Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76586 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
It never occurred to me that it was the wrong move or that it could be potentially awkward. Felicity’s face lit up when she saw me and the look on Emory’s face… well, oh man. If she looked at me like that every day for the rest of my life, I’d want for nothing.
We had a blast at that dance. There was a moment that could have been weird, but it was fine. One of Felicity’s friends asked me if I was her daddy, because she had been telling all her friends about him.
I merely said, “No, I’m a gallant knight riding in to take this fair lady to the ball.”
No fucking clue where that came from but Felicity and the little girl busted out in giggles. After that, everyone called me a knight and other little girls wanted to dance with me. Felicity let them each have one dance and I had to take about thirty-second turns to give everyone a chance. Mostly though, the girls danced with each other and once the other fathers realized who I was, we sat around talking hockey.
Emory just watched, tucked over in the corner talking to Felicity’s teacher. I wasn’t even tempted to ask her to dance with me because I was there for Felicity, and I think Emory appreciated that all the more.
At the end of the night, as we were parting to go our separate ways, Felicity gave me a big hug and thanked me for being her knight. The gratitude in her voice latched onto a piece of my heart and settled in right next to the spot that Emory held.
“Okay, I have one,” I announce, ready to tell my joke. The ones I’ve been telling are nonsensical, which makes them funny. Emory, Jenna, and Felicity all watch to see what I come up with. “Two tacos were walking in the park, and one taco fell down. What did he say to the other taco?”
Felicity, perplexed but still game, asks, “What?”
I change up my voice to sound cartoonish, “Hey… I lost all my lettuce.”
There’s dead silence as everyone soaks in the fact my joke makes no sense and the punchline is about as stupid as anything can be. We all look around at one another and bust out laughing in unison.
“Oh man,” Jenna says, shaking her head. “That was the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“What?” I ask jokingly, holding my arms out to the side. “He lost his lettuce. That’s funny, right?”
“Tacos can’t walk,” Felicity points out with a smirk.
I mimic her tiny but cute condescending voice. “Well palm trees can’t grow on hands either.”
Felicity bursts into giggles but before any of us can join in the laughter, there’s a knock on the door.
As if a cold bucket of water had been dumped on our frivolity, everyone falls silent. The air goes tense.
There’s no good reason for anyone to be knocking on the door, and I can see by the look on both Emory and Jenna’s faces they have a good idea who it is.
Just as I do, because I think we’ve all been expecting this.
Emory stands from the table, taking the napkin from her lap and tossing it on her empty dinner plate. “I’ll get that.”
Felicity is the only one who doesn’t seem to sense the tension, but Jenna leaps into action as only a diligent aunt would do. She stands up from the table and says, “Time to get your bath, Felicity. Jett will handle cleaning the kitchen.”
“I’m on it,” I say, popping up from my chair and that seems to move Felicity into action as she mimics me.
Jenna takes her by the hand and says, “Come on, Pip. Do you want peach or strawberry scented bubble bath tonight?”
I don’t hear her answer because as I’m grabbing my plate, I glance to see Emory opening the door.
Sure as shit, Shane is standing there. I can’t tell much about his appearance by the porch light, but I am assuming he’s sober since Emory lets him in the door, but she blocks him from further entry into the living room.
His gaze moves past Emory to me and I stare right back at him, my dinner plate in hand.
When he looks back to Emory, I move to the sink and give them my back for some modicum of privacy.
I’m not sure Emory wants it though, as she doesn’t lower her voice at all. I can hear her clear as a bell when she says, “What are you doing here, Shane?”
“I came to apologize,” he says contritely. “And see Felicity. I want to explain—”
“Stop right there,” Emory hisses with such venom, a damn chill shoots up my spine. “There is no way in hell I’m letting you see Felicity. You abandoned her and I know damn well it’s because you were high and don’t you dare try to convince me otherwise.”