Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 114011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
“I really like him, Val,” I say, my voice shaking. “I like him a lot.”
“I know you do. And he seems like the exact kind of guy that you need, and I’m thrilled for you. Make sure you call me tomorrow and tell me what happens. I will refrain from calling you tonight, even though it might kill me, and I won’t ask you to turn your phone on speaker mode and leave it in a fruit bowl so I can hear what happens.”
“Oh, my gosh, Val,” I say, laughing.
“God forbid you feel guilted into thinking you’re a bad friend for making me wait to find out if my best friend is a taken woman.”
We laugh together as I climb out of my car. “I love ya but not that much.”
“Can’t say I blame you. Anyway, I’m going in to work now. Have a great day and call me tomorrow.”
“I will. Have a good day too.”
“Bye, Palm.”
I stick my phone in my pocket and climb the steps to the office. The wooden steps creak as I go up them. The handle is cold as I tug it open.
As soon as I step inside the trailer, I know something is wrong.
The door to Kirk’s office is open. He’s sitting at his desk. His face is unshaven, something I’ve seen only once in all the years I’ve worked for him. There’s no smile waiting for me.
I don’t walk to my desk, and I don’t bother with greetings. I stand in his doorway and feel my soul sink to the floor.
“Kirk?”
He looks at me. His eyes have heavy bags beneath them.
“Kirk, what’s wrong?”
He doesn’t bow his head or make an effort to speak. He just looks at me with sad, tired eyes, and I know what’s happened. Charlotte’s test results.
I don’t wait for an explanation. I walk around his desk, my heart shattering for the man I’ve grown to love, and I wrap my arms around his shoulders.
“Damn it, Palmer,” he says, his voice breaking.
“I’m so sorry.”
My words come out strained around the lump in my throat. I squeeze him tight, muttering a silent prayer for him and his family, before letting him go.
He motions for me to take a seat across from him, so I do.
“Well,” he says, grasping for words that he obviously doesn’t want to say. “It’s . . . it’s cancer.”
“Oh, Kirk.”
He looks at me with horror-struck eyes that are filled with as much disbelief as pain.
“It’s not good,” he says, barely above a whisper.
“I am so, so sorry,” I say. “Can I do anything for you? Can I help?”
He shakes his head.
“Is she okay?”
“Right now, she’s resting. I came by to grab a few things because I don’t know how much I’ll be around.” He picks up a pen and moves it around his fingers. “They’ve given her a year. Maybe less.”
His voice breaks. It kills me to watch the tears streaming down his wrinkled cheeks. The dam holding my own tears back fails, and I cry right alongside him.
I’ve watched and lived through grief stealing my dad’s whole life and spirit. It breaks my heart to know this dear man, my friend and champion, will soon endure a horrific loss.
Charlotte has been like a favorite aunt to me ever since I started work at Skoolie’s, and I can’t imagine a world without her in it. How will Kirk manage this after spending his entire life living alongside her, building a world together? It’s just too soon for him to have to say goodbye.
My thoughts go to my father and how he must’ve felt saying goodbye to my mother. Did he feel this way too?
Kirk bows his head, the pain on his face suffocating me.
I can’t imagine him loving someone as long as he’s loved his wife and knowing he’s going to lose her. It strangles me, and I’m not really involved. How awful must this be for him?
“I’m going to be really honest with you, kid,” he says, taking off his glasses. He wipes his face with the backs of his hands. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do around here.”
“Kirk, don’t worry about it. I’ll do everything that I can. Between me and Burt and the guys in the shop, we’ll run this place. You have nothing to worry about.”
He forces a swallow down his throat before leveling his gaze at me. “I appreciate that, and I know you are capable of running the shit out of this place, Palmer. But I don’t know if I even want to deal with it right now at all.”
What? I rethink what he’s just said, and it makes sense. I get it. But what does that mean, exactly?
Kirk puts his glasses back on. “I was up all night thinking about it. I might have another year with my girl. I’ve worked my whole damn life to provide this woman with the best life I could give her, and the only thing I can give her now is my time.” He rolls his chair back in distress. “The thought of her home, dying, while I run in here to check things or having my attention distracted because of an auction . . . I can’t do it, Palmer. I owe her the best of me—all of me.”