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)
Sammy laughs, but she also looks at me with a face that says, Am I supposed to be laughing this much at Dale?
And I don’t hesitate to give her a nod of approval, reaching out to wrap my arm around her shoulders and tucking her close to my side.
“Listen here, wifey, my social skills used to bring all the ladies to the yard back in the day,” Dale interjects, and it only makes his wife laugh harder.
“Honey, you and I both know that you were too busy being late to the yard to come back with any ladies,” she teases, and I don’t hesitate to join in on the fun.
“And to think, his tardiness is still his strongest attribute.”
“I’m pretty much late all the time too,” Sammy offers. “So, I think I’m going to have to side with Dale on this one.”
“I knew I liked you already,” he comments.
“Yeah, but you have kids,” I tell Sammy, squeezing her shoulder. “That’s different. Dale’s just a deadbeat.”
“A deadbeat who just worked twenty hours straight,” Dale disputes, tossing one of his running gel packets at me on a laugh.
Kendall and Dale start to argue and tease among themselves, and I take the opportunity to speak directly to Sam. “Don’t mind us. It’s kind of our Monday ritual to get together and shit all over Dale while we fit in a run with the dogs.”
Sammy smiles. “Poor Dale.”
“Nah. He doesn’t deserve any sympathy. The man is the biggest jokester on the planet. I can assure you both he and Kendall serve each other shit sandwiches on a daily basis. It’s basically their foreplay.”
“I take it you know them both from work?”
“Kendall is a neurosurgeon at the hospital. Dale works in the ED. And we’ve been friends since we were baby doctors in residency,” I explain, and Sammy gets the strangest expression on her face. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” She nods. Laughs. And her cheeks turn a gorgeous shade of pink as she meets my eyes.
“What’s going on here?” I question, an intrigued grin now forming on my lips. “What am I missing?”
“Nothing, I just…” She pauses and shakes her head, but it’s more at herself than anything else. “I’m just an idiot, that’s all.”
I furrow my brow, and she lets out a sigh.
“I…uh…that time Grant and I ran into you here and Kendall showed up…I thought she was someone you were dating.”
“Oh shit,” I comment on a laugh. “No. Not at all.”
“Yeah.” She snorts. “I’m seeing that now.”
“Wait a minute… First Mary, then Kendall,” I state when my mind catches up to speed. “You must’ve thought I was some kind of serial-dating asshole.”
“Drop the asshole part, and you’re fairly close.” She cringes. “Talk about a lesson in never make assumptions, huh?”
“It’s all good. Understandable, even,” I answer, and I almost ask her about Gavin. To, you know, clear up any assumptions I might’ve made. But something inside me doesn’t want to bring down the mood, so instead, I ask, “How much time do you have before you need to pick up Grant from school?”
“A few hours. Why?”
“Well—” I start to say, but Kendall cuts into our little powwow.
“Hey, guys. We’re going to head out.” She hooks her thumb over her shoulder and then wraps her arm around Dale’s waist. “Chanandler wants to eat, and Dale wants to sleep.”
“I’m definitely ready to crawl into bed,” Dale adds through a yawn. “But it was great meeting you, Sammy.”
“You too,” she says and smiles at both Kendall and Dale. “Both of you.”
“We’ll see you around soon, yeah?” Kendall asks and reaches out to give Sammy’s arm a friendly tap.
Sammy nods, and it’s not long before Dale and Kendall and Chanandler are gone, leaving Sammy, Dolly, and me to our own devices.
“So…you have a few hours to hang out?” I ask and turn Sammy’s body around so her chest is pressed against my chest. I beam down at her while playfully swaying us back and forth.
“I do.” She looks up at me with a little smirk. “What do you have in mind?”
“Well, I was planning on visiting Kara today and was wondering if you wanted to come along?”
“You want me to meet your sister?” She’s a little uncertain, I can tell, but I don’t have any problems reassuring her.
“Actually, I’d love for you to meet my sister.”
“Yeah?” She searches my eyes, as if she’s trying to confirm my words with my truth.
“Definitely, Sam.”
“Okay,” she says and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “Count me in.”
I don’t waste any time grabbing Dolly’s leash and wrapping my free arm around Sammy’s shoulder, guiding us out of Central Park.
“How was Seth feeling this morning?” I ask, placing a hand to her lower back as we cross the street.
“Rejuvenated,” she says in a way that makes me laugh.
“I had a feeling he’d be good to go after I saw him scarf down two bowls of soup.”