Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
He’s the sweetest kid alive.
“I was getting my magic set ready for my big show,” he says with his little chin quivering and his big brown eyes filling with tears, “and Jacob grabbed my hat and it cut my finger.”
“Oh, honey,” I say as I reach for him. He melts into my arms and starts bawling. “I’m sorry. Can I see it?”
He shows me the cut on his finger and I bandage it up for him. I wipe his tears and kiss him on his forehead.
“Are you ready to do your magic show?” I whisper.
He shakes his head. “I don’t want to do it anymore.”
“But you’ve been practicing all week, honey. I think you should do it.”
We talk about it for a few minutes until he decides that the show must go on. But only if I agree to be his announcer.
He gets ready in his room as I head into the living room. I grab the remote and turn the hockey game off.
“Hey!” Ryan shouts when the TV goes dark. “We were watching that!”
“We have a show for everyone!” I shout, waving everyone from the kitchen into the packed living room. “Mom, are you coming?”
She’s topping off her wine. Again.
“Is it going to be long?” Ryan asks as he reaches over and grabs the chips.
“Presenting,” I shout in a deep voice. “The Master of Magic, The Wonderful Wizard, the one and only great Lucas The Magician!”
Everyone claps and hoots as Lucas comes leaping into the room with his plastic top hat and purple cape. I can’t even. He’s too adorable.
Ryan’s jaw drops as he watches his nephew swinging the toy wand around with a flourish.
I got him that set for his birthday and he’s been practicing for weeks. He nails every trick and I’m clapping the loudest at the end.
Everyone is loving it, except for Ryan. He’s watching with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Was it good?” Lucas whispers to me after his show.
I kiss his adorable cheek and give him a hug. “It was excellent! You had everyone fooled. They think you’re a real wizard.”
“Oh, Mommy,” he says with a grin. He gives me a hug and runs off to play with his cousins, his purple cape flying up behind him.
I push my way back into the kitchen to check on the spaghetti sauce. Ryan’s new girlfriend is helping me with the noodles. I really like her. I don’t know what she’s doing with my brother though… Half of me wants to tell her she can do better, but the other half wants to keep her around.
“What the hell was that?” Ryan asks as he comes charging up to us.
“What?”
“A magic show?” he says with a huff. “Are you kidding me?”
“Leave him alone, Ryan,” I say as I grit my teeth and turn back to the sauce.
“It was cute,” Kelly says.
Ryan throws his arms into the air. “He should be playing hockey!”
“He doesn’t want to play hockey,” I say in a tight voice. “He likes magic.”
“With his genes,” Ryan says. “He should be playing hockey non-stop!”
“What?” Kelly asks, looking confused.
“Ryan,” I warn with my heart pounding.
“I mean, come on!” he nearly shouts. My brother never knows when to quit. “Am I the only one who thinks this?”
“Yes!” I snap. “And we’re changing the subject. Dad!” I grab my father from the hallway and pull him into the kitchen. “Tell Ryan about your new hot water heater and how they ripped you off.”
“Oh, get a load of these crooks!” my dad shouts, worked up at the drop of a hat.
Ryan’s eyes narrow on me as Dad gets going. I stick my tongue out at him as I leave the room.
Kelly follows me into the garage. I forgot the baguettes in the trunk of my car.
“What is he talking about?” Kelly asks as she helps me grab them. “Why hockey?”
“He didn’t tell you about Lucas’ father?”
She shakes her head. “He barely talks to me at all.”
Then why are you with him? I nearly ask her, but then I remember how much I like to have her around and I bite my tongue.
“It was a long time ago,” I say with a sigh. “I was out having fun and I met a guy. It was a one-night thing. He lived out of town.”
It was also one of the best nights of my life but I leave that part out.
“I don’t understand,” she says with a tilt of her head. “But why hockey? Was he a hockey player or something?”
“Yeah,” I say as his gorgeous face pops into my head. I don’t like thinking about him. It always sends me into a hole that’s hard to climb out of. “He was a professional hockey player.”
“Oh,” she says with her face lighting up. “Juicy. Who was it?”
I sigh as I look at her. “Harris Sutton.”