Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
“Thank you!” she yelled.
Aurora rolled her eyes. “Okay, now that the surprise is over, how about you lower your voice, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy. Can me and Mimi go play in it?” she asked much more quietly.
Nick shook his head, visions of her getting hurt on the pieces of wood and scattered nails flashing through his mind. “You need to wait until the men finish putting it together. Right now, it’s not safe to play in.”
Nick felt Mark’s heavy stare. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he stood and glared back.
“Girls, why don’t you go play in Leah’s room?” Aurora suggested, obviously not missing the tension in the room.
The two kids ran out, leaving the three adults alone.
“That’s some gift,” Mark said, glancing between Aurora and Nick.
Nick narrowed his gaze, assessing the man. Aurora had said Mark was nothing but a neighbor but his jealousy was obvious. Nick set his jaw, determined not to piss off Aurora by getting into it with the other man.
“Yes, it is.” Though ‘It’s a present for my daughter, asshole,’ was what Nick really wanted to say.
“Especially from an old friend,” Mark said.
Nick narrowed his gaze. “Your point?” He wanted nothing more than to inform this neighbor that he was Leah’s father but it was Aurora’s decision who to tell and when.
Aurora stepped forward, putting herself between the two men “Whatever this male bullshit is…” She gestured between them. “Let’s not do it with the girls in the other room.”
God, her take-charge attitude turned him on, but Nick couldn’t help being glad that her anger wasn’t aimed his way.
She stepped back and glanced at Mark. “I don’t think Nick’s gift is anyone’s business but his.”
The other man’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I just meant…” He shook his head. “Never mind.”
“Thank you for picking up Leah and keeping her at your house this afternoon,” she said, her voice taking on a sweeter tone that had Nick grinding his teeth. “Mimi is welcome to stay for dinner.”
Mark shook his head. “I promised her we’d go out for pizza. I’ll go grab her and we’ll get going.” He stalked off in the direction the girls had gone.
Knowing when to shut his mouth, Nick remained silent until Mark and his daughter had left and Aurora had shut the door behind them.
Since it was quiet, he assumed Leah was still in her room and used the time to corner Aurora. “I didn’t mean for things to get awkward.”
She sighed. “I’ve never seen Mark act like that before.”
“Has he ever had male competition before?”
She sucked in an audible breath. “That’s not…not what you are…or what he is,” she said, wringing her hands and obviously flustered.
“Oh, I beg to differ.” The man wanted Aurora and he lived next door. And that made what Nick was about to tell her even harder. But he knew better than to push her. Early days, he reminded himself.
She shook her head. “It’s too quiet. I should check on Leah,” she said, changing the subject.
“One second. I need to tell you something first.”
She raised her brows. “What is it?”
He shoved his hands into his front pockets. “I’m going to be away for a few days on business, but I’ll be back in plenty of time to help you get ready for Leah’s party.”
Upon hearing the news, she froze, her body stiff before shaking off whatever was bothering her. “Oh. Okay. Good to know.” She stepped back. “Like I said, I need to check on Leah. Can I let you out so I can lock up first?”
“Yeah, sure.” He was uneasy as she led him to the door. Before she could grab the handle, he turned to her. “Aurora, I am coming back.”
“So you said.”
“But you don’t believe me?” Her sudden stiff demeanor told him his leaving had hit a nerve. He knew she’d had a tough life but obviously he needed to learn more so he could understand her triggers better.
She stepped away from his touch and he felt the loss. She was nothing like the woman who’d just melted in his arms.
“I believe you,” she said. “And I understand that you have to work. All I ask is that you don’t make promises to Leah that you can’t keep.”
If he hadn’t had a good idea of how deep her distrust ran, he’d have been insulted. “I wouldn’t do that.” But her history had obviously taught her differently.
If he was going to reach her, he needed to find out more about her past. Was it foster care that had made her so wary or something more? He needed to get her to confide in him, to trust him. And once she did, he hoped he’d manage to break down the walls she kept so high.
She stepped aside and opened the door. “Have a safe trip.”
He brushed his knuckles over her cheek, ignoring the sheen coating her eyes. Oh yeah, he’d brought up some deep-seated issues. “I’ll be calling. Facetiming and texting you, too.”