Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 68576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
“Boys,” Dad said. “I have to literally appear to be a professional here. So do you.”
“Sure, Dad. Sure.” Quincy came back in.
“Y’all are awful,” Dad grumbled. “Sit the hell down and shut up. We have some things to talk about.”
We all sobered.
He was right.
Dammit.
Good women still exist, but our stomachs are not flat and we talk back.
—Pepper to Atlas
PEPPER
I was exhausted.
I hadn’t slept well last night because of a certain someone’s words.
I’d been, once again, dismissed by the man who had such a tight hold on my heart that I was being dumb and staying where I was needed—not wanted.
I’d gotten home hours ago, thinking for sure I would have to deal with Atlas upon arriving to his house, but he was nowhere to be found.
The house was just as silent as it’d been when I’d left this morning.
I watched a full movie and a half with Forest while we played with some toy cars before I realized that Atlas wouldn’t be making it home by dinner.
I’d found something for us both to eat, and then I’d gotten Forest ready for bed.
I hadn’t actually taken care of a child before fully on my own.
Sure, I’d had a couple of hours here and there with my niblings—nieces and nephews—but I hadn’t had one on one with the full expectation of it only being me with no end in sight.
I could’ve called Atlas, but again, I was trying to put distance between us by not calling or texting when I didn’t need to.
After I’d read Forest a story, we’d rocked in the rocking chair again like last night, and soon he was asleep.
It was an hour after I’d gotten him to bed when I found myself in my bedroom, once again wondering if this was the best idea.
Was it smart to be falling in love with a kid who belonged to a man who continuously let me know that I wasn’t important?
Was it smart to be insinuating myself into their lives when it would be smarter to let them figure it out on their own?
And there I was, looking for daycares that had abnormal hours for the working parents who didn’t have the usual nine-to-five.
“What are you looking at?”
I gasped and twisted on the bed, finding myself staring at Atlas and Gable.
“Uh,” I resisted the urge to reach for the laptop and slam it shut.
Old habits died hard.
I hated when people—Sage most importantly—read over my shoulder and knew what I was doing.
“Are those daycares?” Atlas asked, looking stunned.
I immediately started backpedaling. “It’s not that I’m not willing to watch him whenever I’m off, but I have to keep my job with Maven. I gave her a promise when I started working, and I don’t break my promises. No matter what. It’s something that I had to do a lot growing up with Sage, and it gives me PTSD if I don’t follow through. And, just sayin’, but you’re going to be working throughout the days sometimes. Your family all have lives, too. I know that…”
Atlas came forward and caught my sock-covered toes. “It’s okay. I understand why you’re looking. Thank you. Have you found anything?”
I sat up with my laptop and said, “A few. Want to see?”
“Come out to the kitchen, I brought tacos from Tacos Goyo. I figured you ate, but I brought some anyway, just in case,” he babbled.
Babbled.
It was… cute.
“Sure,” I said, closing my laptop and bringing it with me.
The two men worked in tandem at the counter to divide the food.
I watched them place not one, not two, not three, but six tacos on my plate, and started shaking my head.
“Not that I don’t appreciate the food,” I said carefully. “But there’s no way in hell I’m eating six tacos. Feel free to grab three back.”
“Nice.” Gable took two, but Atlas left the other for me.
“I’ll take the last one if you don’t finish,” he offered, carrying my plate and his to the table. “How did he go to sleep?”
“Like a dream,” I admitted. “I hate to admit this, but it’s like he just expects to be put in there with the door closing on you as you leave. It’s likely he goes to sleep on his own without help. But I’ve rocked him to sleep both nights, and he’s been a little snuggle bug the entire time.”
“I walked out this morning and he was wide awake, just sitting in his bed waiting for me to come in there,” he grumbled, looking upset. “I have to wonder if it’s normal for Emory to just leave him in there for who knows how long while she sleeps. Or hell, just any time she doesn’t want to deal with him.”
“Don’t overthink it,” Gable urged. “Just think about how great he sleeps and leave it at that. Just make sure you let him know he can come wake you up if he gets up before you.”