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)
“He’s our patient,” River explains.
“Sweetheart, patients are for doctors. If you’re doing his hair, he would be your client or your customer.”
“Do you want to be that, Forty?” River asks him.
“Forty?” I question.
“That’s what Emerson used to call me. She still does sometimes.”
“We get to call him Forty cause hims our friend,” Rayne says proudly.
“He,” I correct her.
“We making you beautiful, Forty,” River says.
“Nails next,” Rayne tells him.
“Girls, I don’t think Forrest wants you to paint his nails. You can paint Mommy’s nails.”
“It’s fine,” Forrest tells me. “Let them have their fun. What color are you ladies thinking?” he asks the girls. He holds his hands out for them to inspect.
“Let’s go get the polish, sissy,” Rayne tells her sister. They climb off the couch and rush down the hall to their room.
“I’m so sorry. You can leave and I’ll tell them something came up,” I tell Forrest.
“What?” He looks horrified at the thought. “I’m not leaving. They’re looking forward to this. I could never disappoint them like that.”
Something happens inside me. Something I can’t explain. My belly twists, and my heart, it feels like it’s melting at his words and confession. “They’ve never been around men,” I confess. My voice is gravelly as I let my admission slip free. “They like you.”
“I like them. They’re great girls, Briar. You’ve done an incredible job with them.”
That melting sensation intensifies, and I feel it everywhere. What is this man doing to me?
Forrest is watching me. His gaze is intense, and I can’t help but smile at him. Here is this man who is tall with broad shoulders and covered in tattoos sitting on my living room floor letting my four-year-old daughters do whatever they want to him, and from the looks of it, he wants to be here.
How is that possible?
I need to ask him… to protect not only their heart but mine if the way it’s raging against my rib cage is any indication. However, before I can form the words, the girls are racing back into the room. Forrest holds his arms out, spreading his fingers out for the girls.
“What did you decide on?” he asks them.
“I got purple sparkles.” River holds up the bottle of sparkling purple fingernail polish to show him.
“Excellent choice.” He smiles at her. I can see her stand a little taller at his approval. “What about you, Rayne?”
“I got pink sparkles. See.” She shoves the bottle close to his face, and he chuckles.
“Perfect. Razzle dazzle me, ladies.” He’s relaxed as the girls each move a hand to the hardwood floor and flip to their bellies to paint his nails. When they struggle to open the bottles, he helps them with ease, handing them back and placing his palms flat against the floor.
“Forrest.” He turns his head to look at me as I ask, “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” The smile he gives me is genuine.
Curling up in the chair, I listen as my daughters talk to him, and he engages in their conversation. The three of them are lost in their own little world. I wish I could record this moment because my girls, they’re smiling and happy, and the tattooed sex god in my home is the one to thank for that.
I hear the front door open, and I know it’s Brogan coming home. “Hey,” she says cautiously.
“Hi, Aunt Brogan!” the girls call loudly.
“Hey, girls. Whatcha doing there?”
“Oh, we’re making Forty beautiful,” River explains.
“Razzle”—Forrest nods to River—“and Dazzle”—and nods toward Rayne—“are doing their thing. Good to see you, Brogan,” Forrest greets her.
“We’re not razzle dazzle.” Rayne giggles. “I’m Rayne.” She points to her chest, almost tipping the bottle of nail polish over.
“I’m River, silly,” River adds.
“Well, you’re calling me Forty, just like my sister does. It’s only right I have a nickname for the two of you.”
“I’m Razzle.” River points to her chest.
“That’s right.” Forrest grins at her.
“And I’m Dazzle.” Rayne nods as if she accepts the new nickname.
“What about Mommy?” River asks.
“She’s momma. She’ll always be your momma.”
“But she’s not your momma,” River points out.
“No, but being your momma is her most important job ever, so the name fits.”
The girls nod, seeming to accept that answer.
“What about Aunt Brogan?”
“She’s always going to be Aunt Brogan. She’s equally as important as your momma, so Aunt Brogan sticks.”
“So, you just have names for us?” Rayne asks with awe in her voice.
“My niece, Lilly. Do you remember Lilly?”
“She’s a baby,” the girls answer at the same time.
“That’s right. She’s my Lilly Bug.”
“So just babies and girls, not mommies or aunts. Right, Forty?” River asks, always inquisitive.
“That’s right.”
“I left a plate for you in the microwave,” I tell Brogan.
Brogan nods before motioning for me to follow her. “Girls, are you okay for a few minutes while I go talk to Aunt Brogan?”
“We have our Forty,” Rayne tells me.
Just like that, my twin girls have become possessive of the sexy man, and I don’t know how I feel about that, but there is nothing I can do at the moment. Besides, I need to talk to my sister. After standing from the chair, I make my way to the kitchen, knowing my sister is going to have questions.