Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“I’m ready!” Jacksyn screeched, causing Karen to wince.
Karen placed Jacksyn down, and together, my mom and Jacksyn made their way to the beach.
Alice came toward me, holding out her hand.
Alice was pushing nine months pregnant with our son. She wasn’t the best on her feet even now, but going down to the beach where there was sand? That was an accident waiting to happen.
“Ready to do this?” she asked.
I circled my arm around her hip, cupping the bottom portion of her belly as I said, “As I’ll ever be.”
The baby pushed against my hand, unhappy to have his room hindered by my hold. But I didn’t move it.
I loved feeling our baby move, and any time that I could, I did.
Because this was our last baby. Not because we couldn’t have more, but because we wanted to focus on the two we had. So after Alice had our son, I had an appointment to get a vasectomy.
“Daddy!” Jacksyn squealed. “Gretchen said you have to get in, too!”
I dropped a kiss onto Alice’s head, made sure she was settled beside Karen and Silvy, and went into the water.
My home away from home. And, hopefully, everyone else’s home, too.
My mom and Jacksyn both passed with flying colors.
By the time we got back to the beach, we’d collected the rest of my club and their wives.
Together, we partied on the beach and wasted the day having fun. Just like we were supposed to do.
Have fun. Party hard. Spend the night in our loved ones’ arms.
I couldn’t ask for a better life.
Hell, I couldn’t even dream one.
“Hey, isn’t that the kid that had the seizures? The one that was the son of the asshole you dated before me?”
She looked in the direction of my gaze and nodded. “That is. He’s grown up.”
About two years ago, Werner was killed by his girlfriend in the middle of a confrontation at the local Walmart. Apparently, Werner had told her that she wasn’t allowed to buy fake eyelashes, and the girlfriend didn’t like being told what to do. After an argument had ensued, Werner had been gunned down near, ironically, the first aid aisle where the girlfriend had left him for dead.
Months later, it was made known that Werner’s son had already emancipated himself from his father and had moved on with his life.
“He looks good,” I found myself saying.
He had his arms wrapped around a woman that looked at him with adoration in her eyes.
“I’m glad that he was able to find peace,” she said.
I wrapped my arms around my wife, then looked over just in time for Jacksyn to hit us with her wet body. “Did you see me swim, Mama?”
Alice bent down and wrapped her arms around our kid, and my heart fuckin’ thumped hard in my chest.
“I did.” Alice smiled, making my heart physically ache. “You did so good. I’m proud of you.”
Jacksyn beamed just before leaving in a spray of sand. “Gotta go swim! Bye!”
I helped Alice to her feet and said, “She’s rotten.”
“She’s ours.”
I grinned at her. “That she is.”
• • •