Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
She bends in front of Landon, who’s now chuckling and shaking his head. “I think it’s okay,” she says, taking a look at it.
“You hit the ball good, Mom,” Hunter says with pride in his voice. “That would’ve been a homerun.”
“Really?” I squeal. When Landon snorts, I drop my excitement a couple notches. “I really am sorry.”
“You’re one dangerous woman,” Landon muses as he stands. Then, so only I can hear, he whispers, “Better my lip than my dick, though.”
I laugh out loud, remembering the cold water I spilled all over his pants during our blind date.
“So, what’s next?” Landon asks, like he didn’t just get hit in the mouth with a wooden bat a few minutes ago.
“I think that’s enough for one day,” I say.
“I agree.” Bridget nods, trying and failing to stifle her laugh.
“I agree too!” Simon says.
“Bridget!” I yell.
“Sorry.” She grabs her phone from the ground. “I dropped the phone to see if Landon was okay. I forgot Simon was still on Facetime.”
The boys help Landon pack up the stuff and lock it in the shed they store everything in, while Bridget and I walk over to the girls.
“Hey, Mom, check this out.” Ella does an aerial then a back flip across the white line.
“Wow, that’s crazy,” Landon says, coming up behind us. “Did you even use your hands?”
“Nope.” Ella grins. “It’s called an aerial. It’s a no-handed cartwheel. I’m using it in my routine. Mom, can we make a balance beam for the backyard so I can practice at home?” She hits me with puppy dog eyes. “Kendra’s dad built her one with wood.”
“Umm…” I try to imagine cutting up wood and wince. The last time I tried to nail some pictures to the wall, I smashed my thumb.
“I could help you,” Landon speaks up. “I love to build things.” Everyone’s gaze swings over to him. “If you want,” he adds, obviously trying to backtrack, unsure if that was an okay thing to say. “If your mom says it’s okay.”
“Mom, can we?” Ella exclaims. “Please.”
“Yeah, of course.”
I turn to Landon and mouth thank you.
“Could we paint it too?” Ella asks Landon, hopeful.
“I don’t see why not.” He shrugs.
“Yes! I want pink! Can we do it this weekend?”
“Oh, er…” Landon looks at me. “I’m not sure what you guys have planned with your mom and dad.”
“It’s Mom’s weekend,” Ella says. “Can we, Mom?”
“This weekend is fine, as long as Landon isn’t busy.”
“I’m not,” he says. “So, this weekend it is.”
“Can we get pizza for dinner?” Hunter asks.
“Yeah, can we go too, Mom?” Brendan asks Bridget.
She looks at me and shrugs. “That’s fine with me.”
“Sure,” I say as well.
“Landon, you want to come?” Hunter asks.
“Sure, I could go for some pizza… if your mom says it’s okay.”
“Yeah,” Ella says before I can answer. “We can have Mom draw the balance beam for us.”
My eyes meet Bridget’s and she gives me a knowing smirk. Both my kids are falling for Landon almost as fast as I did all those years ago. As fast as I am now…
“Pizza it is.”
Twenty-Two
Landon
“Mom, can I please have some money to play games?” Hunter asks.
“Me too, please,” Ella says, sticking her hand out.
Harper nods then digs through her purse, I’m assuming to look for some money. A few seconds later, she lifts her head and frowns. “I must’ve left my wallet at home. I only have my card. Let me ask the waitress if I can use my card.” She stands and sets off to find her.
We ended up at some pizza place that doubles as a two-story arcade. Since I left my truck at home, opting to run the few blocks to the field, Harper insisted I ride with them and she would drop me off afterward. Harper and Bridget ordered a few pies, and while the kids waited, Bridget took the little ones to play in some jungle gym looking thing, while the boys sat by me and played twenty questions about baseball. Ella and Harper worked on drawing the balance beam. Simon showed up just before the food arrived, and once it did, the kids scarfed their food down faster than I’ve ever seen anyone consume food. Now they’re done and ready to play games. The entire place is a zoo. Kids are running around everywhere. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. When I was growing up, we had a small arcade in the back of a family run bar, but that was it. I can’t even imagine what a kid could spend in a place this massive.
While she’s looking for the waitress, I pull my wallet out and pluck out two one hundred dollar bills, handing them to the kids. “Go have fun.”
“Are you serious?” Hunter asks incredulously.
“Do you need more?” I start to pull another bill out, but he shakes his head.