Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
“We’re going to order pizza,” I yell out at the two of them and they both stop mid run and look at me. “What kind do you want?”
“Pepperoni,” Zuri shouts.
“Cheese,” Coop yells.
“Got it.” I walk back into the house and go to the kitchen, where Nalia is standing with her purse in one hand and Zuri’s iPad in the other.
“What’s going on?” I ask her with a frown.
“I think Zuri and I should go and give you guys a little time alone.”
“You’re not leaving Nalia.”
“Really, Logan, after what happened, I think that…”
“Please don’t leave,” Billie’s voice cuts her off as she walks into the kitchen. Her face clean of the makeup that had stained under her eyes. “I like when you’re here, and so does Coop.”
“Honey,” Nalia whispers.
“Seriously, I’m not out numbered when you and Zuri are here, and it’s nice having you two around, please don’t leave.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She walks to the fridge and looks at me. “Can I invite Cat over, or should this just be a family night?”
Shit. I fight back the urge to laugh because she just threw down the gauntlet, and it’s obvious that Nalia sees it because her entire frame has gone still.
“I think it might be good if we just keep it family tonight.”
“That’s cool,” she mumbles, opening her soda. “I’m just going to go call her and tell her what happened.”
“Alright, sweetheart.” I watch her walk away, and when I hear her footsteps on the stairs, I walk across the kitchen and drag Nalia into my arms before placing a kiss on her mouth. “You okay?”
“I don’t know.” She tips her head back to look up at me. “I’m worried about her; I’m also worried about Kristy.”
“Kristy is a grown woman who will have to deal with her own consequences. And it sucks, but Billie is learning a lesson about life and proving that I didn’t raise my girl to think it’s okay for a man to step out on you.”
“This is true,” she mumbles.
“What kind of pizza do you want,” I change the subject with a quick kiss to her forehead; we have already spent way more time than I’d like on the topic of Kristy and her relationship. And sure, it might make me sound like a dick, but I don’t care.
“I’m okay with whatever.”
“Anchovies?”
“Sure.” She shrugs, and I tickle her sides, making her laugh. “Okay, meat lovers with olives, mushrooms, and peppers.”
“Alright.” I lean over her, kiss the smile off her lips.
“While you order dinner, I’m going to go out with the kids.”
“I’ll be out in a sec,” I tell her, and her face softens before she leans up, kissing my jaw. When she falls back to her flat feet, her eyes roam my face for a moment before she lets me go and walks away with me watching until she’s out of sight.
Pulling out my cell, I call in our pizza order, then I go out to join Nalia and the kids and find that Billie has joined them for a game of soccer. I join Nalia’s team, and we play against the three of them. And despite what happened earlier, the kids’ laughter fills the evening air and I feel completely at peace seeing them happy, seeing how naturally we have all fit into each other’s lives. It’s a simple moment that means everything.
Twenty-Nine
NALIA
Lying in Logan’s bed, I listen to the sound of him in the bathroom while I stare at the ceiling fan overhead. Even knowing that all the kids were okay with Zuri and me sleeping over tonight, I feel awkward and unsure about being here. It was odd tucking Zuri into bed upstairs in the guest room, odd that she seemed totally okay with it, and weirder that all the kids called out good night to Logan and me as we went downstairs, like they had done it night after night for years.
“In the morning, baby, I gotta run to the grocery store to get a couple of things. Is there anything you need?” The question pulls me from my thoughts and I watch him walk out of the bathroom in a pair of blue and grey plaid sleep pants and nothing else. My eyes, of course, catch on the strip of hair that disappears into the elastic of his pants, and I know this was for sure a horrible idea. There is no way I’ll be able to sleep with him in his bed without having inappropriate thoughts.
“Babe.”
“Hmmm?” I meet his gaze and find him grinning.
“I said I need to go to the store in the morning.”
“Oh, if you tell me what you need and if I’m up before you, I can go.”
“I just need to get some pancake mix since we ran out last weekend, do you need anything?” He flips off the bedside light plunging the room into darkness, then his big body slides under the covers. When he pulls me against him, I curl into his side and rest my arm across his abs, feeling his muscles go taught before he lets me go and flips back on the lamp. The sudden brightness catches me by surprise and so does him throwing the blanket off me.