Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 89145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Before I reached West’s street, I popped an Altoid and dug out my spare deodorant from the glovebox. It was definitely easier to apply when I was wearing a tee instead of a fucking button-down.
No more hiding. Aside from cigarette smoke. I didn’t need Ellie more curious.
I pulled into the driveway and killed the engine.
As soon as I stepped out, I could hear laughter from the other side of the house, and it was Trip.
I bet he didn’t wanna leave the pool.
Knowing West wouldn’t hear me knocking if he was out back, I rang the doorbell instead.
Even the fucking doorbell sounded snooty.
I’d grown up with a broken buzzer. Out here, you got a fucking symphony.
“Daddy’s here!” I heard Ellie squeal.
I smiled, and a breath gusted out of me. Now they were mine for a week. Thank fuck. Unlike West, my schedule during the day was flexible, so the kids were stuck with me. When West had them, he dropped them off at various summer activities and day camps—which was fun for them, of course. Even Trip, who’d attended an art class and workshops. All private, of course. Ellie was a social butterfly, so she requested the places her friends went to.
“I’m not telling you again, Noelle,” West said. Oh, the stern Daddy voice. I’d been on the receiving end of that in the bedroom.
“Fiiiine!” Ellie whined in return.
I waited a few more seconds, and then West opened the door, creating a draft. Fuck, he must’ve been in the pool too. It wasn’t often I got to see him in his swim trunks anymore.
“Sorry, we’re running a little behind,” he said stoically. “I’ll get them ready.”
“It’s fine,” I answered on autopilot. Then I cleared my throat and noticed he wasn’t making eye contact. “No rush.”
He furrowed his brow and let me in. “Do, uh…do you want coffee, or…?”
Oh.
That was new.
“Nah, I’m good.” I walked in and didn’t wanna get my signals crossed. Just because I’d said no rush didn’t mean I was expecting to be invited in. I knew my place in the hallway. Or foyer. Whatever. “I’ll wait here. Just—no need to rush them.”
I was saved from the potential awkwardness when Trip hurried in, wearing only his shorts and Hulk sandals, and he smiled widely at me.
“Hi, Dad! I’m just gonna go upstairs and change.”
“Hey, buddy. Go ahead and shower too,” I told him. “I thought we could go out for steaks right away.”
He lit up. “Yes! I’ll hurry.” He was off again, running up the stairs.
Ellie followed a beat later, sulking and dragging her feet. She had a pink towel wrapped around her shoulders.
“Hi, Daddy…” She came over to me. “You don’t look weird today. That’s nice.”
I snorted softly and hugged her, and I dipped down to kiss her damp hair. Mmm, chlorine. “Thanks, baby girl. You can shower after your brother. We’re not stopping by at home before we go out for dinner.”
“Okay. But just so you know,” she said, peering up at me, “it would be nice to have dinner in the pool sometime.”
I chuckled. “In the pool or by the pool?”
“I said what I said,” she huffed.
I felt my forehead crease, and I watched her stomp off and up the stairs.
Someone was in a mood.
“I’ll be up to help you when your brother’s finished, princess,” West said.
“Uh-huh.” That was the last we heard from her before she slammed the door shut to her room.
“Can you imagine when she becomes a teenager?” I asked.
“I’d rather not.” West eyed me briefly. “You know as well as I do that this is going to take a moment. At least come inside.” He gestured toward the kitchen.
That wasn’t wise. Being who I was, with the blurting shit out, I’d prefer to stay here and summon up the courage for another week before I bombarded him with apologies.
“Actually, I’ll go wait in my car.” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. “I’m prepared with deodorant and Altoids so they can’t smell my smoking.” And the kids would be busy for a while.
West hitched his eyebrows. “You’re smoking again?”
Check me out, being all honest and shit.
“Not every day,” I replied. I opened the door and glanced back at him. “I guess it’s one of the many things I’ve been hiding from you. I’ll be back in fifteen.” I walked out, and before the door closed, I heard him.
“I don’t appreciate the sarcasm!”
“It wasn’t!” I hollered back.
For the record, he used to love my sarcasm.
I unlocked my car when I was halfway there, and—fuck, he wasn’t letting this go. I heard him step out.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked.
I frowned at him over my shoulder, then turned to walk backward. “What is what supposed to mean?”
Don’t blurt shit out, man. This is not the time!
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, and then he scrubbed it down his face. “Never mind. I’m not getting into this with you. I just don’t think we need to make shit worse by being sarcastic.”