Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
“Do you have everything for sundaes?” she asked, sliding onto a barstool at the kitchen island.
“My mother has everything. I swear the woman is prepared for any occasion.”
A few minutes later, the kitchen island was covered with vanilla and chocolate ice cream, sprinkles, whipped cream, hot fudge, walnuts, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate chips, and fresh strawberries.
“What ’bout the sour candy?” Rhett asked.
I looked at Emeline, who replied, “There are no rules! You can put whatever you want on your sundae.”
“Okay, then. Let me grab the sour candy.”
Rhett let out a whoop.
My son put so much on his sundae that we had to put it all in a big bowl. Then he topped it off with chocolate syrup.
“He’s going to be up all night,” I muttered before taking a bite of my own ice cream.
Emeline closed her eyes and let out a moan that went right to my cock. “Nothing is better than peanut butter cups mixed with chocolate ice cream and an indecent amount of chocolate syrup over all of it.”
I laughed. “Not to mention the whipped cream you put on top. How in the world do you stay so thin?”
She winked. “I run every day, and I don’t normally eat like this. But when I do, I make it worth my while.”
“Daddy, I feel sick,” Rhett said just minutes later.
“I wonder why,” I replied as I got up and took his empty bowl. “You actually ate it all?”
“It was so good, I had to!”
Emeline coughed to cover a laugh.
“I told you that was too much.”
Rhett nodded. “I know. But I wanted it.”
I rinsed the bowl out and put it in the dishwasher. “How about we take a bath, then read a story?”
Rhett smiled. “Can you read to me, Emeline?”
“Emeline might be tired, bud. It’s been a long day.”
“I don’t mind reading him a story. You go and bathe him, and I’ll clean up down here.”
I glanced at the packed island. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. If your mother comes home and sees this mess, you’re going to be in some trouble.”
Leaning down, I kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll come get you when he’s ready for the story.”
Emeline got up and put her bowl in the sink as I took Rhett’s hand and led him upstairs and to the bathroom. He was quiet as I filled the bathtub, and for a few minutes after he got in.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked.
Rhett frowned, then looked up at me. “I feel happy.”
Smiling, I replied, “That’s good.”
“But I feel bad about it, Daddy. I miss Brooke.”
My heart felt like it shattered. He felt guilty about feeling happy. “Buddy, it’s okay to miss Brooke and still be happy. She would want you to be happy and have fun with your friends.”
He nodded. “She’d like Ms. Emeline.”
“I think she would too.”
“Are you going to marry Ms. Emeline?”
I nearly choked. “What? Rhett, we’ve only just started dating. I think it’s a bit too soon to be thinking about that. Besides, we just moved here, and we have to get settled in and start our lives.”
“But you gonna keep dating Ms. Emeline, right? I really like her.”
“You’re going to, not ‘you gonna’.”
He nodded. “Yeah, that.”
I chuckled. “I really like her, too, and I hope so. Come on, let’s get you finished up so Emeline can read you that story.”
By the time I had gotten Rhett dressed, Emeline appeared at the door to his bedroom. “I followed the voices,” she said.
Rhett got up on his knees and held out a book. “This one, Ms. Emeline. It’s new!”
She sat down on the bed and looked at the book, reading the title. “Mr. Maple: A Guide Dog’s Journey, by Paul Castle. Sounds good!”
“Grammy bought it for me, and we haven’t read it yet.”
“She won’t mind if I read it to you?”
Rhett shook his head. “Nope! Daddy was gonna read it, but now you are.”
I watched as Rhett got snuggled in next to Emeline. As she read, they talked about the drawings, and Rhett asked questions about what a guide dog does. Happiness welled up in my heart as I watched the two of them.
The sound of the garage door opening caused me to carefully slip away and head downstairs.
Mom was putting a to-go container into the fridge.
“How was dinner?” I asked before leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.
“Lovely. How was the Mexican restaurant?”
“It was great.”
My father walked into the kitchen. “Where’s Rhett?”
I wasn’t entirely sure how my parents would react to the news of me dating Emeline. I had a feeling I would get the it’s-too-soon speech, or maybe they’d even think she was too young for me.
Looking up at the ceiling, I replied, “Emeline’s reading his new book to him.”
Both of my parents stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me. My mother smiled. “Emeline’s here?”