Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
But I only get as far as the locked screen when a missed text message catches my attention.
Figuring it’s Mo again with more pictures of the boys at the baseball game, I head straight for my inbox, but my eyebrows draw together and my heart starts pounding like a damn kick drum inside my chest when I see the sender is Dr. Noah Philips.
Oh God, did he see me at the bar earlier tonight?
The mere thought of him witnessing me rushing out like my ass was on fire makes my face heat with embarrassment.
His message came in about an hour ago, most likely when I was in the nervous, anxious midst of my first date in years. Which is confusing as hell because he was still on a date too.
I hover my fingers over the keys as I waver on whether to open it.
Ultimately, though, my curiosity wins out.
Noah: I didn’t get a chance to ask you yesterday, but how did it go with Seth’s principal?
Relief fills my lungs with air. He didn’t see me, thank goodness.
And it’s super sweet that he’s checking in on my son, but I don’t have the energy to answer him tonight.
Gavin Evans is a really nice guy, and so is Noah Philips.
The problem is, these days, in the world of Sammy Baker, pretty much all guys finish last.
Monday, April 25th
“Why do alligators have legs?” Grant asks, tugging at my hand with his skip as we stroll through Central Park.
“Well, I would imagine it’s because they walk on land, buddy. Just like we do.”
The day is sun-filled, and even though the spring air is still cool enough to require a jacket, it’s more than apparent by the size of the late-morning crowd that everyone in the city is ready to be outside and enjoying warmer weather after the long winter months. I’m still trying to feel completely dried out after Saturday night, and the sun feels like it’s the only thing that helps.
Technically speaking, Grant should be in his afternoon kindergarten class right now, but he’s off for a scheduled in-service day. La Croisette is closed on Mondays, so Zoe has the day off—deservedly, I must say, after the war zone of sickness she saw on Friday. And Seth is at school.
I’m kind of amazed they didn’t make me keep him home for a few days after his “my aunt Brooke writes sex books” outburst on Friday, but I guess the punishment for second graders goofing off isn’t exactly sending them to Shawshank.
Plus, his first counseling session with Ms. Sandy Rose is after school today.
“But the water is where alligators lurk, right?” Grant asks.
“Yeah, I guess so.” I shrug, silently wishing I’d studied up on alligators prior to getting out for some much-needed air. “Why the sudden interest in alligators?”
“They’re green,” he snaps, like that explains everything. And hell, maybe it does. I don’t know. But I don’t know much of anything anymore. I mean, are alligators really even green? Or are they more brown?
While I’m still contemplating the color of freaking alligators, Grant is tugging me forward with a renewed sense of energy that borders on forceful. I’m always so amazed how strong such a little person can be at this age—
“Oof,” I grunt, bracing myself as I make impact with a heavy body and tangle in the winding vise of something else.
Jeez, what is it with my kids and slamming me into people—
“Sammy?” a voice I know asks, and my head snaps up from my wince at Grant.
Gorgeous blue eyes, strong shoulders, dark hair, striking smile…it can only be one guy. And yet, I find myself asking to make sure anyway. “Noah?”
“Hey, guys!” he responds excitedly, reaching down to fist-bump Grant while somehow extricating me from his border collie Dolly’s leash at the same time. She’s as well-behaved as her boyfriend Benji and has the most adorable pink bow attached to her collar. “It’s so nice to run into you. What brings you out in the park today?”
“Walkin’,” Grant answers matter-of-factly before I can. “Mom said she couldn’t be inside our apartment another flipping second.”
My eyes bulge, and Noah chuckles. “I hear you on that one, Sammy. Why do you think Dolly and I are out here sucking in the crowded park air?”
Dolly sits like a good girl beside Noah’s feet, and all I can do is smile in an awkward way that reminds me of when my mom used to make Brooke and me take family photos at JCPenney when we were kids and the photographer would say something weird like, Macaroni and WHAT?! just so we would say cheese.
The thing is, for as comfortable as I normally am around Noah because of his friendship with my sister and Chase and the many encounters that’s caused, I’m feeling a little different today.
Maybe it’s because of the pretty woman I saw him with Saturday night or the fact that I followed that up by going on a date with Gavin or that I never texted him back after he asked about Seth, but I just don’t quite know what to do with myself.