Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
The two women stepped out onto the patio in yoga pants and formfitting hoodies, and they were in a much too good of a mood at this hour.
“Hey!” Haley waved to us before zeroing in on the bassinet. “Aw, my li’l crybabies. Your favorite auntie is here.”
“Hi, Momma, I sit here!” Sam declared.
“I can see that, love. Hi, everyone.” Nikki kissed the top of her head, then found a seat next to Jake. “Did you…?”
Jake shook his head, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “Not yet.”
I was missing something.
“Well, what’re you waiting for?” Nikki shooed him off the sofa. “Go do your thing, cowboy.”
“Jesus,” Jake laughed.
I lifted my eyebrows.
“All right, come on.” He jerked his chin at me, and that cleared up none of the confusion. “Y’all little runts be good for Nikki.”
“Nikki,” Colin snickered. “That’s Mommy, Daddy.”
“Oh. You’re right, buddy.” Jake played along, and I guessed I could do the same. I slipped Sam off my lap and rose from my seat. “Uncle Roe and I will be right back. Finish your breakfast.”
I hadn’t even started mine.
Completely fucking lost, I followed Jake back into the house, and he led the way down the hall toward our studio.
“Wait there one sec,” he said outside the room.
“All right.” I scratched the side of my head.
He must’ve literally just meant a second, and he didn’t close the door or anything. I heard the sound of a lighter, and then he turned around to reveal… Oh Christ. I smiled and shook my head. It was a cupcake with two candles in the shape of number 30.
“We’re done postponin’ your big thirtieth,” he told me. “There’s a bigger cake waiting for you in New York, but this will have to do for now.”
Whoa, wait. New York?
“This is sweet, Jake, but you know I can’t go anywhere right now, yeah?”
“Actually, you can,” he replied. “Nikki and I have personally spoken to Sandra’s mother, who, for the record, thinks you need this too. You and I fly out with the kids—all of them—tonight at eleven PM.”
Oh fuck. My stomach fluttered with nerves. The prospect of seeing my family, my other family, made me wanna jump up and down like Casper after too much candy. Did Jake really mean this? Was he serious? Wait up. No. Fuck, no. I was not bringing two infants on a plane. Was that even safe? Would the other passengers survive?
In the matter of a second, my heart went from soaring to crashing.
“I-I can’t fly with the little ones,” I managed to get out.
Jake just smiled. “Not even if we flew private?”
What?
“What?” I stared at him. He didn’t mean that. Did we have that kind of money? I mean, sure, I supposed, but—
“The answer is yes, Roe.” He took a step closer and held up the cupcake. “It’s a total tax write-off too, because we have business to tend to in New York tomorrow afternoon.”
I exhaled shakily, suddenly a ball of nerves. My chest threatened to explode with hope, and I was an emotional fucking wreck these days. Not a whole lot was required for me to tear up. I’d gotten all mushy at a goddamn diaper commercial the other day. Don’t get me fucking started on ads about shelter animals.
“But Sandra—”
“Will be looked after by her mother,” Jake said patiently. “I swear, buddy. We’ve thought of everythin’. The twins are good to fly, I’ve packed for Casper already, and Elsie’s prepared for the little ones in New York. She has the right formula, the right diapers, all of it. Greer is comin’ up from Virginia, so he’s picking us up as soon as we land.”
Jesus Christ, he couldn’t do this to me. I felt my chin quiver and my vision turn blurry, and I had to cover my mouth with my hand. I couldn’t believe him. That he’d do this for me. I mean, no, it was actually right up his alley to be this thoughtful, but still. This had come out of nowhere, and I didn’t know what to say.
Jake returned the cupcake to our table, then hauled me in for a tight hug.
That fucking shattered me.
I sniffled and felt months of tension start to drain out of me.
“You need a break, darlin’,” he murmured.
I screwed my eyes shut and locked my arms around his neck.
He didn’t know what this meant to me. The surprise, his generosity, the idea, his arms around me…
When he tightened his hold, I kicked the door shut behind us, needing a few more moments. He’d joked in the past how my extrovert stole energy from his introvert, and maybe that was true. He did energize me. He gave me strength.
“I got you.” He rubbed my back soothingly, and I sniffled again.
I missed him so much.
“I’m sorry for bein’ a fucking mess,” I croaked.
He sighed and kissed my temple. “You’ve been alone with two infants and a toddler for almost four months, Roe. You don’t eat enough, you don’t sleep enough, and you get little support from home—”