Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
“You’re right it’s not okay, but it is what it is.”
“Let me take those,” Denver says, appearing at my side, and I watch him take the pizza boxes from Dad and walk away without another word.
“Hear you got a date next Friday,” Dad remarks, watching Denver disappear. Seriously, Shel has a big mouth, and I know it was her who spilled the beans since she’s the only one I told about Mike asking me out. I shrug, not wanting to confirm or deny. “Also see Denver’s here.” My eyes widen. “Good to see that boy’s finally pulling his head outta his ass.”
“Dad!”
“You two have been dancing around each other for years. I don’t know what’s going to happen between you, but if in the end you find happiness, I’ll be good with that.”
“Nothing is going to happen,” I sputter. I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“Everything okay?” Shel asks, sliding under Dad’s arm.
“Fine. Everything is fine.” I shove my fingers through my hair. Did I somehow wake up in an alternate universe this morning without knowing it? “I need to go make sure Ly hasn’t eaten all the icing off the cake.” I start to leave but turn to look at Shel when her words bring me to a halt.
“Lyra asked to stay with us tonight. I told her it was fine. I hope that’s okay.”
Great, now I won’t have an excuse to avoid Denver by keeping Ly up all night with the temptation of movies and popcorn.
“It’s fine,” I sigh.
“If they’re watching Lyra, me and you can go into town to have a drink,” Denver says, making me jump, and my head flies around to face him so fast I get dizzy.
“Oh, that’s a great idea,” Shel agrees happily, and I fight the urge to stomp my foot like Ly does when she’s not getting her way. “You never go out. It would be good for you.”
I can’t believe I thought my family would be a distraction, a buffer between Denver and me. It seems they are now only adding to my current problem.
“I…” Crap, I press my lips together, trying to come up with a quick, realistic excuse for why I can’t go, but I don’t have one. Ly won’t be home and I don’t have work tomorrow. “Fine,” I grit out, and Denver smiles. I want to wipe the stupid, attractive smile off his stupid, handsome face, but I don’t… even when my fingers itch to do it.
“Mommy, can I open my present from Grandma and Grandpa?” Ly asks, and I turn to find her with a gift bag that’s almost as big as she is. I didn’t notice the bag earlier, but Shel must have had it when she came in.
“If they don’t mind.”
“Can I please?” She jumps up and down, giving her grandparents a pleading look.
“Go for it,” Dad says, walking toward her, and she squeals, dropping the bag to the ground and tossing the tissue paper out with a flourish.
“Thank you.” She dances around happily when she sees she now has a new dollhouse and two new babies to play with. I clean up the paper and boxes then settle her in the living room with her new toys. Pen stays with her, promising to keep an eye on her while I finish putting food and drinks out.
With Shel, Dad, and Denver’s help, we finish just as everyone starts to show up. And after that, I’m so busy I don’t have time to dwell on the fact that Denver wants to talk about me belonging to him. Or the fact that I’m going to the bar with him tonight, which kinda means we’re going on a date. Not to mention I’m supposed to have a date with Mike next week.
When the hell did my life get so complicated?
Just when I’m about to go get the cake from the kitchen at five thirty, I hear the doorbell chime. I start toward it, but stop when Shel waves me off to answer it herself. When I see her walk back into the dining room with two people trailing behind her a few seconds later, my stomach turns. Gabe’s parents are not my favorite people, but they are Ly’s grandparents, and another link to the father she will never really know. So as hard as it is for me to be around them, I really do try to put my feelings about them aside for Ly’s sake.
“Hi, Pauline.” I give Gabe’s mom a smile and then look at her husband, keeping my expression in place. “Jack, I’m so glad you could both make it.”
I don’t hug either of them. I learned early on that they are not the kind of people to show affection, a trait Gabe unfortunately shared with them. Gabe was not the kind of guy to kiss me for no reason. I can count on both my hands the number of times we even held hands. I didn’t mind it too much, because I knew he loved me; he showed me he did every single day he was alive in other ways. I still wonder how he would have been with Ly. I wonder if he would have changed for her, because she is affectionate. She’s always been the kind of kid who has no problem giving out hugs or kisses to any and everyone she loves—though I can’t recall ever seeing her hug either of Gabe’s parents. Then again, they don’t exactly give off hugging vibes.