The Beach House • JB

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Sure. . .," Jeremy spoke softly as he waved his hand to a waitress and saw her nod and come over as Justin kept an intense gaze on him. "Are you telling yourself that to cope?"

Justin clenched his jaw and then unclenched it as the waitress came over to the table and took a pen out from her apron followed by the notepad.

"Can I get you both something to drink?"

"I'll take a water, Justin?"

"Water is fine."

Jeremy grinned as the waitress nodded and headed off to fix their drinks, Justin then creased his eyebrows and leaned forward onto the white cloth covered table. "Do you know that we're tied to their business now?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

"But—"

"Honestly, son, this is why I didn't want you to go on this trip. You've lost your touch, we used to make business deals with different affairs in our sleep!"

Justin shook his head. "It's useless talking to you."

"Justin. . .you know why I'm hard on you, right? It's because I'm getting you ready to—"

"Take over the company. . .I know."

Jeremy sighed softly as the waitress came back to the table with Justin and Jeremy's waters and sat them down onto the table and cleared her throat.

"Are we ready to order?"

"We're not dining, love, here's for the waters." Jeremy spoke out as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some money and passed it to the waitress.

"Thank you, sir."

Jeremy hummed in response and watched the waitress head off making him smack his teeth and drink some of his water as Justin watched. "I don't think you realize how bad this deal could've been."

"And I don't think you realize that the business would have been threw if we hadn't taken it."

Justin shook his head and puffed out a slow breath and looked down at his water and took a small sip before looking up to his father again.

"Tell me the connection between you and Winnie's mother."

"Do you really want to know, Justin?"

"Yes. I don't need any more secrets in my life."

"Justin. . .this is something you can't tell anyone. . .not even your little friend, Winnie."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because?"

"She'll hate you."

˚˚˚

Winnie and Peter sat in the chairs that were seated to the left of Anne's hospital bed. Even though Winnie hadn't seen her in a while, she could tell the difference in her appearance, the way her skin color began to fade away from her body and be taken over by a pale complexion, and her soft plump lips began to look more dry and small.

All that was heard through the hospital room was the continuous sound of Anne's heart monitor on the wall that made a constant beep.

"Pete. . ."

"Yes?"

"She's going to be okay, Anne is a strong woman."

Peter let out a shaky breath and nodded as he felt tears prick the back of his eyes as Winnie looked over to him and saw his eyes still on her unresponsive body.