Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Fallon hadn’t yet met Charlie but today was Liam’s birthday and she would see her at Noah’s parents’ house for a family get-together. To say she was antsy would be an understatement.
For whatever reason, she had this vision of Charlie as a worldly woman who would judge Fallon for her youth and relationship with Noah. But she was the twins’ mother and Fallon intended to do her best to win her over.
The girls were with their mother, so Noah picked up Fallon at her apartment and they drove to Westchester County. The ride took about forty minutes and Fallon looked out the window at the green leaves on the trees.
Noah placed a hand on her thigh, stilling the tapping movement she hadn’t been aware of doing. “Are you nervous?” he asked.
“A little. I just want Charlie to like me. She’s the twins’ mom and she means so much to them.”
“Hey. She’s as easygoing as you are. Don’t worry about it. So, tell me what you bought Liam for his birthday. No pressure or anything but you have a reputation to live up to.”
She let out a laugh. “Oh, I think I did a good job. You’ll have to wait and see.”
He squeezed her knee and she shrieked in surprise. “Ow! What was that for?”
“I can’t believe you won’t tell me first.”
“Fine, Mr. Impatient. I bought him a set of candles. They’re called Connoisseur Candles for Men. They smell like different smells a guy would like. Whisky, gin, tobacco, and bourbon. Happy now?”
He laughed. “Perfect. You’re good at gift giving.”
“Thank you. Just wait until the girls see their birthday presents.”
That was another thing she’d devoted time to this week. Working on her painting. She had two special canvases, one for Dakota and one for Dylan, their names worked into the design, in the hot pink and purple colors they’d loved on the original work. Their birthday was next month and she couldn’t wait.
He’d managed to distract her with conversation and soon they’d pulled into the driveway of his parents’ home. A rental car was already parked there, as were a couple of other vehicles. Apparently, they weren’t the first ones to arrive.
They walked into the house, the noise coming from the large kitchen where everyone had gathered. She put her gift on a table, as did Noah, and they went to greet the family.
Liam met her gaze first, a charming smile on his handsome face. Simon nodded at her in greeting. He was more serious than Liam, less so than Noah. Fallon might prefer Noah’s fuller features but there was no doubt the brothers were a good-looking trio.
She lifted her hand as a hello and left Noah with his siblings as she stopped to talk to his mother who was as warm and welcoming as the first time Fallon had met her.
“Daddy! Fallon!” The twins came running into the room, their excitement tangible, no doubt because they’d been with their mom for most of the week.
“Hi, girls!”
“Guess where we went? To the place where we learned all about dinosaurs. There was a trampoline and we tried to jump as high as the tallest dino. And there was a dig site just like where Mom works! And a drawing part where we made our own dinosaur pictures!” Dakota exclaimed, finally seeming to run out of breath.
Dylan was calmer than her sister.
“That sounds amazing!” Fallon smiled at both girls.
“They definitely had fun,” a pretty woman with shoulder-length dark hair said. “I’m Charlie,” the girls’ mother said.
Considering the twins had mixed them up from behind, she must have gotten it cut recently and the shape accentuated her attractive features.
“Hi. I’m Fallon. But you know that already.” She met the other woman’s gaze and there was no doubt she was sizing Fallon up the same way Fallon had just done to her.
Dylan and Dakota drifted toward the counter with their grandmother’s chocolate chip cookies just waiting for them, leaving Fallon alone with Charlie.
“I’ve heard so much about you,” she said. “The girls can’t stop raving about all the adventures they had with you while you watched them for Noah.” She sounded warm and sincere, and the butterflies in Fallon’s stomach receded a bit.
“I tried to keep things fun and educational. They’re wonderful girls.”
“Thank you. I miss them so much. But I committed to the length of the excavation and I really am loving it.”
Fallon understood being torn. “If it’s any consolation, the girls seem enthralled with what you’re doing. Well, mostly Dakota, but they talk about your job with awe and pride.”
Charlie tipped her head and her expression softened. “That’s so nice of you to say. Mom guilt. It’s a bitch,” she said, laughing. “So, they tell me you paint?”
“Is everything okay here?” Noah drew up beside them, joining the conversation, and not-so-discreetly slipping a protective arm around Fallon’s shoulders.