Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“What’s this?” I asked, forcing a bright tone despite knowing full well I probably wouldn’t like the answer. “I didn’t know you liked coffee.”
“I don’t. It’s gross, especially hot.” Hannah gave a heavy sigh, one that made her seem far older. “But Mom said if I made her a cup, she’d come down, and we could talk and maybe go into town.” Hannah gestured at the empty stairs with her phone. “That was almost an hour ago.”
Yep. As I’d suspected, the blame for Hannah’s glum mood was squarely on Faith yet again. My fists clenched right along with my stomach.
“I’ll go check on her.” What I wanted to do was shake Faith. Rattle some sense into her. Make her value her awesome kid. However, I couldn’t let Hannah see how utterly furious I was. “She’s probably—”
“Hungover,” Hannah finished for me, shaking her long, slightly tangled hair. “It’s okay. You don’t have to lie and say she’s tired.”
“I’m sorry.” Closing my eyes briefly, I rubbed the bridge of my nose. I hadn’t realized how much Hannah saw and understood. Sweat gathered on my lower back. I should have seen the impact Faith’s behavior was having on Hannah. “I’m not sure what the right thing to say is, but I wish things were different.”
“Me too.” Hannah stared down at her chipped fingernails.
“It’s not okay how she’s acting.” Few had dared to say that to my face about my father. Would it have made a difference if they had? I wasn’t sure, but I wanted Hannah to have the support and reassurance I didn’t at her age. My insides churned. I knew all too well the pain of neglectful parenting, and I hated that Hannah had to go through this. “Was her drinking bad in Houston too?”
“Sometimes.” She twisted a hank of hair around her index finger.
“Oh.” The mournful sound escaped my throat. I should have visited more. Should have known. Shouldn’t have let it get this bad.
“I like it better here. That’s what I wanted to talk to Mom about. It’s less than a month until school starts. I need to get registered if we’re staying here.”
The lawyers Faith had consulted in Denver had evidently been no help as she’d come sulking home without reports of a new solution, and I hadn’t prodded her for a full accounting because I’d been wrapped up in what Colt and I had started. I didn’t want to be trapped on the ranch forever, but I was currently in no rush to leave.
“Do you want to do school here?” I asked. If Hannah did school here, I could keep a far better eye on her than if Faith jetted back to Houston. That much was certain. It would be a solution to a couple of problems.
“Yes. I can do eighth grade with Willow.” She gave me a mournful look. “I want that more than anything.”
“I’ll do what I can to help,” I promised, holding Hannah’s gaze. “And not only about school. You know you can come to me about anything, right? Anytime. You don’t have to deal with things on your own.”
“I’m getting used to that.” Hannah’s tone was far too stoic for someone so young. I made a mental note to start looking into therapy options for her. She needed more than I alone could provide. “And thanks, Uncle Maverick.”
“Why don’t you see what Willow’s up to?” I pointed at her phone. “If your mom isn’t up to it, I can take you into town.”
“You would? I need…girl things.” Her wide-eyed, stricken expression conveyed what her words didn’t. “You’d take me to get those?”
“Absolutely.” I hoped I sounded more certain than I felt. The pads and tampons aisle wasn’t a place I frequented, but anything for Hannah. “All the more reason to text Willow, though, maybe bring her along to help you pick…girl things.”
“Good idea.”
I left Hannah to her texting. As I climbed the stairs, I sent a text of my own to my friend Adler, my one friend other than Colt who might be able to help or at least listen to my Faith problem. I also texted Colt, letting him know Hannah would like to take Willow shopping with us. Willow was likely with his mother or one of the sisters today, but Colt understandably liked to be kept in the loop of plans.
Faith was, predictably, still asleep and, once awakened, in no mood for my lectures. The room was icy cold, likely from cranked A/C, but one couldn’t rule out ghosts haunting the space. The room’s epic view was hidden behind a heavy curtain, darkness increasing the tomb-like feel.
“Not now, Maverick,” Faith mumbled, rousing herself out of bed only long enough to shove me from the room and lock the door.
“I’m taking Hannah to town. Like you promised,” I called through the door. No reply. Where was the sister I knew to be a caring human? The one who’d sent me frequent pictures of Hannah as a toddler? I’d give anything to reach that version of Faith again. She’d always been on the superficial side, but the borderline cruelness was new and not at all welcome.