Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
“Are you firing me?” she asks Charlie.
“See you later when I come and visit you,” he says. “We’ll talk then.” He hangs up the phone before she says anything more.
“Glad that is settled.” I bend and kiss her lips before smiling and kissing her lips again at the same time that Lucy comes out of her bedroom.
“Lilah,” she says, rushing to her and hugging her around her waist, “you’re up.”
“I am,” she confirms softly before bending to kiss her head. “I smelled food.”
“Are you going to drive me to school?” Lucy asks as she walks toward the fridge to grab the orange juice.
“No,” I answer her at the same time Lilah says, “Yes.”
Lucy laughs as she walks over to the stool and sits down. “Is Lilah moving in?” she asks, and I look at Lilah, who is staring at me with big eyes. When we picked Lucy up last night, we didn’t talk about whether Lilah was staying. Lucy was just happy Lilah was with us, and everything else went out the window.
“Um,” Lilah says.
“I want her to.” I finally turn off the stove and then turn back to Lucy. “I want her to live here with us.”
“Me too,” Lucy agrees with me, while looking at Lilah with a smile. “Do you want to live here with us?”
“Um.” Her nerves make her hands shake. “I want to be wherever you guys are,” she finally says, making me smile. I can’t help but go to her and take her in my arms, rubbing my hand up and down her back.
“So then it’s settled, you’re moving in.” I look down at her as she wraps her arms around my waist. “I’ll ask Autumn to go and pack your things.”
“You will do no such thing,” she gasps, making Lucy giggle. “I can pack my own stuff, thank you very much.”
“Are you guys going to be boyfriend and girlfriend?” The question makes Lilah stop talking.
“Yes.” I don’t even skip a beat. “For now anyway. I love her, always have.”
Lucy smirks. “I knew it.
“Are you two getting married?” Lucy looks at each of us.
“I want to marry her,” I admit to Lucy. “Want to be her husband more than anything.”
“Do you want to marry my dad?” She looks at Lilah, who has tears now in her eyes.
“Very much,” she whispers to her, trying not to cry but then giving in to the tears. “I very much want to marry him.”
“Then you should get married,” she says as if it’s not a big deal.
“There is more to it than that,” Lilah replies, and I tilt my head.
“You love Dad,” Lucy states to Lilah. “You love Lilah.” She looks at me, and I nod. “So now you can get married.”
Lilah laughs. “I guess it is as easy as that.” She looks up at me. “Are you okay with all this?” She turns back to Lucy, who looks at her like she’s confused. “You know, me staying here.”
“You stayed here before.” She shrugs as I walk over to make her a breakfast sandwich. “You just sleep with Dad now.”
“Yes,” Lilah says, turning and walking to the island in front of Lucy, “but it was you two, and then I just came in.”
I watch Lucy. “You know I love you, right?” I tell Lucy, who whips her head toward me. I can see she doesn’t know what to do with that information. “You know you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, right?” Her bottom lip quivers. “You’ll never doubt how much I love you, Lucy, never.”
“I know,” she says softly, using the back of her hand to wipe her tears away as the phone alarm rings, meaning we have to leave to get her to school.
I move my hand to shut it off. “Do you know that I love you?” She looks at me, my chest feeling like my heart is about to literally push through and come out.
“I had hoped,” I answer her honestly, “I really freaking hoped.”
She laughs at me. “Now, either you go get your things, and you eat in the truck, or you’ll be late.”
“I can’t be late.” She pushes away from the counter. “Can we eat in the truck?” She jumps off her stool. “I’m going to get my bags.”
I wait for her to be out of the room. “Well, that is one way to tell her we’re getting married.” I look over at Lilah, who starts rushing around the kitchen, getting Lucy her breakfast. “I have to get dressed.” I look down at my shorts, walking to her. “Kiss me.” She looks up, trying to hide the smile before her lips fall on mine. “I love you,” I whisper, “more than life.”
“I love you,” she declares. “Now go and get ready.”
Ten minutes later, we rush out of the house, getting into the truck and waving goodbye to Lilah.