Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Then I found my daughter’s father by accident while skimming web news. It was like some colossal sign.
At first I couldn’t believe it. He looked almost the same, just older, and unfortunately, he also looked sexier. His body was stronger, his inky black hair was a little longer, shagging in just the right way, and his piercing blue eyes were just as mesmerizing as I remembered.
My blood boiled, and I felt like an idiot all over again. To this day, I don’t know who I’m madder at—myself for being so stupid as to sleep with a guy I didn’t know, or him for being the horrible jerk he was once he got what he came for.
Even after moving out here, it had taken me months of deliberating to decide whether or not I wanted to face the man who treated me worse than trash seconds after he was finished with my body. The same man who lied about his last name and didn’t bother to check the condom he tossed in the trash with my pride. I’d never felt so humiliated and debased—so damn used. Even though I threw it out there on a platter for him, I really didn’t expect him to deposit and go like he did.
Shuddering at the memories, I roll my shoulders back. Despite my own personal grievances, we do have a daughter. He’s obviously grown up since I last knew him, and Angel deserves a father. Especially if he wants to be one.
“You’re right. I’ll try. He’d just better not fuck up.”
Bella grins while standing, and she ruffles my hair. “Good. Start with asking him to help us move this weekend. We need the extra muscle.”
My jaw pops open as she walks away, and I turn to follow her through the apartment.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope,” she says idly, making the word pop. “All the men I know are the men I don’t want to know. So ask your child’s father to help his daughter’s mother move your stuff this weekend. He’ll do it, and he’ll be happy you asked. We don’t need to splurge on movers. Or you could ask Roger.”
Oh crap. I forgot to call Roger today. It’s really not a good sign if you can’t remember to call the man you’re dating.
“Roger and I have only been dating for a few weeks, and I don’t know him well enough to introduce him to Angel. That shows a bigger commitment than I’m ready to make.”
She shrugs and moves to the side to start microwaving leftover pizza in our small kitchen.
“Then call the one man you do let around your daughter. Trust me. If he’s the real deal, he’ll help us move.”
Swallowing hard, I glance down at my phone. It would be a test to see how far he’d go for Angel. Up until now, he’s only had to dedicate an hour at a time for her. It might make me feel better to see him interact with her after several hours of tedious, miserable moving. His patience will be frayed after a lot of labor, and he might reveal any hidden colors.
“Quit scheming and call him for the right reasons,” Bella says, proving she knows me too well.
I scowl at her, but I keep my mouth shut while picking up my phone. There’s no need in me calling—that’s what texting is for. The weekend is two days away. He doesn’t start spending more time with her until next week.
This is a perfect opportunity to see the real Wren. And I won’t give him any warning. I’ll wait until tomorrow, where he’ll have to cancel plans to help out.
Chapter 6
WREN
“So the girl is hot, but cold and bitchy. She’s a good mom, but she’s definitely one to hold a grudge. And she’s smart but insanely hung up on one mistake defining a person. And Brin says I’m full of contradictions,” Rye says while taking a sip of his beer and propping his feet up on my coffee table.
I join him, and let my eyes drift up to the ceiling. Never thought I’d be having a heart to heart with Rye Clanton, but if anyone can understand how to deal with someone who doesn’t forgive easily, it’s him. God knows he can hold a grudge better than anyone in the world after the hell he went through. Thank God for Brin Waters. It’s possible she saved him.
“Well, considering I don’t even remember having sex with her the night I got her pregnant, I think she has the right to be judgmental. It figures the one night I acted as callous as Maverick, Corbin, or Tag that I would screw up this monumentally. I still can’t believe I did it.
“Hell, Tag doesn’t remember it either. We were wasted out of our minds that whole week. I was about to take over one of my mom’s smaller companies. Tag had taken the trust fund Mom set up for him, and he had invested every dime into a company he had taken over. We were both becoming real adults, so we wanted to party like fucking kids one last time.”