Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 116708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Watching those movies transported me back in time to when life had been good and I had been fully alive. But the longer I sat on Gwen’s couch, her son between us laughing and chatting away, the more I realized that what I’d been doing on my own couch for all these years was nothing more than an illusion.
I didn’t want to live in that fantasy world anymore.
I wanted this.
Silly conversations about disgusting jellybeans.
Lighthearted debates over whether a shower was necessary every day.
Home-cooked meals shared around a table with people who were actually there.
I wanted reality. This reality.
The doorbell rang as the last home movie was ending, and Nate sprang to his feet. “I’ll get it!”
I exchanged a questioning look with Gwen, and she shrugged her shoulder.
“Pike!” Nate squealed from the door. “Dude! What are you doing here?”
Gwen pressed to her feet, and I stood to follow her.
“Dylan?” she asked, her head tilted to the side. “What’s up? Everything okay?”
Dylan’s blue gaze darted around the living room until it landed on me, and her lips tipped up in a smile. “Yep. Everything is great.” She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “Pike’s been begging for a sleepover, so I figured we’d stop by and see if Nate was free?”
Gwen cocked a brow. “Is that so? It just happens to be the same night Truett is here?”
“Weird coincidence, right?”
After having disappeared down the hall with Pike as soon as he’d come in, Nate returned with a bookbag slung over his shoulder. “I’m ready!”
“Whoa!” Gwen held a hand up. “Ready for what? Where do you think you’re going?”
He screwed his lips to the side. “To Pike’s, duh.”
“Duh?” Dylan and Gwen scolded in unison.
“I mean, please?” Nate batted his eyelashes at his mother and poked out his lower lip.
I stood off to the side, watching with amusement as the two boys took turns begging for a sleepover until Gwen finally relented.
“Did you pack a toothbrush? Underwear? A shirt maybe?” Gwen asked, reaching for his backpack.
“Uhhhh… Maybe?”
With a sigh, Gwen turned to me. “I’ll be right back.”
When the boys started chattering about staying up all night and Nate excitedly showed his friend the jellybean game they were going to play, Dylan sent them out to the car.
“We haven’t formally met,” she said with her hand outstretched. “I’m Dylan, Gwen’s best friend.”
I grasped her hand, noticing the strength of her surprisingly firm grip. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Truett.”
“Probably not as much as I’ve heard about you.” She grinned, pulling her hand from mine as she stepped closer. “Not all good stuff, either.”
A wave of shame washed through me as I held her intense stare. “I know Gwen’s told you the good, bad, and ugly. God knows there’s certainly been a lot more ugly than good.”
“Sounds like the ugly is water under the bridge though? Hell, I’m almost sick of seeing her smile all the time.” She pressed her lips together. “But it sure beats watching her cry. And I’m sure I won’t be seeing that with you around, right?”
She was asking for a promise in probably the nicest threatening way possible. Luckily, it was one I felt confident I could keep. “Not if I can help it.”
Her eyes twinkled. “I heard you punched Jeff.”
“I did not punch him.”
“Right. Sure.” She winked. “Just so you know, if you were a politician, that alone would have earned you my vote.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. It was easy to understand how she and Gwen were friends.
She looked me over once more and nodded just as Gwen came back down the hall, Nate’s bag full.
“What’d I miss?” Gwen asked.
“Nothing.” Dylan plucked the bookbag from her hand and pulled the door open. “I’ll have him back to you tomorrow afternoon. Enjoy your evening.”
We followed her through the door, watching as she made her way to the car. As soon as she started it up, Nate rolled the window down and hung his upper body out.
“Bye, Truett! See you later!”
I lifted a hand in a wave as he turned his attention to his mother.
“Mwah, mwah, mwah!” He blew countless kisses—just like Kaitlyn.
And just like with Kaitlyn, Gwen reached up to catch every one, planting them on her cheeks. “Love you, baby!”
“Love you too, Mom!” he shouted.
We stood together on the porch until the car was out of sight, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Kaitlyn used to do that,” I managed to utter, emotion clogging my throat.
Gwen’s hand reached for mine and she pulled me into her side. “Yep. I didn’t even teach him that. He just started doing it one day.”
Turning so that I could face her, I wrapped my arms around her waist. “He’s a good kid. I see so much of Kaitlyn in him.”
She nodded as she looped her arms around my neck. “Losing Kaitlyn was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. I didn’t think I’d ever love like that again. But then Nate came along. He can’t replace her; it wouldn’t be fair to him to expect that. But he helps keep her memory alive. He’s the silver lining on the darkest storm cloud in my life.”