Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 103050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Sometimes I struggle to see what’s right in front of me. That’s why I have my sister. And Ben.
“Good to see you,” Bray says, as we all take our seats. “I knew we’d get you back once Willow started school. That’s what happens. New parents are knee-deep in shit and throw-up—quite literally. And non-parents don’t want to be bored to death with stories of how non-adorable their incapable, parasitic offspring are. Minimal contact for the first five years works for all parties involved.”
“Incapable, parasitic offspring?” I ask. “That’s…” I turn to Ben. “That’s why you’re Willow’s godfather.”
“I said what I said,” Bray says. “And you can’t dispute the facts.”
I laugh, and it feels like someone’s lifted a weight from my chest. It feels good being with these guys, but more than that, I feel good being with them. I feel more like myself.
“I hear Gabby’s engaged,” Ben says.
I land in a heap, back down to earth. “Yeah. And how the hell did you know?”
“It’s my job to know everything that goes on in this city. Plus it was in the New York Times.”
“Is that bad?” Bray asks. “Were you hoping you two would get back together?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s not that. I just…my sister thinks she’ll want to change our nesting arrangement so Willow goes between two houses.”
“But she’s older now. Better able to handle that,” Ben offers.
“She shouldn’t have to be handling things,” I reply. “Certainly not the choices of her parents.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Ben says. “You’re a dedicated father. You’re not raising her in a crack den. She lives in a townhouse in Manhattan. I’m sure she has every material thing she could ever want and she has two involved parents.”
“I don’t want her to be treated like she’s some kind of shared household appliance,” I add.
“I stayed with my dad every other weekend,” Bray says. He and Ben are half brothers with different fathers. “I didn’t have a problem with it.”
It’s an easy thing to say. Now. “I’m sure at the time you saw it differently,” I say.
“No, I don’t think so. I felt kind of special going off and spending time in a different house every other weekend. I liked it.”
“Every kid’s different,” Ben says.
“Right, and Willow is a bright, sensitive girl. She shouldn’t have to put up with this shit.”
“Life isn’t perfect, Deacon,” Ben adds. “She’ll adjust. That’s what we’re good at as humans.”
“I hate the idea that she’s going to be shunted from place to place—”
“Not from place to place,” Bray corrects. “Between two homes. Between two parents who love her. I haven’t seen you in forever, Deacon. You’ve totally dedicated yourself to your little parasite. She’s going to be okay.”
Ben asks, “When’s the last time you—”
“I got laid last night, if that’s what you were going to say.”
“I was actually going to ask if you’ve seen anyone since Gabby.”
I shrug. “Like I said, I got laid last night. I’ve been busy. I haven’t got time for anything other than work or Willow. That’s why I haven’t seen much of you two. And anyway, I wasn’t exactly dating Gabby when she got pregnant. Relationships aren’t my thing. Willow’s already going to have to get used to a stepdad, with Gabby getting engaged. I don’t want her to have to get used to someone else too. It’s too much for a small child.”
“You don’t have to marry anyone, but maybe you should try and carve out a life for yourself beyond Willow and your business.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I ask.
“No offense, but I’m not getting naked with you again,” Bray says. “Not after last time.”
The three of us laugh at a shared memory. We’d all gone to the Hamptons and decided it would be a great idea to skinny-dip in the pitch black, five beers in. Our clothes got taken away by the tide and we had to head back through Southampton, naked, to our beach house.
“Anyone in the mix?” Ben asks.
I shake my head. “Not really.” I shrug. “I mean, there are plenty of hot women about, just…” I hadn’t seen Sienna for a few weeks until recently, because I’d lost interest in her really. I’ve lost interest in all the usual women I sleep with. And I don’t often meet new women I might be interested in.
My mind wanders back to the woman at the hotel. She was the first in a long time I’d even noticed as being attractive. Someone I might hit on in the right circumstances.
But she works at the hotel. It’s not like I’m going to suggest we go get a drink. Hotel on Ninth Street is extremely convenient. If anything ever happened with Willow, I’m practically on the townhouse doorstep. I’m on to a good thing. I don’t want to fuck it up by sleeping with the staff.