Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
She snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. It made me laugh, which made her laugh and snort again. It was endearing and I liked it.
“Maybe you’d like to come over and watch a movie with us,” I suggested hopefully.
She paused. “I don’t date parents of my kids. In fact, I rarely date.”
“Mia isn’t one of your students, and frankly, Ms. McNeil, we’re already on a date. So, too late.”
“I thought this was lunch.”
“We had wine. It’s a date.”
“Well then, I suppose a movie is acceptable. I can teach you some cooking tips at the same time.”
I pushed away my empty plate. “Awesome.”
CHAPTER THREE
SIMON
Over coffee, the subject came up. Amy stirred cream into her cup, quiet until the server placed the piece of cheesecake between us and left.
“So, Mia’s mother?” she asked quietly.
I sighed and sliced off a bite of cheesecake, chewing the dense richness slowly. I understood her question. She wasn’t going to get involved with someone who might still have an ex and feelings.
“We split when Mia was a baby. Kelsey has not seen her once since then. Mia has no memory of her.”
She gaped at me. “She hasn’t seen her since she was a baby?”
I shook my head. “My ex wasn’t the person I thought she was when I married her. She admitted to me she got pregnant to keep me, but we weren’t compatible at all. She had zero maternal instincts and wanted nothing to do with Mia. She was, is, cold, cruel, and I’m grateful for the fact that she lives her own life. I don’t want my daughter subjected to that sort of influence.”
She reached across the table and covered my hand with hers. “I’m sorry.”
I flipped my hand over, closing my fingers around hers. “It’s fine. I built my life around Mia. I love her. I love being her dad. I regret my marriage but not my daughter.”
“Does Mia ask about her?”
“She did once. I showed her a picture of her mother. She looked at it as if she were looking at a magazine ad. All she said was that she thought she looked more like me. She was far more interested in her uncle.”
“Makes sense. The yearly gifts and all.”
I had told her the whole story about Evan.
“Mia comes first with me. Always,” I told her.
“As she should. I wish all parents were like you. I’ve seen a lot of people more like her mother than I can say.”
She took a bite of cheesecake. “So, you have no contact with your ex?”
I barked a laugh. “When she wants something. She spends money like water. She sets up businesses and drains them, then decides I should help her with the next one. I’m sure her other ex-husbands get the same demands.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “Others, as in, more than one?”
“Two others, I think. Plus, a never-ending turnaround of men. I gave up worrying about it a long time ago. Every so often, I get a letter via my lawyer, demanding money or wanting an investment. The first one, I panicked, thinking she’d come after Mia, and I sent her some money against Halton’s advice. He was right—she kept coming back. The last one, she added a subtle threat about seeing Mia. But I’ve gotten wise, and maybe a little colder, and I shut that down fast. I had my lawyer start a cease and desist action. She gets nowhere near Mia or me. Or another damn cent. I paid her very well to walk away.” I snorted. “Not that she needed much encouragement. All she wanted was the money. All I wanted was Mia and my freedom. It was an easy trade-off, although she made it as difficult as possible.”
She squeezed my hand, and I realized I had been holding hers this whole time.
“It’s been hard on you.”
“I have Mia.”
“You’re a good man, Simon.”
The conversation had gotten too serious. Too heavy. Needing to go back to the light, I winked at her. “Not such a good man that I’ll let you have more than your share of that cheesecake, Amy.” To make my point, I slid my hand away and pulled the plate closer, taking a large bite.
She laughed and picked up her coffee cup. She smiled indulgently. “Have at it. I have maple cookies at home.”
I had to laugh. She was brilliant.
Back at her place, I got my bag of groceries and stood at her door, unsure what to say. I found I didn’t want to leave her, yet I knew I had to go get Mia. Still, I lingered.
Amy was addictive. The rest of the lunch had been filled with sharing information. Grins and mutual laughter. She was witty and fun. Smart and clever. And kind. So kind. I liked how she treated people, spoke to them. She was honest, genuine. Real.