Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Then you’ll come for breakfast tomorrow and tell us all about it,” Betty says.
“I have court first thing,” I inform her with a wink. “Don’t you have more exciting things to gossip about?”
“Wilma Fitzpatrick was just telling me this morning that Mr. Breck from the seventh floor once served time in the pen,” Betty replies. “For arson.”
“He set a campfire in the wrong place,” I inform her with a roll of my eyes. “He didn’t realize what he was doing and spent six days in the county jail. He’s not exactly a felon.”
“Still,” Betty says with a sniff.
“How was school today?” I ask Willie, who’s currently eating his second sleeve of Pop-tarts.
“You know,” he says with a shrug. “School always sucks.”
“How did you do on your math test?”
“Aced it,” he replies with a smug smile.
“And the science quiz?”
The smile falls.
“You know I hate science.”
“Willie, we studied for that damn quiz.”
He shoves the rest of the Pop-tart into his mouth and shrugs. “Ms. Bumble hates me.”
“She’d like you better if you tried harder,” I inform him. “Okay, I have to go. I’ll see you both later.”
“Have fun,” Betty says as I hurry into the hall. I push through my front door and sigh.
My floor plan is the same as Betty’s with the same crazy view of the city, the Space Needle, and the water.
But that’s where the similarities end.
Where Betty’s is bright and colorful, mine is neutral with a simple color palette and modern furniture.
I’m hardly here, but I like my place. I like the view. The building is quiet.
And I love Betty and Willie.
My housekeeper was here today, so the smell of cleaner hangs heavily in the air. I cross to the sliding glass doors that lead to a nice-sized veranda and open them wide to let in the fresh air. It’s mid-October and smells like fall.
For once, it’s not raining. That’s a miracle this time of year, so I leave the door open as I walk through to the main bedroom, strip out of my suit, and cross to the bathroom to take a quick shower.
By the time I’ve changed into jeans and a blue Henley, the condo has cooled considerably, so I close the door and turn on the gas fireplace.
I check the time as I slide my feet into a pair of Jordans and reach for my black leather jacket.
I’m right on schedule.
Due to some construction and a little traffic, the drive from my building to the house near Alki Beach takes about thirty minutes. I double-check the address Stella gave me, and when I confirm that I’m in the right place, I admire the house before me.
It’s not new by any means, but it’s been well maintained, and given the neighborhood and area, the property is definitely in a desirable location.
I walk up to the door and ring the bell. When the door opens, a young brunette in short denim shorts and a pink crop top takes me in, grinning slowly. She leans on the doorjamb and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Well, hello. I ordered dinner, but I wasn’t expecting something as delicious as you to show up. Lucky me.”
“Does Stella live here?” I ask her.
“Is that him?” I hear Stella call out from inside the house. “I’m just grabbing my shoes.”
The woman leering at me smiles again. “She’s grabbing her shoes.”
“I heard. I’m Gray.”
“Haley,” she says and offers her hand for me to shake. “Stella’s cousin. We’re roommates.”
“I see.”
She laughs, her green eyes full of humor. “No, you don’t know the half of it. Stella said you were hot. She wasn’t wrong.”
Her eyes flit down to the ink on my forearm and then back up at me with that humor still in them.
“Yeah, she definitely wasn’t wrong. Stel! You comin’?”
“Coming,” Stella says, slightly out of breath. When she rounds the corner, just the sight of her has me out of breath. “Sorry, I had a shoe snafu.”
“I’m in no hurry,” I reply as Stella stumbles to the door, hopping on one foot while zipping up the boot on the other. “Take your time.”
“There’s my food,” Haley says as she hurries around Stella and me and heads down the sidewalk to intercept the delivery guy.
“She’s hungry,” Stella informs me. “Haley’s a runner, and she hasn’t eaten since her afternoon run.”
“Starving,” Haley agrees. “Have fun, you two. I’m gonna go devour this food.”
Haley closes the door behind her, and with her boots zipped, Stella lets out a sigh.
“Okay, I think I’m ready.”
“I really didn’t mean to rush you.”
“Oh, you didn’t. A heel broke on a pair of shoes. I had to shed a few tears.”
“Over shoes?”
She stops cold on the sidewalk and stares at me.
“They were Gucci,” she says as if that explains everything.
“Well, then, we should have a memorial service.”
I continue to the car and open the door for her.