Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“Really? Well, still it’s nice of them. Not many people would do that.”
“They must be amazingly good people,” I add. “I mean, they also left their new barbecue grill.”
“I doubt it’s new,” he argues, his ears kind of pink.
“Hmm … The price tag still on the back of it says you’re wrong,” I supply helpfully.
“Fuck,” he whispers. “I told Apex to make sure he took that off.”
“Apex?”
“One of the members,” he says, scratching his fingers against the scruff on his chin. “And the big screen television?”
“Cammie needed something nice to see her movies on,” he reasons. “Plus, I figured there might be a time when I was here and watching a game or something,” he adds scrubbing his hand over the back of his neck.
His words send a thrill through me. I can’t hold back any longer, so I wrap my arms around him. “Thank you.”
He tenses up at first and then, after I thank him, he softens and hugs me back.
“You like it?”
“Well, I haven’t seen it all yet, but I love it. I especially like the idea of you coming over to watch the game,” I add, tilting my head back to look up at him. The grin that stretches across his face feels like sunshine bathing me in its light.
He leans down so he’s whispering in my ear. “You make it really hard not to kiss you in front of your daughter and father right now.”
“That’s because I really want your kiss,” I confess.
“Damnit,” he groans. Just as he dips down and his lips barely brush mine, Cammie yells out.
“Mama! I wanna see where my room is posta’ be. Papaw said it was pretty!”
I grin up at Eli, while patting my hands flat against his chest. “First thing to know when dating a single mother, Eli, is that kids pipe up at the most inopportune times.”
“Is that what we’re doing? Dating?” he asks.
“Well, I guess we haven’t technically gone on a date, but …” I stop abruptly, starting to get nervous. Did I overstep? Shit. I can’t remember dating. Dane was my high school sweetheart. Which explains why I married him—I was too young and way too dumb.
Eli leans down and kisses my forehead. “I’m not sure I’ve ever truly dated, but I like the idea of doing it with you. I’m serious about you, Skittles. If you can handle everything that I need to tell you about myself, then you need to know that I’m all in. I don’t want to lose you.”
“That doesn’t sound ominous at all,” I murmur, kissing his cheek before transferring my attention back to my daughter.
“Well? Let’s go find your bedroom!” I respond with excitement, purposefully to add to Cammie’s. I want this, but I need to make sure my daughter is happy, too.
Dad leads us to the first room in the small hall. It’s a bathroom-slash-washroom. There’s a stacked washer-dryer unit in the corner. A tub with shower, commode and small sink. On the wall by the washer and dryer there’s a homemade shelf that I assume is made to put detergent and things on. Underneath it is a mounted closet rod, to hang clothes on. It’s not ideal, but it will be fine for me and Cammie. Cammie doesn’t really have anything to say about it. It’s tiny but the white bead board and bright yellow accents help it not to feel closed in. Straight across from it is another door. Dad opens it and I swear it feels like my heart stops for a minute.
Inside the room is a bedroom that was clearly designed for Cammie. The paneled walls are painted a bright white, yet one wall is ballerina pink. There are fake flowers hung on the wall. A shelf that is holding a princess crown with pink gemstones. There’s a small loft bed, especially designed for toddlers because it’s got three wide steps instead of a ladder to the top. The bed is white with Olaf bedding on it. The bottom part has a pink curtain that makes it look like the entrance to a castle. Cammie cries out in happiness from beside me and the first thing she does is dive into the make-believe castle under her bed. Inside, I can see one of those Olaf beanbag chairs and new coloring books and crayons that are the big ones so Cammie can grip them easier. Cammie comes out holding Frozen coloring books and a stuffed Olaf that is over half her size. “Mommy! Is this really my room?” she says, her face happier than I’ve seen it all year.
“It is if we stay here. I think your Papaw and Eli fixed it especially for you.”
She turns to look at them. “You did?” she says, her voice full of wonder.
“We wanted you to like it, Pixie. Pez and I really would like to have you and your mommy closer to us.”