AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And where did she think it’d come from?
She didn’t think. She gets stuff sent to her all the time from people who want to be her sugar daddies, I guess.
Tim scoffed, but he had to admit that sounded a lot like Carine. She tended to be a fairly independent woman, but she wouldn’t turn down gifts that would make her life easier if they landed right in front of her face. “Why struggle when what I need is there with no strings attached?” she always said.
He fired off a text message to Heidi next.Really? You loaned Kevin’s car to Carine?
He could just imagine her sigh as he read her response.
Temporarily. I plan on selling it and tucking the money into savings until he screws his head on. When he’s gotten some things figured out, I’ll help him get something else—in his own name.
“Ah.” She’d always been a smart cookie. As far as wives went, she was hard to top.
A message from Valerie came in on the tails of that.I hate to ask, but are you free for a conversation?
Why would you hate to ask?
No response came quickly, so Tim unfastened his seatbelt and slumped lower in his seat. He pulled up the weather forecast on his phone and pondered a trip out on the boat, just to clear his head. The salt air was always good for that.
Valerie responded,Are you free?
Not presently. I’m waiting for Kevin.
Again, he waited. There was no precipitation forming anywhere near the coast so it might have been the perfect time to sail before the business got slammed with fall promotional events, races, deliveries, and all sorts of circumstances that would require that he, the sales team, and admin team be everywhere at once. By October, he’d want to clone himself in triplicate.
He texted Heidi,I think I’m going to sail tonight.
’K. I’ll be home by the time Kevin will.
Do you know anything about him needing a letter for something?
A letter? No, why?
“Dammit.”
Valerie responded,Later?
What do you want?He winced as the little bar indicated the message was in the queue to be sent. He’d typed it without thought and from a place of hurt, and they weren’t the diplomatic words people expected from him. But he wasn’t really in the mood for diplomacy. He was in the mood for action, and he was weary from the will-she-won’t-she nonsense.
I want to tell you some things. To explain some things.
Why?
Because it’s important.
“Fuck.” Tim let out another long breath and straightened up as Kevin’s bright white shirt appeared in the municipal building’s doorway. He had to find out what Valerie needed to say. The curiosity would eat him alive if he didn’t hear her out.
I’m going out on the boat tonight. Meet me at the dock at nine.He wanted to type “take it or leave it,” but decided it’d be a hair too aggressive and she was skittish enough that she’d probably choose the latter. In spite of everything, he didn’t want her to leave it.
Should I bring anything?
He suspected she was asking if she was spending the night. He could read between the lines well enough.
He wanted her to. He wanted to hold her, fuck her, and—yeah—see what she had to say that would make any difference, but that was all on her. He wasn’t going to beg—he’d never had to with anyone else.
As Kevin climbed up into the truck, Tim typed,If you want to. I’m pushing off from shore by ten. I’ll be back Sunday night.
He didn’t bother adding “If you don’t go with me.” She was smart enough to read between the lines, too.
