Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
“From the looks of it,” she notes, “I don’t think it’s history.”
“He broke up with me when he was drunk two years ago,” I tell her, and she stops walking, “and then a couple of months ago hired me to plan his wedding with his fiancée.”
“I had a one-night stand and ended up having a baby,” she finally says, and my eyes almost pop out of their sockets. “Met this guy at a bar. He was so hot.” She smiles. “Had the hottest sex of my life with him. Then woke up and cringed that I just had a one-night stand, and instead of staying and talking to him, I did the walk of shame at six in the morning. Six weeks later, I was pregnant, and when I went back to tell him, he was moved out and gone.”
“Oh my God,” I say, putting my hand to my mouth. “Fine, you win.”
“I did win,” she declares. “I have the best kid that you could ever have. Avery is all me just with her father’s face,” she says sadly, “and for the rest of my life I’m going to make sure she never feels like she missed out by not having a dad.”
I walk over to her and give her a hug. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t meet my dad until I was five.” She gasps. “He and my mother had a one-night stand before he left for the military, and then surprise, out came me. Five years later, she went back to town because her grandfather died and my father was also back in town.”
“Wow,” Addison says.
“Yeah, plus I’ve met Avery and she is the coolest kid I’ve ever met. And I have a lot of practice with cousins,” I assure her as I slip my arm in hers. “I want you to promise me something.”
“Oh,” Addison says, “I won’t tell anyone about tonight.”
“I don’t give a shit about that. I want you to promise me that if you ever need help, you’ll come to me.”
She looks down. “Thank you,” she says softly. “My parents disowned me when I had Avery.” I put my hand to my chest. “They refused to have a daughter who had a child out of wedlock.”
“Addison,” I murmur softly, my heart literally breaking for her.
“My sister and brother.” She wipes away a tear, and now I feel like an asshole for making her feel bad. “They didn’t want to piss off Mom and Dad, nor did they want to get their trust fund taken away, so they just found it was easier to pretend I didn’t exist. When I had Avery, I dressed her up in the cutest outfit I could find and went to see them. I thought for sure once they saw her, they would come to their senses.” She smiles through the tears. “Needless to say, they slammed the door in my face and pretended I wasn’t even there.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Excuse me, but they are assholes,” I tell her, “and they don’t deserve to have you or Avery in their lives.”
“Thank you,” she says. “Getting this job meant everything to me. Just being part of a team and not just a number.”
“You aren’t just a member of the team,” I explain to her. “You’re now family. I mean, dysfunctional, but still.”
“I’ll take it,” she replies as we get into the car. I start the car, and she just looks at me.
“What?” I ask, and she tilts her head to the side.
“You have to text him that you got in the car,” she reminds me, and I glare at her.
“If you think I’m going to do what he says to do, you have another think coming.” I shake my head. “He’s lucky I’m going to meet him, and the only reason I’m going to meet him is because he’ll probably show up at my house or at work.”
She snickers beside me. “This is going to be fun,” she says, clapping her hands.
I shake my head, not bothering arguing with her. I drop her off at Shelby’s house where she left her car and Avery. I pull out of the driveway and my phone rings. I look at the center console, seeing that Matthew is calling.
“Are you calling to cancel?” I say cheerfully, and he just laughs.
“I’m calling because you never texted me,” he huffs. “Where are you?”
“Where are you?” I answer his question with a question as I make my way into town.
“I just got out of the shower,” he actually answers. “Are you at the restaurant?”
“I am not,” I say, and he doesn’t even wait for me to answer him.
“Fine, I’ll come to your house,” he mutters and I laugh at him.
“I’m on my way to the restaurant, don’t get your panties in a twist.”