Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Sitting across from us, my dad says, “I didn’t make the connection until after you left, Liv. Bancroft & Lowe. You’re Lawrence Bancroft’s daughter.”
“Yes.” She doesn’t elaborate, leaving much room for interpretation, and then sips a glass of white sangria. I know her father is the last thing she wants to talk about, but she asks, “Do you know him?”
“We’ve met. A few years back. Booming marketing business.”
She glances at me. “He hires only the best.”
Tuesday twists her hair onto her head, securing it, and then leans forward, her eyes connecting with mine. “Did you know your brothers had a running bet on you breaking the dating policy?”
I chuckle. “I have no doubt.”
“They’re truly terrible,” she jokes with Liv. “Prepare for a lot of sibling rivalry.” Touching Liv’s arm, she whispers, “Not to scare you off. They’re also the most loving family. Loyal and wonderful people.”
Liv glances at me but angles her way like she’s hanging out with a friend. Wouldn’t that be something if they had that bond? She tells Tuesday, “I’m learning that. Everyone’s been so welcoming and accepting of me, and now Maxwell.”
I ask, “Which brother of mine had my back and bet the policy wouldn’t be broken?” Glancing at Liv, I add, “I have a bit of a reputation.”
Laughter erupts around the table. Loch asks, “A bit? Massive understatement. He’s violated Westcott Law’s policy and doesn’t even work there.”
Leveling him with a glare, I reply, “You’re going to scare off my girlfriend.” I glance at her. “It’s all rumors. You know how people like to gossip.”
She takes my hand and pulls me closer as she turns in her chair. “Your past doesn’t scare me." My sweet woman adds, “As for reputations, coming from someone who has one herself, they’re usually built on more than rumors.” With a shrug, she laughs. “The ice queen didn’t happen overnight, you know. It was honed with precision.” Leaning down, I kiss her cheek. She holds me there, catching my eyes. “Let me guess. Playboy? That doesn’t sound so far-fetched, babe.”
Everyone is smiling. I didn’t hold back during introductions and proudly proclaimed her as my girlfriend. It’s freeing being able to touch, to kiss, to enjoy our relationship in the wide open. “I haven’t been a playboy in a long time.”
She looks at my dad. “What do you think? You mentioned his reputation last time I was here. Tell me the truth, Port. Was he trouble growing up?”
My dad is quick to raise his hands in surrender. “I’m staying out of this.”
Marina sits in the chair next to Liv with a plate of snacks. Pushing her fluffy pink cover-up from getting in her food, they start talking. I’m glad they’re bonding, but I’m also happy to have the heat off me, even if briefly.
“Excuse me,” I say just before walking to join my mom and Max on the lawn. I shake my head but chuckle when I hear Marina talking about the “Noah Effect” to Liv. Walking backward, I call, “Don’t believe her, babe. It’s all an urban myth.”
Marina is already laughing. It’s a harmless theory of hers, so I don’t worry myself that Liv is now hearing it. But I know I’ll be asked about it later.
Turning, I move to sit down near my mom. She says, “He’s precious.” Max is holding her finger and happily teetering around her on the uneven ground. “He’s strong.”
“When did I start walking?”
She thinks for a minute. I know it’s a long time ago, and she has a slew of kids’ milestones to go through, but then she says, “Right around fourteen months. You were probably at this same marker as Max.”
“How about Loch?”
She laughs, playfully slapping my leg. “We’re not doing that. Just know that everyone does things in their own time.”
Like telling her that I’m his father and hoping she understands the reasons behind the delay. Max comes to me, all smiles and pure joy. I’ll do anything to protect that, understanding more of what being a father means every day.
Flopping in my lap, he rolls to his back and kicks his feet into the air. I play with his toes and then pretend to bite one, making the sounds that get him laughing the most.
“I didn’t know Liv had a child.”
When I look up, her eyes are cautious, her sunny mood shadowed by overcast clouds. “I didn’t feel that was something that needed to be thrown out there in the short time we had together at the play.”
Max has relaxed on my lap, resting his head on my leg. I start stroking his head, his hair full of static from the grass. “Remember how my hair used to stand on end from dragging my feet?”
She laughs, resting back on her hands. “I remember you coming home covered in mud. You had been building forts out in the woods, trying to keep up with your brothers.”