Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“They’re fine,” he assured me. “I wanted to let you know that come Monday, I’ll be driving you and Callie to school and work. I’ll also drive you to Regan’s on the days Callie isn’t at tae kwon do to collect her, and drop you both off at the cottage. We’ll wait to see if there are any more threats to your safety before we consider putting extra security on Callie when she’s not with us.”
The barrage of information was one of the lengthiest things he’d ever said, and I was entirely confused. “Uh … what? What is going on?” I shoved off my duvet, feeling hot and sweaty and yucky from my day’s sleep.
Callie lowered her book, watching me with a frown. “What is going on?”
I waved her off to hear Walker as he explained, “The attack last night might have been deliberate, and until we know for sure, I will drive you and Callie wherever you need to go.”
Was he nuts? “I can’t ask you to do that.” I mouthed at Callie to stay put and I hurried down the stairs for privacy while Walker insisted this was the plan. “What about Callie?” I hissed low so she couldn’t hear. “How am I supposed to explain you driving us everywhere?”
“Tell her the Hyundai was a loaner. That I’m doing you a favor until you get a new car.”
“I’m not leaving myself without transportation. I have a cake to deliver tomorrow to a client in Golspie.”
“No, you don’t. I’ll deliver the cake. You stay put.”
I didn’t know what annoyed me more, his bossiness or the idea of being trapped in the cottage indefinitely. “I’m not living like that.”
“It’s just temporary.”
A creak on the stairs had me whirling around. Callie stood a few steps up, arms crossed, worry all over her little face. “Mom, what’s going on?”
“Callie, I’m talking to Walker. Go back upstairs.”
Her expression turned mulish and she stomped down the last few steps. “No. Lewis and I overheard Regan tell Lewis’s dad that something happened to you. Does it have something to do with the bruise on your face last month? What’s going on?”
Oh. Crap.
I sighed heavily. “Did you hear that?” I asked Walker.
“Aye,” he answered grimly.
“Then you know I need to hang up now.”
“I’ll be by tomorrow morning for the cake.” He hung up before I could argue.
Lowering the phone, I stared at my daughter, feeling that terrifying, dizzying sensation I always felt when I wasn’t certain what the right thing to do was.
“I’m not a kid anymore. You can tell me.”
I smiled sadly. “You are ten, baby girl. That’s still a kid. And I want you to stay being a kid for at least another eight years.”
She tilted her chin stubbornly. “I know you don’t want me to know things after what happened that night with Dad. But you think I don’t know when you’re upset, and I do. Everyone was weird when you came home with that bruise. And now Walker’s calling and arguing with you. What is it?”
My gut churned. “All you need to know is that a bad person tried to hurt me. The key word being tried. Okay? Walker and another kind man stopped him before he could.”
My daughter’s eyes glistened, and her lips trembled. “But you’re all right?”
Her fear and upset were exactly why I’d avoided telling her. “I am more than all right.” I crossed the room to pull her into my arms, and she burrowed her head against my chest.
After a few minutes of holding her, soothing her, and hoping like hell I hadn’t made a mistake in telling her even that paltry amount, Callie pulled back. “So, why is Walker calling you and making you act all weird?”
It was either tell her the truth and freak her out … or give up my car. “I didn’t want to tell you this, but I can’t keep the new car. So Walker is going to drive us around for a while until I can find one that’s more in my budget.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Why would he do that?”
Not wanting her to get the wrong idea, I shrugged. “Because he works for Brodan, and Monroe asked him to make sure you and I are okay. So, Brodan asked Walker to chauffeur us around for a bit.” I grinned, like it was no big deal. “Which means we better be cool people to chauffeur around or the poor guy might quit.”
Callie flashed me a grin, and I relaxed marginally. “We’re cool. Walker likes us. I don’t think he’d have said yes to driving us around otherwise.”
“Don’t go getting all attached to him, you hear,” I teased, but I meant every word. I ventured toward the kitchen, hungry. “I don’t think Walker will stick around Ardnoch forever.”
“Will we?”
I whirled at her quiet question.