Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
I don’t have much time to prepare, but I lean my back against the truck as she barrels into me, and I pick her up in my arms. “What’s up, Lex?”
She sputters a laugh. “Lex! My name is Alexis. My dad is dropping me off. Did you come to see me?”
I laugh with her because how could I not? Her laugh is contagious. “Silly, I know your name, but if I like someone, I give them a nickname. And of course I came to see you and your momma.”
I hug her and then set her down on the ground. She grabs my hand and pulls me. “You’ll have to give Mom a nickname too then.”
I follow behind her. “You’re right, I’ll have to.”
We get to the side of the house, and Abby is working in her garden. I look at her first before looking at the man standing behind her. His forehead is creased as he stares back at me. By the glint in his eyes, I know he recognizes me. I fix him with a terse smile. “How’s it going, Wayne?”
His frown deepens. “Good. What are you doing here?” He holds his hand up and looks between his daughter, who’s still holding my hand, and then me. “Wait. Are you the Davis that Alexis has been talking about?”
I look down at the little girl smiling up at me. “Yep, that’d be me.”
She pulls from my hand. “Dad, the last time you were here, I wanted to show you my new book, but you didn’t have time. Can I show you now?”
He smiles at his daughter. “Sure thing, honey. Abby, you and I need to talk before I go.”
She has a small shovel, and she waves him away. “Sure thing, Wayne.”
When he and Alexis walk around to the front of the house, Abby gets to her feet. I move in closer to her and put my hands on her shoulders. “Does he always come around and stare at your ass like that?”
She’s shocked, letting me know she has no idea that her ex is having impure thoughts about her. “He was not.”
I let my hands slide down her back and cup her ass. “Trust me, he was. And I don’t like it.”
She drops the shovel and then slides her hands up my chest. “You left without saying goodbye.”
I push hair off her face and tuck it behind her ear. “I didn’t want to. Trust me, I was loud trying to wake you up, but you weren’t having it. I came back so we could talk.”
She stiffens. “Talk? Why do I not like the sound of that?”
I hear Alexis before I see her, and I reluctantly step back from Abby with a sigh. I wish we could be out in the open about us, especially with her ex, but I’m not going to spring it on Alexis. “I have donuts in the truck. I’m going to go grab them.”
Alexis overhears me. “Donuts! I love donuts.”
Wayne stops her before she runs to me. “Alexis, we’ve talked about this. Donuts will make you fat.”
Abby gasps, and my hands fist at my sides. Did this dumbass really just tell a six-year-old she’ll get fat if she eats a donut?
Abby must know I’m about to say something because she comes to stand in front of me with one hand to my chest. Her voice is strained. “Wayne, let’s you and me have that talk. Alexis, tell your dad bye and you’ll see him later.” She peers up at me. “Davis, will you take Alexis with you? Thank you for the donuts. I’ll be in in a minute.”
Alexis hugs her dad and then grabs my hand for us to go to my truck. I give Wayne the death glare, making sure he remembers those threats I gave him years ago. “I’ll be here if you need me,” I tell Abby, and she smiles at me softly.
Alexis and I go to my truck and grab the thermos of coffee and the donuts. She’s about to go inside, but I don’t want to be that far from Abby. “How about a picnic, Lex? We can sit right here.” I gesture to the front porch, and Alexis jumps up and down. “Let’s do it, Davis. I love picnics.”
I nod. “So do I.”
I open the box and lean down to show her all the donuts. “Now you can have any that you want, but I saw one that made me think of you. Can you guess which one?”
She looks in the box and then at me with her mouth wide open. “The pink one with the pink and white sprinkles?”
I nod and hold the box out to her. “That’s the one, kiddo. Have at it.”
We sit down on the porch, and I take a sip of coffee while she munches on her donut. Abby and Wayne are still around the corner of the house, and it’s killing me that they’re out of sight.