Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel by Bella Emy (pdf to ebook reader .TXT) 📕

onto my back and stare up at the ceiling just long enough to realize this was yet another bad decision. Now, along with my head pounding, I feel like puking.

Beep. Beep.

Notifications are popping up on my phone.

Without thinking, I snap my head to the left, looking over to my nightstand where my cell phone is sitting.

Smart move, Lexi. Now I’m dizzy on top of everything else I was already feeling.

Forcing myself, I sit up and grab my phone. “Holy shit…”

There are six missed calls from Erin and two text messages, the last one all in caps:

ERIN: CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THIS.

Sucking in a deep breath, I hit the send key and clear my throat, waiting on her to respond.

“Took you long enough,” she answers on the second ring.

“Sorry, rough night. What’s going on?” I want to ask her more, but I need to know what all her missed calls and texts are about.

“So, look. I’m sorry I didn’t call or text you sooner. I was mad.”

I let out a breath, relieved. She just wants to apologize, and I’m so thankful for it right now. I can use my best friend more than anything else in the world right now. “It’s okay. I understand. I shouldn’t have left the way I did. I was just so upset.”

“I know. I was angry.”

I nod, even if she can’t see me. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“I was pissed.”

“Again, I know. I’m sorry.”

“Lexi, you’re not hearing how upset I was.”

“I think I am. I’m sorry, Erin.”

“I’m sorry, too.” She sniffles.

I want to let out a soft laugh, thankful things are good now, but I guess I should just double-check with her and make sure she doesn’t want to tell me yet again that she was cross with me. “Okay, so we’re cool?”

She pauses for a moment. “Yes, but there’s something I need to tell you.”

My stomach does somersaults, landing in knots. Why does her statement feel like this is not a good thing or like something she’s been avoiding? “What is it?” I take another deep breath and prepare myself for the worst.

“I sent you an email. Read it. Call me after you do… once you forgive me. I have to run. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner.”

Chapter Thirty

“Good morning, Lexi.”

“Good morning, Mr. Elmers.” I smile as my boss walks into the building on a typical Monday morning.

He stops at my desk to pick up the mail left over for him from Friday. He and Mrs. Elmers had taken a long weekend down the shore. “How was your weekend?”

“Good, thanks. And yours? Did Mrs. Elmers enjoy herself?” I ask after checking another one of my emails.

He stashes the mail under his armpit and takes a sip of his own cup. “She did. We decided to go parasailing.”

My eyes widen. “Parasailing?” My boss is in his sixties, his wife is not far behind. Granted, they’re both known for liking to do adventurous things of the like, but I seriously was not expecting that. I guess they really do like to live on the wild side.

Mr. Elmers winks at me. “She’s quite the youngster. You should see her when she’s really on a kick, living dangerously on Sunday afternoons.”

I furrow my brows. “Why? What does she like to do on Sunday afternoons?”

“Gardening.”

I can’t help but chuckle. He’s such a character.

He taps my desk three times with his right hand. “It’s good to have you back, hun.”

“Thank you. I’m glad to be back.” It’s not a total lie, but then again, it’s not the complete truth. If things had gone my way, I’d still have my lounge.

He smiles, but somehow, it’s not genuine and I think he knows how I must be feeling. I wonder if he’s ever felt defeat with his business. I watch him as he spins around and then takes off toward his office.

It’s nice being back to work and not have to worry about Mark harassing me, either. After that evening in the bar, he didn’t even give me a second glance anymore. I guess he got the message loud and clear.

And thinking back to that night, it’s been two weeks since I last spoke to Erin. I haven’t been able to call her back and ask her why. Why hadn’t she told me sooner about the email? Why in the world had she kept something so important like that a secret from me?

I’ve been so mad that I’m afraid if I do call her now, I’ll say something I may regret later on. Because upon reading it, all I’ve wanted to do was curse her out.

I think back to that dreaded email that morning I was hungover. I still can’t shake the nerves.

I had pulled open my laptop to find a handwritten letter scanned into an email. I’ll never forget the handwriting; the way one letter curled into the next, the way the capital letters took two lines… It’s just one of the things I’ll never forget about my mom.

Dear Alexa,

By the time you read this letter, I’ll most likely have been long gone for a very long time. Let me start by saying how much I love you, sweetheart, and how sorry I am for not being there for you. I’m sorry I won’t be there for you when you say “I do” to the man you love. I’m sorry I won’t be there for the birth of your first child or for the day when you finally open your own business because I know it’s coming. Lexi, I know that’s a dream of yours to have some kind of restaurant or bar, and I know you will have it one day in the future. You’ll stand back tall and proud of all that you’ve accomplished and smile. Just know that I’m so proud of you, too, and that I’m standing right next to you, holding you tightly. I love you. You will always be my little Lexi Bug.

With all this being said, I know that by now, you know