Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
“I get that there’s some conflict between you two, and it’s not making a good environment for healing and recovery.” Big Ed lays the towel across Fischl’s forehead. “If you can’t mind your tongues, you should step out into the hall.” He mutters something under his breath about how his toddlers have better manners. Asswipe and I snap our mouths shut and glare at each other until Fischl lets out a low whimper. I drop to the side of the bed and grab her hand. “Babe, I’m here.”
“Cooper?” she asks faintly. Her eyelashes flutter as she blinks weakly. “I thought I dreamt you up.” The words catch in her throat in a half sob. My heart clenches at the pain in her voice.
“No way. I’m real. I’d show you how real, but we’ve got an audience.”
She slowly rolls her head from side to side to take in Big Ed and the other guy. “Sebastian?” She heaves a deep, watery sigh. “I had a panic attack.”
“I know, sweetheart,” he says, coming forward to take her other hand.
I almost break my jaw clenching it tightly so that something unhinged doesn’t come out and send Fischl back into an unconscious state.
“Let me take you home,” he adds.
“Absolutely not.”
“Guys, remember what I said about healing and recovery?” Big Ed interjects.
Before we start fighting again, sirens blare outside the house.
“The EMTs are here. Go down and let them in,” I tell the other guy.
“I’ll do it.” Big Ed ambles toward the door. “Tension in here is thick enough to choke a man.”
“Fischl will do better at home where everything is familiar. Her kids will want to see her too. Won’t that be nice, sweetheart?”
I just fucking know he added that endearment on purpose to get me to act out and upset Fischl. I grind the back of my teeth together to keep from telling him what I think of his fake-ass act. Once I have myself under control, I give out the orders. “Fischl will be staying here. My kid will be moving in here as well. You and the girl are welcome to stay over if you want.”
“I don’t know,” Fischl begins.
“That’s what’s best for all of us.” I leave no room for argument. I’m not letting Fischl out of my sight, and I want my son here. “Too much time has passed, Fischl. We need to start making up for all the things we’ve lost. There’s no point in looking backward. My mom, your parents—they’re gone. We need to look forward and put our family back together. That can’t happen if you’re living in someone else’s house.”
She rubs her lips together and then nods. “I know you’re right, but it’s going to be so awkward and difficult.” Her hand comes up to rub her heart. “Van isn’t going to take this well.”
The other guy puts his hand on her forehead. I swear, I’m going to kill him once we are out of sight.
“Let’s take this slowly, and we’ll let Van choose the path he wants to take. No one is getting forced into anything.” The guy sends me a dark glare.
“I agree. We take everything slowly, but my house is the base.” An idea forms. It’s not an idea I like, but the other option is to let Fischl out of my grasp which is not happening. “You should all move in.”
“Really?” Fischl says.
“No,” the other guy snaps at the same time.
I ignore him. “Yeah. I’ve got a ton of space here. There’s a mother-in-law suite on the first floor with its own kitchenette that he”—I jerk the top of my head toward the other guy—"can stay in, and there are four bedrooms up here. Your girl and Van can pick out which one they want. I can even bring in a decorator and have the kids redo everything so that they’re comfortable. The garage is six bays. I’ve got a couple of fun vehicles in there, but those can be moved to a storage shed. The kids all go to the same school. There’s a pool in the back. It makes a lot of sense.”
“Oh, that does make sense.” Fischl’s pale skin starts to bloom with color. She’s a fan of this idea. I try to keep a smug smile off my face.
“It’s done then. I’ll get a mover over to your place in an hour. They’ll pack everything up and bring it over here. You don’t have to do a thing but rest here or out by the pool.” I raise my phone to my ear. “Let me get my foreman on this, and we’ll have everyone situated before nightfall.”
“I never said okay to this,” the other guy says.
I cast him a challenging look. “You don’t have to move in if you aren’t comfy with the idea. I have no problem with that. How about you Fischl?”