to sell the diner, don’t. I’m more than ready to leave Treepoint.”
“Are you just as ready to give up your dreams?”
“I can buy another restaurant in another town.”
“If you do sell the restaurant, where would you buy another one?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll use Google to find out where restaurants are for sale and start looking there.”
“In a new town you haven’t been before?”
“Yes.”
“You could run into the same difficulties there you have here. Sometimes when you move to a new place, it takes time to fit in.”
“I don’t need my parents coming to Treepoint to be unhappy. This is supposed to be our new beginning.”
“Sophie”—Ginny stared at her earnestly—“Treepoint can be your and your parents’ new beginning. I’m very happy, but not too long ago, I was miserable, thinking it would be better if I just ran away and disappeared. If not for Gavin coming after me, I wouldn’t have the life I live now. You don’t have to give up; you have more support here than you know.”
“I can’t expect you all to keep helping me. You’ve just met me.”
Ginny’s hand moved across the table to rest on hers. “I have a sixth sense about people. When I met you, I felt as if we would become good friends.”