Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
“I’m sure.” I pull out a chair and help River sit, then do the same for Rayne. “You ladies, sit right here, and we’ll be back with some food.”
“Cake?” Rayne asks.
“Not yet. You have to eat all of your lunch first.” Rayne nods and wiggles in her seat.
Placing my hand on the small of Briar’s back, I lead her back to the kitchen. “What can I help you do?” I ask her.
“Oh, I can do it. I’ll make them both a plate and then make mine.”
“Nah, you make one and tell me what to put on the other, and we can do ours at the same time.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
I lean in close and whisper in her ear, “I want to.” Goose bumps break out across her skin, and I have to fight my grin. Good. I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling this—whatever it is. Reluctantly, I drop my hand from the small of her back, already missing the warmth of the connection between us, and grab two paper plates, handing them to her and snatching two more.
“All right, who do I have?” I ask, grabbing a hamburger and making myself a sandwich. Everyone is gathered around the kitchen, but I ignore them as I help Briar.
“Rayne, a hot dog, but I’ll cut it up for her, and some mac and cheese will be good. Just a little, though. I don’t want them to waste it.”
“We have plenty,” Emerson says from across the island.
“Hot dog and mac and cheese. Anything for the hot dog?”
“Ketchup.”
“Got it.” I make Rayne a plate, then make mine and head to the dining room.
“Rayne, this is yours. River, your momma is bringing your plate.” I don’t know why I feel the need to explain. I guess so River doesn’t feel left out.
“Okay.” River climbs to her knees and looks toward the kitchen, waiting for her mom.
“Now, Momma says we need to cut this up.” I get to work cutting up the hot dog into small pieces. I don’t want her to choke, and I don’t know how big of bites a four-year-old needs or can have. It’s been years since Emerson was little, and I was just a teenager who didn’t think about those kinds of things.
Once I’m finished, I grab the ketchup bottle from the center of the table and give her a little pile, hand her a fork and a napkin, and take my seat between the girls, just as Briar sits down and hands River her plate. She has the same thing that Rayne does, and I smile when I see her hot dog cut up just as I did Rayne’s. My pieces might be a little smaller, but the smile is because I didn’t fuck it up.
“Rayne, let Mommy….” Her voice trails off when she looks over the top of her daughter’s head to see her hot dog already cut up. “Thank you, Forrest.” Her voice is soft.
“I got you. Have a seat. Let’s eat.” I wait until Briar is seated and takes her first bite before I take one of my own.
“You wike hot dogs?” River asks me before she takes a bite of hers.
“I do. I also like hamburgers.” I take a bite of mine to prove my point. The girls chatter around the table, stealing the show. They talk about their Barbies, and how they want a Barbie house and a Barbie Jeep for their birthdays that they promise to share, because sharing is nice.
“How old are you going to be?” Legend asks them. Together, they raise their hands and hold up four fingers.
“Dis many,” they say in unison.
“So you’re old ladies, then,” Maddox teases.
“We not old.” They giggle, which makes Lilly giggle, and as I look around the table, every single adult has a smile on their face.
This is what it’s about. Spending time with the people who mean the most to you, being in the presence of the innocence of the next generation.
After lunch, we all help clean up. Briar grabs a pack of wipes from the bag she brought with her and cleans the girls’ hands and faces. I’m standing at the island in the kitchen, wiping the same spot on the counter over and over as I observe them. I’m aware that it’s creepy as fuck, but I can’t make myself look away from them. The three of them are so in sync with one another.
My staring could also be because Briar is a knockout. Her long brown hair and big green eyes are captivating. Her daughters look just like her, and it’s definitely a sight worth taking in.
“Are you ready to watch Lilly open her presents?” Briar asks her daughters. They nod and scramble out of their chairs. I’m expecting them to rush toward the living room, but instead, they rush toward me. Dropping the rag on the counter, I turn toward them just in time. They slam into my legs, each wrapping their arms around me. On instinct, I place my hand on the back of their heads as they lean into me.