Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
“Yes, I can do it,” I blurted. “I’ll pick her up and—and actually, I’m going to pull her out a few hours early.” I flashed Courtney my resolved face. “We’re enjoying a picnic at the park, and I want Lily to join us.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he breezed, springing a smile to my lips. “Just make sure you’re both back at the house by four, and that’s four o’clock our time, and not four o’clock Sue-time. Layton’s giving Lily these piano lessons for free, so don’t jerk him around.”
“Why don’t we just cancel the piano lessons?” I asked, slipping into the use of we quicker than I knew what to do with. “Nari said she’d rather learn the drums.”
“—right, yeah. Just a sec— Sue? Sue,” he called. If possible, it was getting even louder on his end. It sounded like someone was straight up screaming. “Look, I’ve got to go, but it’s a hard no on switching instruments again. The deal was Lily would stick with the piano for three months, and then if she wasn’t into it, she could try another instrument. It hasn’t even been three weeks.
“Stop letting her play you, Sue, and start knowing what the hell’s going on with our kid.”
“Yes,” I said easily. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“All right, I’ll see you and that tasty pussy tonight. Keep it sweet, wet, and ready for me.”
My face caught fire. “Micah!”
“Buh-bye,” he signed off, laughing himself off the phone.
I rolled my eyes even as a giggle escaped my lips. Keep my pussy ready for him? That was something else I was going to do.
“DID YOU HAVE FUN TODAY?”
“Yeah!” Lily shrieked, throwing her hands up. “Auntie Courtney is the best, Mommy! She said I get free cupcakes from her shop whenever I want them!”
“Yes, she did say that, and it’s the best news you’ve gotten all day because you’re a sugar fiend!”
“No!”
“It’s true,” I carried on. We turned down the final street leading to home. “You’re the sugar bandit! The sugar swindler! The sugar master. The Sugar Claus,” I belted. “You better be nice, not naughty, or the Sugar Claus is coming for your cookies! And those elves better watch out too.”
“Ahhh!” Lily squealed, laughing so hard she tipped over in her booster seat. “Mommy, you’re silly!”
“No, you’re the silly one.”
“No, you’re the silly one!”
This kicked off a repetitive, but hilarious, back-and-forth that had both our sides in stitches. I only stopped when we rumbled through the gates and I saw Mr. Layton standing on the front steps, waving at us.
A glance at the clock told me it was fifteen minutes before four, so we weren’t late. “Even so, we’ve got to put our sillies away now, Lily,” I told her. “Your teacher is being very nice and giving you free lessons on his own time, so we’ve got to be serious.”
“Aww, okay.” She sat up, a pout stealing away her smile. “But can we be silly after?”
I reached back and tickled her, teasing out another squealing giggle. “We can absolutely be silly after. Tell you what, when you’re done with your lesson, we can have a spa afternoon with nail polish, face masks, and big, fluffy robes.”
“Okay!”
I stopped the car, then twisted around in my seat to unbuckle her.
“I like you. You’re much better than my old mommy.”
My grin vanished like a dewdrop in the desert. “Wha—”
Lily wiggled free and shot out of the car. “Hi, Mr. C! Mommy took me to the park!”
“Lily, wait!” I yanked and struggled with the seat belt, fighting to get out. She couldn’t have said— No, she said it! She said old mommy, but that couldn’t be what she meant. I have to—
“—talk to you.” I tumbled out of the car. “Lily, come back, please. I—”
The front door flew open.
Lily waved hello to Alex on her way inside. Mr. Layton followed, with me just as quick on her heels.
A hand flew out and smacked the doorjamb, blocking my path. “You took Lily out of school early.” It wasn’t a question.
“I did after running it by Micah.” I rocked from foot to foot—eager to get past. “Courtney and a bunch of the moms were having a picnic in the park with their kids, so I—”
“Couldn’t let them go without giving them a chance to invest in a new and exciting SueNation investment opportunity,” he finished. Alex had an odd smirk on his lips that was really creeping me out. “Can’t blame ya.”
I bristled. “It wasn’t like that. The only thing we invested in were a couple of new breakouts and several new pounds from a whole tray of maple bacon cupcakes. I’m not running some con with Lily as the closer,” I said. “If you must know, I’m done with SueNation for good. I’ve even got some job interviews lined up, so as long as one of them pans out, I’ll be able to work from home and bring in some income while still being here for Lily and Omma.”