Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113130 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113130 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
“I am.” I take a deep breath and fill her in with everything that happened, even the hospital visit.
“You should have called me. I would have—”
“There was nothing anyone could have done.” I get up from the couch. “Besides, I had Jaxon.”
“So you two are going to be living with each other.” She snickers. “When are you going to break the news to your father?”
“Soon. I’ve also been avoiding his phone calls, as well as my mother’s. It’s just a matter of time before one of them just snaps and finds out where I am, and then shows up at the front door.”
“I mean, it’s too late now, the damage is done.”
“This is true,” I agree. “So what’s new with you?”
“Sadly, nothing,” she sighs. “I did volunteer to help with the hospital foundation and it’s going to be a bachelor auction that is happening this summer.”
“You love doing that,” I point out.
“I love doing anything that keeps me busy. But Trent is travelling a lot these days, and I’m lucky enough that I get to go with him occasionally.”
“That sounds like fun,” I tell her. “Are you going to be in my neck of the woods anytime soon?”
“I don’t think so, but if I am, you know I’ll be the one banging on your door.” Her voice then goes soft. “I have to go, call you later.” She disconnects and head inside to the bathroom. My eyes going over to his bedside table where he put the picture of the sonogram in a frame. I smile when I look over at it, putting my hand on top of my belly. He put one picture on the fridge, one in the living room, one in my office, one in the bathroom, and it’s now the screen saver of his phone. Every single time I turn around I find that he’s put it someplace else.
The shower turns off, just as I step inside. “Am I too late?” I ask him as he steps out of the shower and reaches for his towel.
“You are,” he confirms, wrapping the towel around his waist and covering one of my favorite parts of him. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Is that why you covered your dick, so I can unwrap it?” I walk over to him and kiss the middle of his chest that still has droplets of water. “Because I’ve seen that surprise many, many times before.”
He laughs. “That’ s not the surprise. It’s something else.”
“Ohh,” I reply, intrigued by this, “what is it?”
“I’ll tell you, but you have to be ready in an hour.” I step back.
“In an hour, but where are we going?”
“Palm Springs. I won the auction at the event, and I have the next two days off. So I thought it would be nice if we went away together.” He taps my nose. “Now, you have an hour.” He smiles. “Make it count.” He walks out of the bathroom and all I can do is stare at him. “Get to packing, Ari.”
I’m about to head to the shower when my phone rings. “One hour!” he yells from the bedroom and I look down and see it’s my father.
“Dad,” I answer the phone and then rush to the walk-in closet with my eyes big, pointing to the phone and showing him it’s my dad. “Hey,” I say, trying not to sound like I’m hiding in a closet with Jaxon and he caught me.
“Don’t you hey me, young lady,” he snaps out and Jaxon’s eyes go big, “I haven’t heard your voice in a week.”
“Three days,” I correct him. “You called me three days ago when I was walking on the beach.”
“Yeah, and you said you couldn’t hear me with the crashing of the waves, so you were going to call me back.”
“Oh, yeah.” I walk out of the closet and back to the bathroom to get ready. “I forgot about that.”
“Wow, so you go visit LA and all of a sudden you are too busy for us.”
“It’s not that.” I turn the water on to brush my teeth. “It’s the time difference,” I tell him and even he knows it’s a lame excuse when he groans. “I’m actually headed to Palm Springs today. What can I say, I’m living my best life here.”
“You must be,” he huffs out, “but would it hurt to check in with your parents?” His voice goes soft. “Just like a, ‘hey, guys, I’m alive and well.’”
“Sorry, Dad,” I say, wetting the toothbrush, “I promise to check in more.”
“Thank you. Now, I have to go. Your brother just came into the house and he has his equipment bag open and your mother is yelling at him.”
“Love you,” I say. “Call you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be waiting.” He disconnects and I look at myself in the mirror.
“He’ll be okay with the news.” I try to pep myself up. “It’ll be fine.”