Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“No, it rained most of the day. I might head over now, though, and place the flags down, so the contractor knows where we want the foundation.”
“Don’t forget the pool,” Conor said as he went into the house.
“Yeah, yeah.” His other grandparents had an indoor pool at their house in Wyoming, and one of the things Hayden said he would consider when building their new house was a pool. As soon as he had said it, he knew it was the wrong thing to do. He’d used it as a crutch or some sort of enticement to get Conor on the same page when it came to moving.
Staying in Wyoming wasn’t an option, even though he’d had a good relationship with his in-laws. As much as Hayden needed Conor to be okay, Hayden needed his parents. There was a certain level of emotional support only a parent could give. Sofia’s parents would visit, and once Conor settled in Oyster Bay, he’d go back to Wyoming for breaks. Hayden had no intentions of keeping them away from each other.
Hayden walked in after his son and kicked his shoes off onto the wet mat by the door. As he did, he inhaled deeply, and his stomach growled. He smelled marinara, freshly baked bread, and cake. He wasn’t sure what type of cake, but he knew they were having cake for dessert.
Darcy was in the kitchen, standing at the island; Conor was across from her, perched on one of the barstools. Hayden kissed her cheek and dipped his finger into the bowl of frosting on the countertop. Homemade chocolate frosting was his favorite. Everything homemade was his favorite. She slapped his hand.
“Knock it off.”
“I can’t help it.”
“Neither can I,” Conor said as he reached across the counter and dipped his finger into the bowl as well.
“That’s it, no dessert for either of you.”
Hayden placed his hand over his heart and pretended to cry. Conor did the same and started wailing. Darcy wasn’t buying their act. She did, however, give them two spoons and told them to have at it because she needed to make a fresh batch.
“Only a couple spoonfuls,” Hayden told Conor. “You don’t want to spoil your dinner.”
“Heed your own advice,” Darcy said from the pantry. When she returned, she had a container of powdered sugar, but no chocolate.
“Aren’t you making more chocolate?” Hayden asked.
“I am not,” she told him as she pushed the other bowl toward him. “You couldn’t keep your grubby mitts off my frosting—you’re not getting any more.”
Hayden stood there, stunned. Conor giggled. He looked at his son and failed to keep a straight face when he saw frosting smeared on Conor’s cheeks. Hayden shook his head and pulled a sheet of paper towel off the roll, wetted it, and handed it to his son.
“Conor, how was school?” Darcy asked as she put the other batch of frosting contents into her mixer. “Did you make any new friends?”
“Some,” he said. “There’s another new kid in my class.”
“Maren Campbell?” Darcy asked.
Hayden assumed Maren was Devorah’s daughter, but he couldn’t be sure, even though Chad’s last name was Campbell. He hadn’t gotten around to asking about her daughter earlier.
“Yeah, she has a funny name. Some of the kids were making fun of her.”
“I saw you wave at her,” Hayden said to Conor.
“She’s nice,” Conor said. “Mr. Raze said we had to be reading partners.”
“What were the other kids saying to her?” Darcy asked.
Conor shrugged. “Something about her mom being on a video. I don’t know. I wasn’t listening because I don’t know her, and I don’t want anyone to think I’m a mean kid.”
Hayden happened to glace at his mom, who eyed him warningly; she then looked to Conor. Hayden understood.
“Hey, bud, why don’t you run upstairs and do your homework. Grandma is going to need the counter to make dinner.”
“Okay,” he said as he climbed down and grabbed his backpack. Hayden waited until he heard stomping overhead before saying anything to his mom.
“You know?”
She nodded. “Everyone knows.”
“How?”
“According to the gals at the coffee shop, the video went viral. Whatever that’s supposed to mean.”
“But she doesn’t even live here.”
Darcy shrugged. “How do you know about it?”
“I ran into Devorah outside the kids’ school this morning. It was raining, so I offered her a ride. We chatted for a bit, and she told me.”
“You haven’t seen it?”
Hayden shook his head. He wasn’t sure he wanted to see it.
“Probably for the best,” his mom said. “It’s not good, and there’s a follow-up. This woman . . .” Darcy paused and turned the mixer off. “I don’t know what on earth possesses a woman to be as catty as this one on the video. Her parents should be ashamed. Just horrible what they’ve done to our Devy.”
“Your Devy?”
Darcy held a spatula in her hand, covered with vanilla frosting. “Oyster Bay takes care of their own.”