Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 143382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
I focused on her.
Her expression was deadly serious.
“Listen to me, Jess,” she stated in full Rock Chick Advisory Mode. “Do not let them boggle your mind with their good looks and healthy rationing of orgasms. It doesn’t seem those orgasms will wear off when they’re happening.”
Luke chuckled.
Ava shot him a death glare and came back to me.
“But they do. The haze clears. And then suddenly you realize you let them get away with a whole bunch of shit they never should have attempted in the first place.” The death glare went back to Luke. “Like spoiling your daughters, allowing all your buds to spoil them too, and as such, ruining their plans for future happiness.”
“Ava,” I called, and she returned her attention to me. “I think you know this, but just to say, first, they’re giving your girls indication they shouldn’t settle for anyone who doesn’t listen, doesn’t take their wishes into account, and doesn’t move mountains, when it’s within their power, to see to them. And second, when they find that guy, he’s not gonna give that first shit she’s got an overbearing father and a dozen uncles who are the same. He’ll win her heart and Luke and the Hot Bunch will just have to find it in them to deal.”
Luke grunted unhappily.
Ava shot me a winning smile.
As for me, with two parents who treated me and my brother like heirlooms they didn’t want, but couldn’t give away, and Eric, who’d had his family disintegrate one hideous Christmas Eve, what I just watched boded beautiful things for our future.
A man who considered a child’s opinion was not only worthwhile to listen to, but act on immediately, was going to be a great dad.
Obviously, I didn’t want to be around spoiled brats, and definitely not raise any, but there’d come a time at Michael’s where Ava was done, and she’d said a quiet, “Enough, Maisie,” and Maisie let it go.
Clearly, she was a kid who had been taught she was free to be herself, but when she pushed it too far, all Mom had to do was say two words, and she’d also been taught to mind.
I believed every kid should be spoiled a little bit, they should feel safe to express themselves at all times, and in a matter as unimportant as purple ribbon, a good man in their lives they loved and trusted taking them to the store to buy it was a precious thing.
Luke moved back to finish positioning the boughs around the television and Ava edged closer to me.
“The guys and girls are pretty excited about what’s happening with you and Eric,” she whispered.
How sweet!
I looked at her with a smile on my face.
But her face grew stone-cold.
“We’ve waited a long time for him to find a good woman who makes him happy. But, if you hurt him, you are dead to us forever.”
She said these words like she really meant them, and more, the Rock Chicks might actually make me dead if I hurt Eric.
Therefore, I blinked.
The doorbell rang.
“Got it,” Luke said and moved that way.
Ava shifted from me like she didn’t just little-sister threaten me about Eric.
“Where are my babies?”
At this demand, my attention hit the door to see most of the rest of our party was arriving. That being Shirleen, Moses, Roam, Cap and Raye.
Jeff was also coming, but since I got a text from him twenty minutes ago asking Eric’s booze preferences, I figured he was at Total Wine for a host gift.
Cap was carrying a bottle of wine, so was Roam, but Moses was carrying a foil wrapped platter.
Moses and Shirleen didn’t even live in Phoenix yet (though, the offer they put on that condo was accepted, which meant they were officially moving down early in the new year), so how they had a platter, I didn’t know. But I suspected whatever was under that foil was made in Raye’s kitchen, seeing as Cap relinquished it to his mom every once in a while.
“Eric took them to Michael’s to buy more ribbon,” Ava said, walking out from behind Eric’s island direct to Moses.
I watched Shirleen take in the tree, the opened boxes of ornaments, the three cute, but lonely moose on his coffee table, then Ava.
“Are they hitting Pottery Barn and Home Goods too?” she asked as she gave Ava a hug.
“I hope not,” Ava replied, heading for more hugs from Roam, Cap and Raye.
She did this as Shirleen was pulling her phone out of her purse.
She stopped doing it when she noticed Shirleen engaging her phone to send a text.
“Do not tell Eric to take my girls to Pottery Barn,” Ava commanded.
“I’m getting my bearings, girl, and Pottery Barn is literally five minutes away, so it’s no skin off his nose to do a drive-by,” Shirleen retorted. She tipped her head to the island. “I see you got the food ready. I also see no pigs in a blanket, which is why we brought some, and the last thing I see is this house is woefully under-decorated.”