Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
I step back and without looking at him I head toward my apartment. As soon as I get inside, I know I can’t stay there either and grab my keys to head to Leslie’s.
twenty-one
wade
It’s been two weeks since Lemon told me she needed some time to take everything in. I didn’t give it to her. Maybe that was mean of me, but I didn’t care. I let her walk away that morning but followed her to her apartment and caught her before she could escape to Leslie’s. I was ready to fight for everything. I wasn’t giving up and I wasn’t going to let Lemon push me away. Not again.
However, in those two weeks, we haven’t seen each other. My nerves are frayed because after spending the night with her and going from finally having her back into my life, to not being able to see her, has me on edge. We have talked on the phone and texted occasionally. But I haven’t laid my eyes on her at all. It’s not because we don’t want to, it’s because of time. Honestly, I’m tempted to go break the sprinkler line at the school again just so I can see her.
Angry Lemon is sexy.
With Ana living here now, I’ve had time to catch up on work and some of my bigger projects. Goldie is still living with me full-time, so Ana comes and goes from my house. It’s easier this way and we both agreed she will stay at my parents until she finds a place, and not in my guest bedroom. I don’t want to give Lemon any excuse to feel like I’m doing something behind her back.
Tonight is the school carnival. I’m not sure how this is going to go. My heart races with anticipation of seeing Lemon. I’ll be in her environment, where she has to be on her A game. She can’t flounder or show any weaknesses in front of school board members, and she doesn’t need me complicating the night for her.
This will be the first time since Ana arrived that we’ll be out as a family. It’s a waste of gas for us not to go as a family. It’s not like I’m going to stand on the other side of the room and then yell switch when it’s my turn with Goldie. We’ve never done that before. Even when Ana was with Franco. We’ve always been a united front.
Tonight’s carnival is a fundraiser for the school. There’s a silent auction which I donated to. Much like I have in years past. At first, I donated a free mowing job, but then Ana filled out the form and the next thing I know, I’ve been volunteered to dig another garden. My luck, someone will want something massive, and it won’t be just tilling the land. I’ll probably have to plant everything too.
We arrive together, in Ana’s rental. Next week, Jed and I, along with Landon and a few other guys are taking Ana to Jacksonville. It’s a community effort. I have a U-Haul reserved near her house there, and she’ll go through and point out everything she’s taking. Franco assures me he won’t be there, but you never know. I started reading a book on how to help Ana with what she’s going through. Offering her unconditional support is paramount in her heading process. Plus knowing we have her back, no matter what, helps. I think Franco knows to stay away from the house while we’re there.
After parking, I get out and help Ana and Goldie out of the car. We each take one of her hands and make our way into the school, along with other families. By the time we reach the gym, there’s a line to get in.
“Daddy, we have to buy tickets,” Goldie says as she tugs on my hand.
“For what?”
“For all the games,” she says. “There’s bobbing for apples. And I think we can throw pies at our gym teacher. And a dunk tank.”
I look at Ana. “This sounds like the carnival from the movie, Grease. Do you remember it?”
Ana laughs. “I assure you the elementary school is not full of hormonal debauchery.”
“The high is,” I mumble as we step forward. There is a list of packages we can buy. Of course, I get the biggest one, even though I’m sure Goldie won’t need all these extra tickets.
We take our pile of tickets and the printed map we were given into a toilet papered gymnasium. I look around at all the streamers, balloons, and all the booths. Kids run around screaming, while some parents gather. Teachers are dressed up in what I’m assuming are their Halloween costumes even though we are weeks away.
“Wow,” I say as we stand there with Goldie tugging on our hands. “The staff really outdid themselves.”
“Thanks, I’ll pat myself on the back.”