Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
She grins. “Yeah, he goes dancing on Thursdays.”
“He still has some sick moves.”
“Please,” she laughs. “I hear that enough from my friends.” I cackle as I cuddle in deeper to the pillow, and her lips curve up in a sleepy smile. “I’m glad he had you to hang out with. I bet it made him happy.”
My heart squeezes in my chest, but I keep it to myself how happy it made me.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
The Cousins
Skyye
my dad went dancing with y’all’s mom.
Ash
so? That’s normal.
Flint
yeah, I saw pictures of them dancing when they were kids.
Skyye
sure, but I heard my dad tell his buddy it was the best night of his life.
Ash
????????? wait. Is he crushing on my mom?
Flint
I approve.
Ash
WHAT? he slept with Aunt Missy and gave us the girl in this chat.
Skyye
yeah but he doesn’t like my mom. What if he does like your mom?
Flint
how can we make this happen?
Ash
wait! Stop! No! Mom needs to kick it single for a bit.
Flint
no, Mom isn’t made for that. She wants love.
Skyye
Yeah and your dad sucks. Mine doesn’t.
Ash
she never got to be herself. She went straight from being a kid to a wife then mother. Let her have fun.
Flint
what if she doesn’t want to have fun?
Skyye
what if my dad could be fun?
Ash
fking gross.
Ash
this is fking weird.
Skyye
is it?
Flint
for real… is it?
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
Dean
I probably shouldn’t be watching her, but I can’t help it.
I’m not even sure if Kenni knows I’m here, but since the moment I walked into the west rink of the Ice Thistle to watch my daughter’s private lesson with Fable, my eyes have been on Kenni. She stands at a high-top table with her laptop open and a deep indent in her forehead as she focuses on whatever she’s doing. She’s by the door closest to where Fable stands, giving Skyye corrections and still able to converse with Kenni.
That’s the only reason I haven’t gone over there yet.
Or at least, that’s the lie I’m telling myself.
Truth is, I’m embarrassed. Not a feeling I’m proud of. It’s been over a week since I almost took her home from the Thirsty Pine. A night that could possibly be one of the most treasured of my life. We fell into our old ways, laughing, dancing, and we exchanged so many heated looks, I’m surprised I’m not burned to a crisp. I couldn’t get enough of her. But of course, Missy had to go and ruin it.
I’m not innocent by any means, but Missy made me sound like a manwhore, which is the furthest from the truth. Do I hook up with women on Thursdays? Yes, but I haven’t in some time. Hell, I think the last time was before I found out Missy got married. Even though I think Nyle is a fucking loser, I want what Missy has. Her person.
I haven’t told Sadie or Missy that, but maybe I should have because it would have saved me the embarrassment that crashed into me when Kenni looked up at me through her lashes after Missy said what she did. I saw the disappointment in Kenni’s eyes. It felt like my antics reminded her of that bastard she was married to, and the look she pinned me with hit me square in the gut.
I hate that man for allowing her to know what that kind of pain feels like.
If she had married me, she’d know nothing but love.
Wow. That’s a truth I wasn’t ready for.
I run my hands down my face and try to focus on the ice. I always come to Skyye’s private skate the day after she goes back to her mom’s. I don’t know if it’s guilt or what, but it’s almost as if I need to see her to know we’re okay. I miss the kid a lot when she’s not with me. I feel like sometimes I rely on her too much to fill the loneliness in my soul, and that’s not fair. I can’t end up like Liam, or Skyye will kick me in the balls.
I smile to myself. Skyye will be a force to be reckoned with.
Just like her mom and her aunts.
Our week was full of laughs and love. We went on trail walks. She skated and worked while I helped Matt build a playhouse for my nieces and nephew. I worked on Thursday and Friday, so Skyye stayed with Sadie. When I came home after my overnight for dinner and we sat down, I found myself wishing Kenni were there. Sadie’s kids were all talking about her. Apparently, she and Skyye had been stopping by Noelle’s every morning before going for a run. Or rather, Skyye ran while Kenni sunbathed—as Skyye told everyone with a smirk. When I brought up inviting Kenni to the next family dinner, Sadie caught my eye and had me squirming under her intense gaze.
I never told Sadie how I felt about Kenni, but I’m sure she knew. Though, why she’s never said anything surprises me. Maybe she doesn’t actually know. Really, why does it matter? Do I need permission from my sister and baby mama to go after her? Wait, what am I thinking? That’s not even a possibility. Is it? That Kenni will be down to jump right into forever with me after she just went through hell with a cheating bastard?