Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 56295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“That’s a relief. I’ll get her home so you can have some kind of reprieve. Thank you for taking care of them today. They love you, you know?” I place my hands in my pockets to keep them from touching him.
“The feeling is mutual. I’ll come over later on. We’ll have that talk, and Leigh?” He stops me from moving toward Rory to coax her out of the Camaro.
“Yes, Nix?”
“Drink your wine. You need another bottle, I’ll bring it to you.” Seems he’s noticed more than I hoped for. His eyes land on the necklace he gave me after Emmy was born, the girls’ birthstones nestled next to one another. As for the jewelry David game me, it’s gone—pawned, hawked, sold, whatever you want to call it. The gold chain Nix gave me, that I will never sell or give away. Everything else, though, was fair game. His parents didn’t understand it at the time, until I laid it out for them. The girls were at Nix’s parents’ one day when they stopped by. All of the bills were on the kitchen table. I was drowning in debt, not having moved to full-time work as of yet. That’s when they got it, even attempted to help me out financially, but I refused. The only thing I’d let them help me with was clothes, school supplies, and helping me take the girls to and from when needed.
“Nix.” I close my eyes. If he realizes I’ve cut other things out, well, that’s a conversation I’d rather not have.
“Can’t I stay here a smidge longer?” Rory asks, pushing as much as she can.
“Not up for discussion. Rory girl, you know I love you, but the Camaro needs to go back to the shop. I can’t take you all to Ya-Ya’s and Baboosh’s in this car, so say goodbye to Black Betty.” It seems Nix is helping me out yet again.
“Thanks, Nix.” Rory unfolds from the car, comes over to Nix, giving him a hug, then walks to me, an arm going around my shoulder, since we’re not the same height. “Madre, I’m going to see if Mary feels like company tonight.”
“Anytime, Rory,” Nix responds. Heat blazes in his eyes when they land on mine.
“Let me know. The sooner, the better, so I can figure out dinner, okay?” I tell her. In all honestly, it’s so I can take a shower, throw on some comfy clothes, and ditch the bra.
“Later, Leigh.” I nod in agreement. Even if Nix does come over, I’ll throw on a baggy shirt. I’m officially off the clock for two days, minus dinner at his parents’. Operation Dress Like a Bum is about to commence.
8
NIX
After the girls and Leigh left, it was time for me to work around the inside and outside of the house, knowing tomorrow was going to be one where I’d be surrounded by the best of both worlds. What the girls don’t know is that I’ve got a trick up my sleeve, one that I think all of them could use right about now. So, I got to work. Since I was already dirty, I started with the yard work, taking my shirt off, pulling the lawn mower out, and getting shit done. By the time I had sweat dripping off my body, I noticed Rosaleigh was sitting on her front porch, changed from her work clothes into a tank top and cut-off jean shorts. I was tempted to quit what I was doing, to walk over to her house and have that talk we’ve been needing to have, and I probably would if the girls still weren’t home. Instead, I just kept trucking along, mowing, then pulling out the weed eater to finish the job, stealing glances at the beauty who had no problem keeping her eyes locked on me. Believe me, it wasn’t an easy task, especially when I caught her out of the corner of my eye, gaze lingering on my body while her teeth were pressing into her lower lip.
I waited this long. A few more hours weren’t going to hurt me. So, I did what I needed on the outside of the house until the yard was back in shape. In a couple more weeks, I’d have to deal with it again. I’ve been a bachelor all of my thirty-three years. I’m that schmuck who wanted the girl he thought he never could have. Now it seems like all the waiting was worth it. Not being able to touch Leigh like I wanted once Douchebag David cut and run, knowing the pain she and the girls would be going through, it was hard. Especially when Rory and Emmy had no problem running to me when it was a shoulder they needed to lean on or an ear to listen to their worries. The only person who was reluctant in doing so was Leigh.