Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 51122 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 204(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51122 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 204(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
And it broke my heart a little bit that in the year and five months since we’d talked, she hadn’t progressed at all.
Like she was frozen in amber, existing but not living.
I wanted to make her live.
“Dada,” Ulitza said.
I looked down at my girl and saw where she was pointing.
The balloons that were right by where Marlow was now standing.
They were red and green and filled inside with sparkles and lights, making them look like a large snow globe in balloon form.
I went over and nodded my head at Jettison who was holding the balloons tonight.
“You mind if I have six?”
He handed them over gratefully and said, “These were my last ones of the night. See you next year.” He waved.
I walked toward the small group of three children and two adults, handing a balloon to Ulitza before I said, “Is it okay if I give these to the kids?”
Ellenie, who’d been very aware of my presence, sighed. “Don’t hurt her again, man. It took a lot to get her here.”
Then she gestured at the kids, who greedily took a balloon.
“Thanks!” all three said with glee.
I handed one to each lady, too, causing one to smile and one to scowl.
I’ll let you guess which one was which.
I could’ve sworn I heard her growl when she took it.
Then, to prove that there was a god, Ellenie glanced between the two of us and said, “The kids are plum worn out from the circus.”
“We’ve been here an hour max, and the majority of that was waiting in line to get tickets and wristbands,” Marlow corrected her.
I had to hide the lip twitch that threatened to cause her brain to explode.
“I know, but man, this parenting thing is exhausting. I’m going to go,” Ellenie continued.
Ulitza pressed her hand to my throat, her fingers sifting upwards through my beard.
I leaned down and gave her a kiss, and something in Marlow’s gaze changed. Warmed.
“I’m staying at my parents’ house with the kids.” She eyed me. “Feel free to hang out at the apartment.”
I looked toward Marlow, then lifted my brows at her in question.
“That okay with you?” I asked. “So we can talk?”
I’d invite her to my place but…there wasn’t much to it.
A bed, a small living area where Ulitza slept and not much else, and a bathroom that was smaller than small.
No room for Marlow, even though I’d give it the ol’ college try if she would say yes to staying the night with me.
She hesitated, but something in my expression must’ve been all that she needed to see, because her shoulders deflated and she nodded.
“Yes, that’s okay with me,” she admitted softly.
CHAPTER 3
It’s like no one in my family appreciates that I stayed up all night overthinking for them.
-Marlow’s secret thoughts
MARLOW
I was a nervous wreck when I saw the huge truck with the camper shell pull up into the luxury apartment’s parking lot.
I waited next to the spot I wanted him to take, and wondered if there was any way he’d be able to get that massive thing in the spot, but realized in seconds I shouldn’t have worried.
Kristoff had always struck me as a very competent person.
He proved backing a large truck the size of a small house into a tiny parking spot made for a Prius was no challenge to him.
When he got out, he immediately closed the door and went for the passenger side door, pulling out his sleeping daughter.
My heart started to pound.
Could I really do this?
Could I get involved with a man who had a kid? Who’d stood me up for a year?
Because I saw where this was going in his eyes.
Sure, he had a great excuse. I mean, he had a kid for Christ’s sake. How could I fault him for choosing her over me?
That’s right, I couldn’t.
Determination now steeling my spine, I walked up to where he was standing and said, “Follow me.”
He did, not too close, but definitely not far enough away for me to slam the door in his face like I was contemplating.
The door opened wide, and he followed me inside, taking everything in with one swoop.
He’d told me once that he was a firefighter.
Well, he looked very firefighter-esque right now.
He was noting every exit there was, taking in even the smallest details, like the freakin’ smoke detectors that were hung on the ceiling.
I swept my arm out and said, “Come all the way in so I can close the door.”
He did, stepping inside just enough that I could close the door without hitting him.
Barely.
I licked my lips nervously as I walked past him into the living room.
“Do you, uh, want to put her down in Ellenie’s room?” I asked. “She has a king-sized bed.”
He nodded once, then followed behind me to Ellenie’s room with nary a word.
We passed the Christmas tree, and he paused long enough to study one of my favorite ornaments—one that he’d sent me right before it all went down with the two of us.