Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“She’s the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he says quietly, and I smile at that, because even without hearing him say those words, I know he loves his daughter—you can see it in his eyes when he looks at her. “I’m getting a divorce.”
My step stutters and I almost trip as I swing my head in his direction. “I’m sorry,” I say, not sure how to react to that news, but very sure high-fiving him would not be appropriate.
“Don’t be, I’m not . . .” He shakes his head. “I don’t even know why I just told you that when I haven’t even told my family about my plans,” he says. I stop to let Muffin sniff around a tree off the path and look at him. “Have you ever felt like you’ve been living, but not really living at all?” he asks quietly. I nod. “I’ve been living a lie for the last five years of my life. Since the moment Eva got pregnant, I’ve been doing the right thing for everyone else. I’ve been doing what’s best for everyone but myself.”
“I get that . . .” I don’t know how he feels, but I understand what he’s saying and I’m sure feeling that way isn’t easy on a person.
“Sorry for putting this all out there. I don’t know, maybe I just needed to tell someone else to make it more real or some shit.”
“It’s okay.” I smile softly, resting my hand on his biceps. “Sometimes you just need someone to talk to who isn’t involved and doesn’t have an opinion.”
“Yeah.” He pulls in a deep breath, then lets it out. “It’s for the best, especially for my daughter,” Lucas says in a tone that is full of regret and sorrow. Without thinking, I wrap my arms around him, needing to offer him some kind of comfort. It takes a second, but his arms wrap around me, and he hugs me back. “Thanks,” he whispers, and I nod, then start to pull back when Muffin tugs the leash in my grasp and runs around us, basically tying me and Lucas together.
“Muffin,” I shout, then scream her name as she runs around us again, drawing us even closer and tighter together.
“Muffin, heel.” Oh, thank god, Levi. I close my eyes, then open them back up and peek around Lucas’s shoulder and watch Levi walking toward us.
“This is—”
“Awkward but not surprising,” Levi cuts me off as he comes over to take Muffin’s leash and untangle me from his brother. Feeling my face heat in embarrassment, I pull myself off Lucas as soon as I can then take a step back and run my hands down my thighs. This day keeps getting better by the minute.
“You okay, baby?” Levi asks, and I don’t even look up at him.
“Yep, totally cool,” I say as Muffin comes over to me, wagging her tail and looking between Levi and me, like, Look who I found. Isn’t it so exciting, making me glare at her.
“I’m gonna head back,” Lucas says, and I nod as he lifts his chin toward Levi before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking off.
“You didn’t tell me you were going to take Muffin out,” Levi says as soon as Lucas is gone. My eyes go to him.
“I didn’t think I needed to, and it wasn’t something I planned. I just needed to take a break for a few minutes,” I say in a rush.
“You’re pissed,” he states, studying me, and I shake my head. I don’t feel pissed, I just feel annoyed and on edge, and I really can’t wait for this stupid day to be over with.
“I’m not pissed. Like I said, I just needed a few minutes alone.”
“You weren’t alone, you were with Lucas,” he says, and I would swear there is an edge of jealousy in his tone—but that would be ridiculous, so I push that thought aside.
“I could tell he didn’t want to go back inside, so I invited him to walk Muffin with me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were heading out?” he repeats, and I begin to get annoyed.
“I already told you why. I needed to think.”
“To think about me and Heather?” he asks, and I narrow my eyes on him.
“Is there a you and Heather?” I ask. His lips twitch, which makes me want to kick him in the shin.
“Definitely not.”
“You were engaged to her, though, weren’t you?” His eyes narrow a little.
“How do you know that?”
“Your mom told me. Well, she didn’t tell me the woman’s name, but I put two and two together at dinner when Eva kept bringing Heather up.”
“Christ.” He shakes his head running his fingers through his hair. “That’s something for me to talk to you about when I’m ready.”
“Okay, so when would that be?” I question, and his eyes lock on mine.