Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 130307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
He was into her.
My blood boiled at the thought, throat tightening, ribs refusing to expand and give my lungs the room they so desperately needed. Jealousy and anger surged through me like rival tidal waves, each of them battling for the top spot.
But on the heels of them was a deep, horrible sadness.
Because I knew this was a good thing.
Chloe was the most incredible woman I’d ever known. Every man should be tripping over themselves to get her attention. She should be crushing on a man who can give her what she deserves.
I wanted her to be happy.
But fuck if I didn’t want her to be happy with me.
The reality that I couldn’t make that a reality was more sobering than any ice bath I’d ever taken. I stared at her from across the circle, all my friends’ laughter subdued like I was drowning under water and watching from the bottom of the pool.
Chloe was blushing and giggling at something someone had said, her eyes on her feet.
But then, they lifted to mine.
Her smile fell, the color draining from her face. She swallowed beneath what I knew was a hard stare from me, one powered by the jealousy and rage I couldn’t quell.
Somehow, I forced a breath.
And then, I forced a smile.
“Well, before you two get serious, I think you better bring him by the house,” I said, hoping the joke would play off, that I could somehow make it sound like a tease, that I could somehow convince her I was unaffected. “I promise to only polish one gun while I grill him.”
There was a pause from the group, and then Carter burst into a laugh that made everyone else release, too. He clapped me on the shoulder, shaking his head.
“Will Perry, forever playing the role of Daddy,” he said with a grin. “Stop playing, though. You don’t own any guns.”
I cocked a brow at him. “That you know of.”
And with that, the conversation turned away from Noah the Hot Teacher.
I waited long enough until I could make the excuse that I needed to get Ava down to sleep, and then I snuck away, holding my shit together as I got my daughter cleaned up and into her bed. The sun and water had her falling asleep before I could even read a full page of a book, and when I slipped out of her room, I walked slowly down to the guest one down the hall.
Then, I grabbed the first pillow I saw, and screamed into it as loud as I could.
Before You Hated Him
Chloe
I had a new definition of March Madness.
No longer did I associate the words with the college basketball tournament. Now, they would forever be tied to how quickly that month flew by in the house of Will Perry.
Once he was over the flu, he was a man focused on one thing and one thing only: the playoffs. As the Ospreys raced toward their chance to fight for the Cup, he grew more and more intense. I knew how much he wanted this, how much the entire team wanted this. It was evident in every move they made.
I did my best to support him in every way I could.
Just like when he was down with the flu, I ensured things at home were covered. And if I was being honest with myself… I loved that I was helpful, that I could alleviate some of his stress and provide comfort, even if in a small way.
I ran the house like a manager, coordinating Chef Patel and the housekeepers while also playing my role as nanny. When spring break rolled around, I filled it with activities and adventures for Ava. Will joined us whenever he could, but it was a busy time for him, and I ensured Ava didn’t have a moment to feel sad at his absence because we had so much fun on the schedule.
But just because his focus was on the team didn’t mean Will wasn’t present with us. Every week we brainstormed until we thought of another way to introduce Ava to Jenny through something she loved to do. We had a movie marathon day during spring break with all her favorites. We took Ava to a taco truck Jenny loved one Saturday afternoon before a game. Will dug out photographs from Jenny’s life, and Ava and I crafted beautiful frames and fun ways to display them around the house.
I’d never found Will more attractive than when I witnessed him being a great dad even when he had a full plate.
And when Ava was sound asleep, all that attentiveness turned to me.
It never mattered how tired he was, how late a game ran, or how ragged he felt after two back-to-back away matches. It also never mattered how tired I was, how busy I was with teaching and handling things at the house.