Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“Sila.” I hear a man’s voice come from the front door and I know it’s George. My ma steps back from me to greet him. A small smile pulls at her lips before she masks it.
“Hi, George.” She says it like she’s a little irritated. “You came over for breakfast?” she asks, grabbing some plates and setting them on the table that’s filled with a bunch of other breakfast food already.
“I came for your company,” he shoots back. His eyes come to mine and he gives me a wink. I just shake my head. These two have been dancing around each other for months. I know my mom likes him, but the problem is so does every other woman around here. Though the times I’ve been here I’ve never seen him give any of them the time of day. His eyes are always on my mom. I thought maybe I should talk to him, but I think my ma has it handled, and not to mention, I like George. Have from the moment I showed up one day and he was giving her hell about her unlocked door, too.
“Always the flirt.” My mom bats a hand at him in a shooing motion. George grabs it and kisses her palm.
“Only with you.” They stare at each other for a moment. I feel like I’m seeing something I shouldn’t be.
“Morning!” someone calls from the door. Thank fuck, I think to myself. I didn’t want to see what was going to happen next with George and my mom. My moment of relief is short lived when I see it’s Betty coming in.
“Cole!” She almost screams when she sees me standing there. My mom tries to pull her hand from George’s. He reluctantly lets her go. “I was hoping to see you. My granddaughter gave me her number to give you.” She starts digging through her purse and I guess she’s looking for it.
Fuck. I hate shit like this. Do I take the number and never call, or do I tell this woman, “No I don’t want it.” Both seem like shitty options. I give her a smile, trying to be friendly.
My radio on my hip goes off and I reach for it.
“Bannon here,” I call back to Asher.
“Got a call from the bank. They think someone is breaking in and staying in the house on the corner of 4th and Shine.”
“That’s the foreclosed one, right?” I recall them putting up a sign on it last week.
“Yeah, I can have Sam check it out when he gets in if you’re busy.”
I glance around the room and see two more of my mom’s friends have showed up. They’re all eyeing me. The only person not watching me is George, and that’s because he’s too busy watching my mom.
“I got it,” I tell him, then clip the radio back onto my belt.
I walk toward my mom. “You haven’t even eaten yet,” she tells me. I kiss her on the cheek. She grabs a biscuit and a couple pieces of bacon and puts them into a paper towel. “Here, you can’t live off diner food,” she grumbles. I give her another kiss on the cheek.
“Thanks, Ma.” I head for the door. “Ladies.” I nod at the three older women standing there. Betty is holding out a piece of paper. I take it against my better judgment, no intent on using it but wanting to be polite.
“I’ll call you later, Ma,” I throw over my shoulder as I close the door behind me and head for my cruiser. I give my shoulder a good roll as I feel tension already building in it.
I shove the paper into my pocket and feel the other one I’d put in there earlier. I pull it out and study it for a second. I bring it to my nose for some reason, wanting to smell it, but there is no smell.
I shake my head at myself as I slide into my cruiser and take off toward 4th and Shine.
Chapter Two
CATHERINE
I tuck my hands into my sleeves, trying to keep my hands warm as I make the long walk to school. It’s colder than normal today, but maybe it’s the wind making it feel that way. It feels like it’s cutting through me and I swear I can smell snow in the air. The thought makes my eyes water.
I don’t know how I’m going to make it much longer without the right winter clothes and, well, heat for that matter. I’ve come so far already. Over two years I’ve been making it on my own. Graduation is so close, but it looks like everything is about to crumble around me.
I pull my jacket tighter, trying to shield myself as best as I can from the wind, but my old coat has seen better days and I don’t have the money to spend to buy another. I barely have any money at all. I’m down to eighty dollars. I’ve been spreading my money thin since my dad’s pension stopped coming in. I was lucky I’d had it as long as I did.