Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“That I did.” Ezra throws his arm around my shoulder and kisses my temple. “I told you it’d be fine.”
“Are you okay with that, Maria?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “Sure. Why not? You make him happy, right? And you were always nice to me.”
“You are wiser than your years, kid,” I say, hugging her again. “I missed you. My little soccer champ.”
Ezra leads us inside and off the busy street. “I don’t play soccer anymore. I go horse riding now.”
“Oh wow,” I breathe, awed. “I love horses!”
“Yes!” she cheers. “Then maybe I can convince you to buy one.”
I laugh nervously. “I don’t like them that much. But I’ll definitely come riding with you one day.”
“Seriously?”
“As serious as your dad’s disgusting tie today, did you see it?”
“Hey,” Ezra grumbles but his lips are twitching. “That was unnecessary.”
Maria cringes, “That blue, yellow, and white one? So gross.”
“Standing right here.”
“We know,” Maria and I chorus and join the line.
“Why don’t I wait here so we don’t lose our place and you two go choose snacks?” I suggest, looking at the mile-long lines at all of the kiosks.
Ezra kisses my jaw and takes his daughter away. I watch them go and pull out my notebook.
His daughter is amazing and so gorgeous.
“Do you want candy?” she asks, returning to me while my head is down.
I nod. “Of course I want candy.”
She takes off again, back to her father who winks at me.
I hope everything stays this amazing. I really do.
When the movie ends, we take Maria back to her mother, something Ezra relinquished to his wife per the divorce settlement agreement. I sit in the car and watch him walk her to the door which is lit from within. Such a gorgeous home.
The door opens and Maria hugs her dad goodbye, then hugs her mom hello. Then Elizabeth looks at the car and though there is a good twenty feet between us I see her body become stiff as a board.
I knew this wasn’t a good idea. I told him to take me to Laurie’s first, but he said that it’s time.
Whatever that means.
I don’t know what she says to Ezra but she’s angry and he physically stops her from charging my way. They argue for a while and then she shouts the word “WHORE!” at me and slams the door in his face.
He strides back, looking apologetic. “Sorry about that.”
“I told you to take me to Laurie’s.”
“She needed to see you.”
“Does she even know we’re seeing each other again?”
He nods in the dark and places his hand on the back of my seat while reversing out of the driveway. “Of course she does, I told her that I wanted to try and get you back.”
“And now she knows you have.”
“Have I?” he asks cautiously. “How’s that jar?”
When I don’t reply, his smile loses its light. “We’ll get there.”
“I know.”
I consider filling it with random scraps of paper but that would be cheating.
Instead I write down another, ready to add to the jar when I return home.
He’s patient, more so than me.
Though I did sort of cheat at one point. I added numerous notes, such as:
I love his penis.
I love how thick his penis is.
I love how good he is at using his penis.
His penis is beautiful.
Then I stopped that because I wanted the jar to be more authentic and not just penis related. He’d given me twelve orgasms that weekend though. TWELVE.
“You don’t think she’ll try and turn Maria against me, do you?”
“I think Maria is far too smart to be poisoned by such bitterness. She loves you in her own way and always will.”
I breathe a sigh of relief and write down another note:
He always says the right things.
“Let’s go see Laurie,” I order, throwing away my tension and bouncing excitedly in my seat. “I really hope she’s home.”
“You didn’t call first?”
“No. I want her tics to go mental.”
“Can I record her?”
“Not if you want to leave with your nose all perfect like it is.”
He chuckles at that and I yawn loudly. “Tired?”
“It has been a really busy day. Your mom dragged me around the city, trying to remind me why I should live here again.”
His face is carefully blank. “Did she manage it?”
I shrug a little. “I really love Seattle.”
“But… it’s Los Angeles.”
“Why does everybody say it like that?”
“Because it is.”
He grins but then it vanishes.
Of course I notice and reach over to stroke his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“I have no right to ask,” he admits, pressing his lips together. “None at all.”
“Ask anyway.” I want to know what’s eating at him.
He inhales as though preparing himself and then exhales slowly. “Truth be told I’m terrified of the answer. Worried that maybe I’m asking too soon.”
“Just ask,” I say, grinning now because he’s just so cute sometimes.
With his hand on my thigh, he finally finds the courage. “Is there another reason why you want to stay behind? Another man perhaps?”