Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“That’s good,” Riley tells her. “Now, slice them into squares, about this big.” She holds up her finger and thumb to indicate pieces about an inch or so, and Grace and I do her bidding, making a mountain of doughy squares from the circles.
Riley adds them to her pot slowly, stirring and staring into the creamy chicken base like it’s a crystal ball, and though I desperately want to ask what she’s thinking, I don’t. I can give her the time and space she gave me. I just hope she isn’t as slow as I was.
Because now that I’ve had a taste of her, now that my blinders are off and I can see what’s been right in front of me, now that I’ve made up my mind… there’s no slowing down for me.
I want Riley.
And I’m a man who gets what he wants.
I’ve worked my ass off over the years, first building a career, and then a family. When life went sideways, I had to work my way back to some sense of normalcy, and I’ve kept that stability through blood, sweat, and tears. Okay, maybe that’s a tad dramatic, given there hasn’t actually been blood, but there has definitely been some sweat and tears as I’ve raised Grace into the young woman she’s become.
I won’t mess up what I’ve built for Grace. She is still, and always will be, my number-one priority. But I can see a future with Riley seamlessly added to our family. She’s basically already there, and that feels more right than I would’ve ever dreamed.
Over dinner, Grace gives us a very detailed and animated report of her night with Bella and Trinity. “And then Bella said…”
I listen to every word. I swear I do, but the ins and outs of teenage conversations can go over my head sometimes, especially when Grace starts slipping in slang I don’t understand. What in the world is a skibidi? I don’t know, but she acts like it’s a perfectly normal word.
“I texted with Liam.” Grace grins when she drops that bomb, even as she shoves a dumpling in her mouth.
Riley leans toward her, her smile wide and excitement palpable. “You did? What did he say? What did you say?”
“We talked about school, mostly.” Grace shrugs like that’s all there was to it, but a moment later, she reveals, “But he said Hannah has been texting him. He told her to leave him alone, unfriended her, and then blocked her.”
“He blocked her?” Riley gasps.
Apparently, that’s important, but I have no idea why it’d be gasp-worthy, so I continue listening, hoping clarity will come.
Nodding, she says, “She was being all ‘heyyy, Liam.’” Grace gives her voice a high-pitched, flirty tone that I instantly hate, but then in her usual voice, she continues, “So he told her that he was talking with me. She did not like that and started badmouthing me, Bella, and Trinity.” Grace tuts out a sound of disbelief.
“What did Liam do?” Riley’s hanging on Grace’s every word like it’s a soap opera playing out in front of her. But she’s not looking for drama. She seems truly interested in what’s going on with Grace.
She cares about her.
I already knew that, but it warms my heart to see it so obviously in their interactions, especially as I’m imagining mine and Grace’s family expanding by two combat-booted feet.
“That boy understood the assignment when I told him that Hannah was being mean to us,” Grace continues. “He told her that she was an NPC and I was the main character.”
“Savage,” Riley says.
I clear my throat. “Could I get a Dad translation, please? I’m not sure if I like this Liam kid now, or I want to have a little chat with him. Preferably in English.”
Grace laughs like I’m being silly, and Riley grins at me.
My daughter’s eyes are lit with glee as she explains, “Hannah tried flirting with Liam, he told her that he’s involved with me, and she had a temper tantrum. So he hit her where it hurt, telling her that she didn’t matter and I was all he’s interested in.”
She stares at me expectantly, but I’m still not sure what to think. Mostly, I just wish Grace wasn’t at all interested in boys. Not now, not ever. Maybe when she’s like thirty-five and done with college, grad school, and has her career started. I might be ready for her to date then.
“So, we like him?” I guess.
Grace rolls her eyes. “Yeah, Dad. I like him.”
“Okay, but schoolwork first,” I remind her. “No boy-craziness.”
“There’s no school. I’m out for Thanksgiving break,” Grace reminds me.
Shit. I knew that. The Fall Ball was the kickoff for Grace’s week off school, so we’re only a few days away from the holiday. “You’re coming to dinner with us, right?” I blurt out to Riley. Admittedly, I assumed Riley would be, though I hadn’t actually asked… or told Mom to expect another guest.