Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
“Why two ice creams?”
Fuck. “Hungry.” I shrug, edging toward the door.
She frowns, eyeing my twitchy form. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.” I quickly move forward and land a kiss on her cheek, another attempt to appear normal. I’m a joke. “Call you later.”
“Daddy?”
Oh no. I pull back from Raya’s cheek and watch in horror as her gaze falls to my side, where Georgia is looking up at her with way too much interest on her cute little face.
“I’m Georgia,” she declares, loud and proud. “What’s your name?”
I close my eyes and breathe deeply, wishing the numbing effects the ice cream is having on my fingers would spread to everywhere else. I chance a peek at Raya, catching her eyes slowly turning from my girl to me. Her head cocks. “Georgia?” It’s a question, one she already knows the answer to, yet she wants me to confirm it. “Just a friend.” Raya does a terrible job of impersonating me.
My lips press together, feeling so small. I shrug. I have nothing else, not even the will to be offended when Raya scowls at me as she hunkers down to my daughter’s level. “Hey, Georgia!” She sounds so chirpy, and I can’t work out if it’s faked to mask her shock, or if she’s truly pleased to meet her. “I’m Raya.”
Georgia’s little face is like a kick in the teeth. She looks so pleased. “Do you know my dad?”
“Not really,” Raya says, flicking accusing eyes up at me. She’s having a dig, saying without actually saying that she thought she knew me.
“Dad’s favorite movie is Beauty and the Beast. I’m Belle,” Georgia announces proudly. “And Dad is my beast.”
“A beast, eh?” Raya smiles. I think it’s a fond smile. “He is a bit of a beast, isn’t he?”
Another dig. If the ground was to open and swallow me up, then that would be fine by me. Fucking hell, I need to pull this back quickly. “Georgia, why don’t you go wait for me on the bench.” I hand her one of the ice creams and toss mine in the bin, all hunger gone. I could do with a drink.
“We’re going to eat ice cream.” Georgia points to the bench where I wish she’d stayed put. “Want to come?”
My eyes go all round. “I’m sure Raya has a busy day.”
“Yes, I do.” Her stare lands on me with a bang, and I flinch. Good Lord, the resolve on her face is enough to push me back into the wall behind me. “I’m going to the airport tomorrow.”
“Cool!” Georgia sings, while my eyes bug. Tomorrow? “Where are you going?”
“Far, far away.” Raya gives my daughter her attention again and crouches to get her at eye level. “It was lovely to meet you, Georgia.”
“You too!” Georgia runs off to the bench, and Raya immediately turns, jogging away from me without another word.
I stand like an idiot in the doorway, at a loss for what to do. What the hell? She’s just going to run off?
“Raya!” I shout, going after her. I’ve come too far now to let her walk away. “Raya, wait!” I skid to a stop when she abruptly swings around, her face stony. I gulp, wary, backing up a little.
“You bastard,” she seethes, her rage potent. “I spilled my fucking life to you. I was even considering not leaving at all, and you didn’t even have the decency to tell me you have a daughter?”
“I was going to tell you,” I blurt, my panic clear.
“When? After I’d decided to throw away my traveling dreams?”
“I didn’t know where to start,” I admit, hopelessness consuming me. “I’ve always kept Georgia away from the women I’ve…”
“Fucked?” She finishes for me. A huge flinch, and not just from me, but from Raya, too. And then there’s fierceness in her eyes. So much fierceness it actually scares me. “Of course, my mistake.” She backs down, though her eyes still harbor a frightening amount of ferocity. “And I asked for it.”
“Raya, don’t.” I can see her backing away, and I won’t be able to go after her. I quickly look over my shoulder to check on Georgia, finding her happily passing the time away stuffing her ice cream. “It’s a big deal for us. It’s only ever been me and her.” I return forward, not liking the further distance she’s put between us. “I didn’t want to tell her until I knew what was going on myself.”
Hurt. This expression on Raya is the one I hate the most, and I despise myself for causing it. “It’s not about telling her, Drew. It’s about telling me.” Her eyes flick to Georgia as she continues to put more distance between us. “You were willing to let me make a life-changing decision without being honest with me.” Raya looks back to me. “Trust you, that’s what you told me. Thanks for bringing me back down to Earth.” She pivots and jogs off, and all I can do is stand and watch her run out of my life.