Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
When the alarm goes off, indicating it’s time to leave for work, I double-check the diaper bag to make sure we have everything we need, get Addie buckled into her car seat, and then take off to the office.
Since we live in Rosemary—a small town in Texas—the ride is quick, and all too soon, I’m handing Addie and her diaper bag off to Cynthia, her childcare teacher she’s grown rather fond of.
“Good morning, Addie,” Cynthia coos, taking my daughter and bag from me. “Are you ready to have a good day?”
“Yay!” Addie exclaims.
The second Addie spots Ana and Julian’s son, Kingston, already playing, she wiggles her way out of Cynthia’s arms and toddles over to Kingston, plopping down next to him to play.
“I have a meeting at noon, so I should be by to get her around two.”
“Sounds good,” Cynthia says with a smile.
Because the corporate world has evolved over the past few years, many of us no longer work in the office full-time. I generally come in three days a week and then work from home two. I’ve considered hiring a nanny to help me at home with Addie since she can be a handful now that she’s mobile, but I haven’t bitten the bullet yet.
“Morning,” I say, popping my head into Julian’s office since the door is open.
He’s not only one of my best friends, but he’s also the co-CEO of Kingston Limited—the liquor company I work for—along with his wife, Ana. Having two CEOs in a company isn’t the norm, but it works for them.
“Hey, man,” he says, nodding for me to join him. “We still on for the game tonight?”
It takes me a second to remember what he’s talking about, but then it hits me. Today is Thursday, and we always get together for a guys’ night on Thursdays. I bring Addie over, and Ana spoils her, along with their son, while we eat shit food, have a few beers, and watch whatever game is on.
“Hell yeah,” I tell him. “We’ll be there.”
The rest of the day flies by. I check on Addie between meetings. At three o’clock, since my meeting ran over, I pick her up, and we head out, stopping at the park to play.
I’ve learned when she burns energy, it means she’ll fall asleep easier at bedtime.
At dinnertime, we head over to Julian and Ana’s, and the second we pull up, she gets excited, recognizing their home.
“Hey there, sweet girl!” Ana says, taking my daughter from me. She’s seven months pregnant, and they just found out they’re having a little girl, so she’s excited.
“Hi, hi!” Addie babbles.
Kingston comes barreling around the corner, and Addie worms her way down to play with him while I have a seat on the couch and grab some chips and salsa from the table.
“Beer?” Julian offers. “The guys should be here soon.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, Ryder,” Ana says, leaning against Julian. “Did you have a chance to check out the link I sent you?”
I roll my eyes and shake my head. “I’ve been a little busy,” I drawl. “You know, raising a baby on my own.”
“I know,” she says, “but even single parents deserve to have a life. You should check out Plenty of Fish. It’s an online dating site and not sleazy, like some of them. It’s how Paige met her boyfriend.”
Paige is Ana’s best friend, who she met when she was living and working in London. Last year, Paige’s boyfriend got a promotion and moved to Houston, so Paige moved as well. Now, she’s the chief marketing officer at Kingston. I think it’s great she found someone from an online dating site but …
“It’s too soon,” I tell her. “Nora’s only been gone—”
“Nora and you might’ve been married, but you guys weren’t really together,” Julian says, stating the obvious. “When’s the last time you even got laid?”
“Julian,” Ana hisses. “He doesn’t need to get laid. He needs to meet a nice woman.”
I tune them out while they bicker over me getting laid versus dating, trying to remember the last time I had sex. Nora and I didn’t even attempt it after Addie was born. I brought it up a couple of times while she was pregnant, hoping to connect with my wife, but she shot me down every time with the excuse of being pregnant and not feeling up to it—including on our wedding night.
Jesus, that means the last time I had sex was when Addie was conceived—holy shit—almost two years ago.
“Well, regardless,” Ana says, bringing me out of my depressive thoughts, “whether you’re looking to get laid”—she glares at Julian—“or to date, you need to get back out there. You deserve to have some adult time.”
I open my mouth to argue that I get plenty of adult time, but before I can speak, she says, “And by adult time, I don’t mean you working while Addie goes to childcare or your weekly guys’ nights.”