Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Tatum smiles, a little indulgently, I think. “Of course. I brought a car seat and am a pro at installing them, but I’ve always wanted to cruise around Minnesota in a van.” She winks at Sarah Beth. “And we’ll have more room to bring stuffies with us in the van. After hearing about those stairs, I’m not sure we should leave them all at home. It might be too much for Ajax to handle all alone.”
Sarah nods, her eyes bright. “I can put them in my backpack.”
“Or we can make miniature car seats out of paper towel rolls so they can be safe in the car, too,” Tatum says.
“Yes! That would be so cool!” Sarah Beth says, on the verge of some kind of blissed out, excitement seizure.
My daughter has met a kindred spirit who’s going to bring such joy to her life, and I’m so happy for her.
But I can’t help feeling a little sorry for myself. As I give Tatum money for lunch and promise to be home a little earlier than usual to see how their first day went, I have to fight to keep the disappointment from showing on my face.
By the time I get out to the car, my stomach is in knots, and I think I might take my piercing out, once and for all. It will always remind me of that incredible night with Tatum, and I don’t need any reminders that we were ever anything more than boss and employee.
And maybe friends.
Maybe we can be friends someday. As soon as I convince myself I wasn’t already falling in love with her.
“Good luck with that,” I mutter as I start the car and pull out onto to the street, leaving my favorite girl with the incredible woman who can never be mine.
Chapter Six
TATUM
I’m a compartmentalizing champ, a skill I acquired to help deal with the fallout from my drama-inclined clan. With six siblings and a large extended family, someone in the O’Leary orbit is always going through it. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to let the weight of all the emotional commotion drag you down.
I learned early on how to listen to a loved one, empathize and advise, and then lock my worry for them away inside while I took care of business and enjoyed my life.
Once I’ve swallowed the initial wave of disappointment that Drew won’t be my sexy new boyfriend, I get through the day just fine. It helps that Sarah Beth is a complete doll, smart as a whip, and shares my love for pretend. She also loves that I put on skates and take her roller-skating class with her, while the other grown-ups sit in the café, and that I don’t mind crawling under the bushes in the park to look for fairies.
We have such a great time that it isn’t until I put her down for her nap at two that the tightness in my chest comes rushing back. Soon, I’m so bummed, I can’t enjoy my afternoon coffee or the cookie I brought as a first day of work pick-me-up. I think about reaching out to my fam—Lord knows they reach out to me in times of trouble—but no one back home would understand how upsetting this development truly is.
They don’t know Drew or how perfect he is.
And I don’t want to text Mom or Molly or Peach with complaints on my third day in my new town. They weren’t thrilled about me moving so far away in the first place. They’ll tell me this kerfuffle is a sign I should come home, and Mom will promise to set me up with Chris from church.
But I don’t want to go home and Chris from church picks his nose in public. A nose picker would have been bad enough pre-Drew. But after banging the hottest single dad in the country, possibly the world, the thought of sitting down to dinner across from Chris and his diggy fingers threatens to send me into a fit of full-fledged despair.
Grabbing my cell, I shoot a text to Wren—Any chance you’d be up for a happy hour drink tonight? I could use some girl talk. I’m having an unexpectedly rough first day at my new job.
In just a few seconds, Wren texts back—Yes, please! I’m having a Monday, too. I had two nurses call in sick and a patient who needed to be rushed to the hospital for an emergency C-section. I have no idea why she waited so long to come in. I swear, if I ever get pregnant, I’m moving into the hospital at the start of month eight and staying there until the baby’s safely out. So, what’s up with the job? Is the little girl having a hard time adjusting?
Already cheered by our chat, I say—No, she’s an angel and I think we’re going to be great friends. It’s the dad who’s the issue, but I’ll fill you in tonight. This is a story best told in person.