Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 85154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“What are you wearing?” I ask, wondering if someone can be delusional if they are sleep deprived. I make a mental note to google that when I’m putting Cici to sleep.
“She didn’t like being in my arms,” he replies, looking down at Cici. “But the minute I put this contraption on, she was fine.” Cici looks up at him as if she knows he’s talking about her. “Not facing me, nope, she has to look out.”
“She’s curious.” I finally take the last step and walk toward the two of them.
“Also, she hates baby talk,” he informs me and I can’t help the laugh that comes out of me.
“How long did it take you to put that on?” I point at his chest.
“Two YouTube videos.” He holds up two fingers. “And she was not a happy person waiting.” He smiles. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear her.”
“I owe you big-time,” I say softly to him.
“What do you mean?” His voice is as soft as mine, almost a whisper.
“I mean this.” I point at the baby strapped to his chest. “This whole this.” I point at the bags that were on the counter but are now not on there. I look around, wondering if he put them away. “We,” I say and then correct myself, “I obviously didn’t think this through.”
“Hey,” he comforts, putting his arm around my shoulders. “It’s just another eleven months and two weeks.”
Chapter Eighteen
Levi
“Good morning, everyone,” I greet, walking into the conference room with my notepad in one hand and my coffee in the other. I take a look around and see there is no one here but me. Turning my hand holding the notepad to check the time on my watch, I see that it’s almost ten. Am I early for this meeting? I don’t have a chance to answer myself because I hear the television on the wall turn on.
“Good morning, buttercup,” Stefano announces from the screen, “you are looking good.” Ever since he found out that Avery was his daughter, he has cut back on traveling altogether. He may travel but whereas he would go for weeks before, now it’s a turnaround of twenty-four hours. I didn’t understand it when he suddenly changed, but I get it now.
“Well, considering I only woke up once last night, I feel like a rock star.” I put my coffee down and then my notepad. “It’s almost the best thing that has ever happened.” I pull the chair out and sit in it.
“How is my cousin?” he asks and I smirk at him, trying to play it off as cool. Playing it off as cool because I’m not ready for all the stuff to come up. All the questions that will follow. I just don’t know how to explain it to him, without a lot of other shit coming up. Stuff I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about. Stuff even I’m shocked about. Stuff, meaning Eva and her being on my mind for the past two fucking weeks. Every single time I look over at her, it’s like there is something new I see that I haven’t seen before. Or maybe I have but I just noticed now, which is flipping my head upside down. I tell myself it’s just because I’m in her space all the time, but even saying that, my head laughs at me.
“My wife is fine.” I point at myself, trying to hold in the laughter when he scowls at me, but I can’t help it. “She’s fine. Great. Amazing.” I clap my hands as his scowl comes to a full-blown glare. It’s been two weeks since we’ve technically moved in with each other, well, since I came back from my business trip. Two weeks since the start of whatever this is.
“How is Cici?” he asks and I lean back in the chair, the smile filling my face so much it hurts my cheeks. I swear I think I even puff out my chest when I think of her.
“Amazing.” I rock back and forth in the chair. “Still waking up once a night. But I think she’s settling down.” With each passing day, I am falling more and more in love with her. I would cut off my limbs for her. The girl can only say one word, which is Mama, and it breaks my heart every single time she says it and she just started waving bye-bye.
“I never thought I would see the day you would be talking about a kid’s nighttime routine like it was nothing,” Stefano observes. “When do you leave next?”
I avoid looking at his eyes when I pick up a pen and tap it on the notepad, but luckily for me people start coming in the room. “You guys are all late,” I joke with them as everyone gets in their seat.