Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“Who the hell put up a petition on my page without my consent?”
A tall, thin girl with scraggly blonde hair piled high on her head lifts a tentative hand. “Um, me,” she says. “Did you forget that you gave me access to your social media?”
“Access to my social media,” I repeat. “I thought you were going to manage the pictures from the Greenery. I had no idea you’d be putting up a viral petition like that.”
“But it was such a success!” she argues. “We’ve gotten the attention of the local news, and they’re coming to interview us in an hour.”
“Take it down.”
“What? Cora!”
But I’m mad as hell and I’ve got something to say about this. “Take it fucking down. And don’t ever put anything else up like that on my page again.”
Rising to her full height, she shoots me a look of fury. “Fine. I’ll take it down. Will I take this as your resignation from the protest team?” I almost laugh out loud. It seems so foolish in comparison to what I’ve faced these past weeks.
“Yes,” I tell her.
God, I’ve messed everything up. Bailey and Ben are homeless and living on Liam’s charity. Liam’s lawyer is furious because of me. I have to get Ben and Bailey and their things. We have little left after the fire, but it’s time to move out of Liam’s penthouse. I’m walking in the rain, cold and wet and alone, not even realizing where I’m going until I see the welcome sign for The Greenery. With a sigh, I stroll through the gardens.
Though the summer blossoms have faded, before me lies rows and rows of vibrant mums heralding the advent of winter. I reach out and touch one fiery orange blossom with the tip of my finger.
“They’re hardy, strong flowers.” My heart squeezes at the sound of his voice.
I don’t turn to look at him, but nod. “They are,” I agree. “They don’t cower when the winds come or wilt under hard rain, because they’re made to withstand the cold that’s coming.” I take in a deep breath and remember why I came here, why any of this matters to me at all. Eight weeks ago, this had me fired up, but now… but now, I have bigger things to worry about. Ben and his book reports and science projects. Bailey and all that she’s got in front her still, years of high school then finding her way in this world. Where we’ll live, where they can go to school. I want out of NYC. I want something new, a change, and now that I’ve got money in the bank, I’m going to do this for them.
And me. I need to take care of me.
“How did you find me?” I ask, still not turning around. I don’t want to see the sapphire eyes, because if I do, I don’t trust that I can stay strong.
“Tracked you like a stalker,” he says, coming in front of me and holding up his phone. “Remember?”
“Oh,” I say with a sigh. “Right.”
“Liam, I… I can’t do this,” I tell him. My voice feels tight and strange, when I bring my eyes up to his. “I know we are at the end of this contract, and I’ve been asking myself for weeks what that will mean. Because I don’t want to see it end.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I need to say. “I am moving out. I’m taking my things and Ben and Bailey’s. I’ve made a mess of things and I don’t want to do this anymore.”
The look in his eyes makes my heart ache, and for a moment, I let myself believe that I’m more than someone he contracted.
He won’t listen to excuses or reason, so I have to give him something that he will listen to. He takes a step toward me, and I shake my head, holding up my palm to him. “It’s time for us to end this. I broke the contract. You owe me nothing.” I shake my head, swallowing back tears that threaten to fall. “You need to let me go.” I lift my chin. “Like you said earlier, our contract is almost up.”
I don’t know how to handle the fact that he stands there in silence with his fists clenched, like he doesn’t know what to do or say. I have to go. I can’t stay here any longer, because every second in his presence makes me lose a bit of my resolve.
“You can’t break the contract,” he says. “You promised me.”
“What does that even mean?” I tell him, heat rising in my chest at what his damn lawyer said. I knew it. One look in those blue depths and my resolve begins to dwindle. I have to push him away. “You were the one who told your lawyer it didn’t matter because the contract was void. Then fine. Rip it up.”