Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
If a lunch is not packed, it is better to load cafeteria funds into her online account rather than paper-clipping a crumpled fifty to her empty lunchbox. And though well-meaning, ballpark peanuts don’t provide all the necessary nutrients we hope for our children to receive at lunch time.
Additionally, the swearing must be reined in. Six weeks into the year and she’s inadvertently taught the whole class the big 5: S, C, D, A, and F.
As she should be, Harper is very excited and proud of your team’s performance in the postseason, but it’s against school dress code for her to wear one of your jerseys beneath her uniform.
We’ve changed some things, gotten the hang of others. Swearing is now relegated to home only. I loaded her online lunch account with the max amount so I’d never have to remember to reload it, and the thing with Corey…well, if he pushes my daughter again, he’ll have a lot more to worry about than a little dirt up his nose.
We’ve just about survived first grade together. If only we can get over this braid hurdle, we’ll be scot-free. Come next Friday, school will break for summer, and I’ll have a short reprieve from failing miserably day in and day out.
“Can we go to Aunt Tate instead? I know she can do it.”
“Sure, kiddo. Let me call and see if she’s home.”
My younger sister has been my saving grace one too many times this year. She’s the only family I have close by; everyone else is back in Texas. If she ever got a wild hair to leave the city, I’d somehow convince her to stay.
You want a better apartment? Two apartments? You want a driver? An account at Barney’s?
I reach for my phone to call Tate, but it starts vibrating with an incoming call from David, my agent.
I roll my eyes and answer. “Not now.”
“Luke Allen! Just the man I was hoping to reach.”
“I told you I’d give you a call back.”
“Yes, but that was last week,” he points out. “I’m worried you don’t understand the meaning of ‘call back’ so I thought I’d reach out. You see, proper etiquette states—”
I hang up.
“That was mean,” Harper says, crossing her arms.
“It was a spam call,” I lie.
David persists.
DAVID: We need to talk. They’re willing to throw even more money your way. Retirement can wait!
I can’t think about baseball right now. I have to get Harper to school.
And after I get her to school? Well…I need to go to the grocery store. We’re out of those tiny red-wrapped cheese snacks she loves so much. And lunch meat. And bananas. And…
Fifteen minutes later, I’m banging on my sister’s apartment door.
Tate doesn’t open it; one of her roommates does. I don’t know which one it is, Sophia or Daphne. They’re sisters, and I have a hell of a time telling them apart.
This one has a big smile and curly red hair…but they both have red hair, so that doesn’t help me. “Luke! Oh my gosh, had I realized you were coming over, I would have changed…”
She draws a hand down the front of her black nighty, then proceeds to arch her back and lean forward so I’d have an easier time getting an eyeful of her cleavage if only I wanted it. I very nearly toss a hand over Harper’s eyes.
This one must be Daphne. Sophia is dating one of my old teammates, so I doubt she’d be showing up to the front door dressed like this. Or…let’s hope not. Josh would lose it if he knew his girlfriend’s breasts were about two inches from my face.
Harper tugs on my hand and rises up on her toes so she can loudly whisper to me, “Why is she blinking like that? Like over and over so fast. Does she have an eye disease?”
Tate bursts out laughing as she walks out of her room dressed in an oversized New York Pinstripes shirt with my old jersey number on it paired with baggy gray sweatpants. Her brown hair is wet from a shower, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s already gone on a run this morning. Instead of walking toward us, she bolts straight for the coffeepot on the counter.
“Daphne, you’re hopeless. Get away from my brother.”
Daphne throws up her hands. “What? Can’t a girl try to lock it down with Luke Allen!? I believe in taking every opportunity the universe presents me.”
“Excuse me,” Harper says.
Daphne looks down at her as if only now realizing she’s there.
“Your dress is very short,” Harper states. “I think I can see your butt and maybe even your va—”
I tug my child to me and slap a hand over her mouth before she can continue.
Tate, who by now is taking her first sip of coffee, sputters and chokes on it as she tries not to die from laughter.