Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 61542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Man, he really gets on my nerves sometimes.
Katie
Sawyer’s friend is kind of weird—not that I’m surprised because my brother’s a weirdo, so of course, he has weirdo friends.
So, I get home from my shift at the hospital—now that I’ve got William in my life, I don’t have any time left to do any moonlighting anymore.
(In other words, I’m earning less money and spending more because of the kid. It’s a cliché, I know. All parents say the same thing. But I have to say again: it’s hard, but it’s all worth the hard work. William’s worth all the sacrifices I’ve made.)
I’m standing in the kitchen, just putting some last-minute garnish on the roast chicken, when Sawyer shows up.
I have a stupid galley kitchen layout where I have two full, parallel countertops that stretch all the way to the ceilings. This means there’s a wall that separates the kitchen from the living room, which also means it takes some advanced acrobatics to keep an eye on William sometimes when I cook, especially now that he’s started to waddle around.
That’s why it’s easier to have Sawyer come over and eat my food rather than deal with housework and a baby at the same time.
I even managed to convince him to make weekend dinners a family tradition. I tell him his nephew needs a male role model in his life, and Sawyer just eats that up.
In reality, I just need all the help I can get, and I’m not above lying to my brother to get it. I’m not proud of it, but it’s hard being a single parent, okay? Besides, maybe William will actually appreciate having Sawyer as his “male role model.”
Sometimes, Mr. Role Model brings a guest to dinner. It’s usually not a problem; it’s not terribly difficult to cook slightly more food. But occasionally, he brings home some really weird people.
Like tonight, for example.
Sawyer appears at one end of the kitchen, carrying William in his arms and holding an index finger out for the baby to grab in his tiny hands.
I look up from my chicken to find that another man’s joined them. Unlike Sawyer’s other dinner guests, he’s really well-dressed.
He’s wearing a pair of dark slacks, a button-down shirt, and a navy-blue cardigan on top of it. He’s rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing the shiny watch around his wrist—it looks expensive.
He’s handsome. Messy dark hair that looks like it would be soft to the touch; warm, green eyes; and strong, chiseled features.
He stands stiffly beside Sawyer, both men so tall they almost completely block my exit.
Sawyer’s friend stares at me so strangely I feel like I need to check my appearance in the mirror. Maybe there’s something stuck to my face; or maybe I’ve turned purple. I don’t know. Why else would he be looking at me like that?
“Hi,” I say, giving him a friendly smile. I may think he’s weird, but I’m also the host. I should be welcoming.
Sawyer’s friend appears alarmed, as if he wasn’t even expecting me to be able to speak.
His mouth opens, and he makes a noise that sounds like an elongated “haaa.” He seems to catch himself and clears his throat. “Hi,” he says, his lips forming a forced, reluctant smile.
I give Sawyer a look.
My brother shrugs at me as he slaps the guy lightly on the back. “Katie, this is my friend, Adam. Adam, my sister, Katie.”
“Nice to meet you, Adam.” As I smile politely at Adam, a bizarre feeling of familiarity descends upon me. I feel like I’ve met Adam before. But where?
I used to know everybody in the party scene. But those people come and go; none of them hang around anymore since I became pregnant and couldn’t go out drinking.
Now, the only person I have time to hang out with is Daisy. She used to work as a nurse at the same hospital as me, and we even used to live together, but she moved out because she met some guy.
Okay, Caine’s more than “some guy.” They’re actually married, and they’re probably the best couple I know, but he still stole my roommate and my best friend from me.
But where could I have met this Adam guy? I feel like I’d remember meeting a rich, handsome weirdo like him.
“Hey, Mommy, whatcha cooking?” Sawyer asks in a baby voice. “Is it icky, dry chicken again?”
William laughs at Sawyer’s scrunched-up face. He repeats, “Doo-why chicken.”
“No, Mommy’s using a new-and-improved recipe,” I say calmly as I pick up the plate. “Besides, if Uncle Sawyer’s so picky, he can be the one to cook.”
“So, William, that’s what we call ‘lashing out,’” Sawyer says. “It’s what people do when they feel insecure about something. I don’t know about you, but I have a bad feeling about this ‘new-and-improved’ chicken.”
My brother puts on an exaggerated sad face, which makes William laugh hysterically. It saddens me that I have a traitor as a son.