Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“They were talking about next weekend, but I said I’d discuss it with you and Nathan first,” Kelly supplied.
“I’ll check the calendar on the fridge,” I replied. “Let’s get you ready for bed, sweetheart. Did you thank Mrs. Lee for everythin’?”
“Oh, he always does,” Kelly said. “He’s such a polite boy.”
I smiled.
Mikey stood a little taller.
Too fucking cute.
Shortly after, Kelly drove off again, and Mikey and I headed inside—
Mikey gasped. “It’s a cat!” he yelled. With that, he dropped everything and sprinted into the living room, effectively scaring off Paws.
I winced through a laugh. Okay, lesson one in having a kitten… Don’t yell, don’t sprint.
“Mikey!” Hallie complained. “Now he’s hiding under the couch. You have to lower your voice and move slowly.”
Nate poked his head out from the kitchen. “Don’t forget the litter box, and I’m calling for pizza.”
Thank God. My stomach was growling.
Nathan Riley
Yesterday was real.
Yesterday happened.
I’d never struggled to get out of bed as much before. Goodness, I just wanted to stay there in his arms. He looked so damn handsome. Covers riding low, epic bed head, one arm folded under his head, the other extended across my side, all that ink on display, the chest I’d slept on most of the night…
But it was five thirty in the morning, and I had a lot to do until his alarm went off in half an hour.
Dad would be here in fifteen minutes with a Lily who was probably dead to the world, so I forced myself up, pulled on a pair of sweatpants, and aimed for the kitchen.
Little Paws accompanied me and seemed to observe everything I did. Ash liked his bacon crispy, so I turned on the oven and prepared two whole trays. The eggs could wait, but I plugged in the toaster so it was ready for the bread. I prepped the coffeemaker too. Then I went to the bathroom.
If only I could stop yawning…
Christ.
I scrubbed my hands over my face.
Even so, tired as I was, the happiness kept me moving. Goddamn, I was happy. And at ease. I felt…relaxed and—just happy. To the point where I caught myself smiling randomly.
I was myself again.
It was us again.
I grinned quickly to myself and pinched my lips together.
We had more chapters to write. More memories to make.
The security I felt was proof that so much could be up in the air—about the future, about the married couple Ash had met, about kink, about moving, about selling the house, about finding our way back to old routines, creating some new ones along the way… It was fine. I wasn’t worried, because we were gonna tackle that together.
One by one, the kids came down the stairs in various states of half asleep. Dylan yawned and stretched out in the kitchen, almost stepping on Paws. Good thing he was a fast little kitten. Hallie collapsed at the kitchen table, clutching her gift for Ash.
Micah was flat on his back on the kitchen floor, lazily reaching for Paws.
I popped four slices of bread into the toaster and adjusted my glasses.
“Micah, do you have your gift for Dad?” I asked quietly, grabbing more food from the fridge.
The only way Ash loved breakfast in bed was if we all ate together, so it was a bit of a project here.
“It’s in the hallway,” the boy mumbled.
Finally, my dad was pulling up.
“Kids, I know you’re tired, but I need some assistance over here,” I said. “Dylan, please scramble the eggs. Hallie, can you mash the avocado and cut up the tomatoes?”
The bacon needed a few more minutes.
“Yup, yup,” Hallie yawned and came over. “Do we have lime?”
“There should be one in the fruit bowl,” I replied.
“But it’s all hard and dry.” She grimaced.
I grabbed it for her. “Even better. It’ll be sweeter. See this? When the peel has hardened—but there’s no mold, no mushiness—it’s still good. You’ve seen Nana’s citrus bowl, haven’t you?”
She normally soaked up everything Nana preached, but given the early hour, I couldn’t fault my daughter for being tapped out.
I left the kitchen and checked to make sure Ash was still asleep before I went to get the door.
True enough, Lily was passed out in Dad’s arms, still in her pajamas.
“Mornin’, son.”
“Good morning, Dad.” I smiled and grabbed her as gently as I could, positioning her on my hip so she could use my shoulder as a pillow. “I take it she was no trouble?”
“Never is.” He brought out an envelope from his back pocket and extended it. “This is for Ash. We assume there will be a family get-together at some point?”
“Yeah, of course.” Knowing him, it would be something related to golf or fishing. “I’ll get back to you with a date.”
He nodded with a dip of his chin, then eyed me a little. “You seem to be in a brighter mood.”