Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
I set my coffee down and folded my arms over my head as I stared down at the table. How could I fix this?
“Is there anything else I can get for you?”
I looked up into the eyes of a young woman barista. She smiled pleasantly, and I nodded before saying, “Thanks, but I’m good,” and she turned and walked away.
I kept thinking about yesterday. Darlene knew I was coming to visit and somehow decided that I’d chosen not to. Why? Because I hadn’t called? I showed up. Maybe a day late, but I showed up.
“James doesn’t deserve that, though,” I mumbled. The boy was not happy about our arrangement, and it wasn’t fair for me to change plans in the first place. Darlene probably didn’t tell James when I said I’d be there. Usually, I would show up, and he would be surprised. I hadn’t thought about it before, but that was probably intentional. She probably didn’t want to get the little guy’s hopes up in case I called and couldn’t make it. And I had to admit, that was happening more and more often.
Great. I really was the asshole this time. I’d thought continuing to live in Dallas would help. I thought I’d have the chance to keep being there for my son, but was I really that distant? Did I fail my family?
This wasn’t where I saw myself, divorced, fighting for custody of my kid, and holding a stranger’s phone hostage. I didn’t even expect to have that night with Christie. Damn, she probably thought I was some loser. Just like Darlene did. I’d somehow convinced two incredible women to give me the time of day, and those women rejected me when they realized I didn’t fit their mold.
“Hey, man!”
I looked up from my untouched coffee to see a face I hadn’t seen since college. “Elroy!” I reached high for the high-five he was going to give me, and we laughed when our palms slapped hard.
The guy was taller than me, and even as he sat across from me and leaned over the table, his eyes angled down to meet mine. “What are you doing here, Ryan? Shoot, I thought you left this place!”
I shook my head. “Where’d you hear that? Man, I haven’t seen you in ages. You look good!” I gestured to the bright blue suitcoat he wore and chuckled. “What are you doing these days, trying to be bluer than the sky?”
Elroy rolled his eyes. “You never knew how to tell a joke. I like to look good. I’m still at the bank.”
“A bank? Have a loan for a brother?”
“You wish.” Elroy tossed his head to send a stray black lock back to join the rest of his shoulder-length hair. “But seriously, dude, did you really get a divorce?”
I frowned. “How did you hear that?”
“I actually heard it from Darlene’s new man. I’d never take her side or anything. Just wanted to see if you were okay.”
I stared at my clasped hands for a moment, the excitement of seeing an old friend fading fast. He’d known Darlene longer than me. Of course, he’d be more likely to keep in touch with her. “How do you know that asshole?”
“He works at the bank with me. The one you and Darlene have your account at?”
“I didn’t know you worked there.”
He nodded and pushed another stray lock back above his head. “Yeah, man. Been more than five years now, I think. Got a promotion, so I don’t see Darlene at the counter anymore.”
“What? She never even told me she saw you!”
“Yeah! Every week. She came in right—”
“When the bank opened up, yeah.” I scoffed. “That little . . .” I paused, though, realizing who I was talking to. My shoulders fell, and I took my first sip of what was now lukewarm coffee.
Elroy seemed to catch the shift and settled deeper into his seat. When he scooted the chair forward, it screeched on the hardwood floor, and he made nice with the white tablecloth as if that would remedy the disturbance. When the waitress asked him what he wanted, he asked for a coffee and a bagel, and I ordered their daily special, but I didn’t care to look at what it was.
When the waitress walked away, Elroy cleared his throat, and I met his dark gaze. “We were bros in college.”
I laughed. “You still talk like you’re in college.”
“But you know I always have your back, right?”
“I don’t know, Elroy. A lot’s happened. I don’t expect you to choose sides. I’d never ask that of anyone.”
He shook his head and held out his hands. “No, you don’t get it. I’ve been thinkin’ a lot about you lately. You and Darlene. She came into the bank the other day with Duke, and while they were there, she asked about banks outside the state. A few states, actually. She was thinkin’ about closing out her account since there’s not one outside Texas.”