Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
I wished she’d go back to Dixon. Maybe he’d stop sulking all the damn time.
“I can talk to Linc,” Oz said. “About you possibly getting to stay. Come home for good. I’ll take Bane with me.”
I didn’t want to get my hopes up about it. Linc Shephard was a hard-ass. Besides, he couldn’t make the final call. The boss would have to do that, and Blaise Hughes wasn’t one to change his mind.
“I doubt it will do much good,” I told him.
“Things change. You might be surprised.”
Oz walked over toward me, then wrapped an arm around my neck before pulling me in for a quick hug. “Glad you’re home, little brother.”
I was too. More than any of them would ever understand. They’d never been sent away. It was the loneliest feeling in the world.
Three
Cressida
I had forgotten what a full night of sleep felt like on a bed. Stretching as a smile spread across my face, I took in the bedroom that I still couldn’t believe was mine. This all felt like a Christmas miracle. It had been a very long time since luck had landed on me. I had fallen asleep last night pinching myself, sure that this was all a dream. The pretty yellow and blue room, with the early morning sunlight filtering through the curtains, felt safe. Something I’d not experienced for a long time. The realization that the sun was rising hit me.
My eyes fell on the clock on the bedside table, and it was ten minutes to seven. Had I really slept that late? I had to hurry and get to the kitchen.
The schedule that Grissele had given me said that Glenda ate breakfast at seven thirty in the sunroom. Then, at eight thirty, she had a yoga class to attend at the local assisted living facility. Her day was rather packed, but then Glenda hadn’t appeared elderly either. Sure, she had white hair cut in an elegant bob, but she got around rather well for eighty-three years old, and she was entertaining to talk to.
I made my way to the bathroom and quickly handled my morning routine before pulling on a pair of jeans and my nicest sweater. My wardrobe was limited. I’d taken only what I needed when I ran. Grissele hadn’t mentioned a dress code, so hopefully, my wearing the same things often would be okay.
If I needed more clothes, with the pay I was getting from this job, I could buy them soon. My list of worries had been cut in half yesterday, thanks to my fairy godmother dropping into the diner. One minute, I’d been stressed over possibly being homeless, and the next, I was living in a nice big house on the other side of town, in a gated community.
Arthur wouldn’t walk in the door here and force me to go back to my father’s house. Even if he did try and find me.
Smiling at that thought, I headed for the door and down to the kitchen. I had already looked over Glenda’s breakfast menu and knew what I needed to make for her. It was the same every morning but on Sundays. And seeing as today was Sunday, she would be having her splurge breakfast—or so she had called it.
Although I didn’t think protein pancakes with ten chocolate chips and whipped cream on top was a splurge. But then, considering she had one slice of whole wheat toast, two scrambled eggs, and a cup of berries the rest of the week, then perhaps it was.
I had been shown where to find everything yesterday, so I went to work as soon as I entered the kitchen. It was a cheery place. All white and bright with a Christmas tree decorated in silver and blue, standing in the far corner, along with the scent of cinnamon lingering in the air from the wreath made of cinnamon sticks and white berries, which hung inside the large window beside the table. Tomorrow was the first day of December, but it seemed Glenda was one of those early decorators. There were three other Christmas trees in her house, stockings on the mantel, and other festive items placed throughout.
I went to work filling the water kettle and turning it on so it would be ready for her morning tea. She liked to have a pot brought out to her first before she had her breakfast, so that was a priority. Once I was done with that, I went about making the batter for her pancakes while humming “Jingle Bells.”
“Alexa, play holiday music.”
Glenda’s voice startled me. I’d been so focused on the pancakes that I hadn’t heard her enter the room.
My head snapped up, and I saw her smiling at me.
“Sounded like you were in the mood for some holiday tunes,” she told me as she stood there, wrapped in a cream-colored velvet robe with fake fur trim around the collar.