Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
“Shit, man, I owe you a kidney. The house, the building, Isabelle’s situation, and my family. I’m scared to see the bill,” I joke with him.
“You can win it back at a game of poker. Besides, everyone knows this is chump change for the both of us. It’s the thrill of the chase, you for money, me for winning a case.” On that we can agree.
“Alright, I’m taking a break. It’s time to find my woman and get her off her feet.” I get out of my seat. She’s yet to come into the kitchen during this conversation, meaning I haven’t seen her for nearly as long.
“Good luck. She’s going to bust your balls.” He turns back to his work, and I walk out of the kitchen. The only thing I care about is making sure Amelie is okay. The other shit can fall where it lands.
TWENTY-TWO
Amelie
“I’m not surprised, Mom, and you really can’t be either.” Sylvester and Boston sat us both down to give us the news about what my father has been doing. Mom has tears in her eyes, not for herself, for others. Me, I’m fighting mad, ready to hit Dad below the belt, preferably in a pair of Doc Marten boots between the legs.
“It doesn’t make it any easier to hear.” She’s right. Of course, she is. My mother always has been.
“With everything I have, the attempt to sell your property, the trespassing, a cop never coming out to take your statement, the way he was selling property without consent, his lawyer paying off the judge. I don’t think you’ll have a problem receiving the divorce you deserve. Boston will tell you everything else. This is going to be a media sensation. The Inn will no doubt be inundated with calls, press, and people wanting to book a vacation after hearing what you’ve been through,” Sylvester states calmly. Boston is sitting next to me, his arm dangling behind my back along the chair. His other is holding my hand, fingers entwined, squeezing ours together every now and then.
“Won’t they be disgusted with me? What if everyone believes I knew about what Noah was doing?” Mom asks, hyperaware of the fallout.
“That won’t happen. We’ve got ahold of the situation before it even happens. Sylvester will make a statement on your behalf, and we’ll go from there. In the meantime, we’re going to stay at the Inn, let it blow over before moving into my home.” I roll my eyes at his obnoxious statement. No one agreed to me leaving the Inn to live with Boston, especially the person being me. This thick-headed man is out to undermine me, swoop in, and while he’s already the hero in everyone’s eyes, including mine, telling me I’m moving in without asking me, oh, I’m going to make him sweat.
“Oh, you’re moving? I think this is a fabulous idea. I’ve been telling Amelie for years now, the Inn has been my dream, but it doesn’t have to be hers,” Mom inserts. I totally knew she’d be gung-ho with Boston and his big mouth.
“It’s a good thing that it’s also my dream. The only reason grandaddy’s building is sitting empty right now is because of the circumstances of your divorce, which will be done and over soon, it seems.” We always wanted to have both the LeBlanc buildings open, flourishing, and bringing in money along with tourists.
“Honey, you have to know you’re going to have your hands full by the end of the year. Sure, right now, you’re only battling morning sickness with certain smells. What are you going to do when the birth of my grandchild is looming? I don’t think it’s a good idea to even contemplate starting something of that magnitude. Boston, will you help me out?” Oh, brother, here we go. I guess I’ll be calling Eden soon to complain to her, not that she’ll agree with me. One thing about the people in my life who love me, they also protect me to an extreme it's almost suffocating.
“Amelie, you want to start restoring it while you’re pregnant, I’ll get a crew on it, but you absolutely are running yourself ragged, opening up a new Inn when you’re already dead on your feet every night here, and it’s nothing compared to having an established business. You know what stress does to a mother.” I swear to all that is holy I’m going to give Boston something to stress about with my hands around his throat.
“I see this is getting us nowhere. I know when I’m losing an uphill battle. Sylvester, thank you for all your help. Boston, I’m going back to work. Yes, I’d like for the other potential LeBlanc to be restored as long as Mom is okay with that. I can see where you’re both coming from; I’m also not an invalid. Now, I’m going back to work.” I stand up from my chair. Boston is smirking. He got his way. He and my mother are in cahoots with one another, I swear.