Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
“Hey,” I say, shooting him a dirty look.
“She’ll take up too much of your time if she lives here. You know I’m a greedy bastard.”
“But think of all the fun movie nights we could have.”
“I would rather have more time alone to fuck you,” he states.
“Well, that’s nice to walk in on.”
I light up with a mix of horror and humiliation when I turn to see Hayden striding in, dressed for work with a briefcase in hand.
My spoon clatters as it fits the edge of the bowl. “Oh, my god,” I say, covering my face because I can’t look at him.
“Good morning, Parker,” he says dryly, walking over to the coffeepot.
I remain hidden. “Parker has died, this is her ghost.”
“Your mother’s about to leave for work, so she’ll be down any minute. If you two could keep it PG until we left, that would be much appreciated.”
“What’ll you give me for it?” Landon asks.
Hayden slides him a dry look. “Don’t push your luck.”
“I’m just saying, I think if Parker and I could share a bedroom on this vacation we’re all going on, I could probably muster a little goodwill.”
“We might even be able to get him in Mickey ears for a family photo,” I suggest.
“Hey, now,” Landon says, sliding me a look. “Whose side are you on?”
I shrug innocently. “I’m on my own side. I want the picture.”
He shakes his head. “It’s a no on the ears. I might consider one of those stupid shirts, but it’s gonna cost you.”
“PG,” Hayden reminds him.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Nobody in this house ever lets me have any fun.”
Hayden smirks at me and I smile too, despite the intense embarrassment of what he overheard.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Parker
Sunday rolls around and for the first time since we’ve moved in, Mom and Hayden go out for a date night and leave Landon and me home by ourselves.
I could tell Mom was still a bit anxious, but I assured her we were just going to bum around and watch TV. Nothing exciting whatsoever.
Before their car is even out of the driveway, Landon is on the floor in front of the couch, spreading my legs and helping himself to his favorite “snack.”
We really do get to have a lazy day after that, though.
My body is relaxed as I snuggle up against him, sliding my arms around his middle and resting my head on his shoulder while we watch our home improvement show.
I’ve become deeply invested in the personal lives of the couple that host the show.
Well, former couple. They were married when the show started, but they got divorced a couple of seasons ago and things got a little messy.
For a while, we watched them throw jabs at each other and try adjusting to their new relationship dynamic as divorced coworkers. The end of the last season was a bit rough. The ex-wife missed a few episodes, and the ones she was in, she was trying to stay out of frame to cover up what appeared to be a baby bump.
In this episode, she was introduced with a new last name, so it seems she has officially fully moved on.
Landon rolls his eyes as the former husband and wife bicker, with her laughing about his new efforts at manscaping, and him teasing her about how good he looks at the beach now.
“This guy’s so fucking lame,” Landon says, grabbing a handful of popcorn out of the bowl between us.
I pop a piece in my mouth, too. “He’s trying to make the best of a less than ideal situation. I’m sure it’s super awkward having to try to navigate a whole new relationship dynamic on TV.”
“Should’ve made the situation better before she divorced him, then there wouldn’t be a new dynamic to figure out. Now he has to watch her bounce around the house with some other guy’s last name instead of his. It’s embarrassing.”
“I think he filed for the divorce, actually.”
“Had to be because he knew she was going to, then. Wanted to beat her to the punch. He seems petty like that, but she’s clearly the one that got sick of his shit, not the other way around. You can see he still wants her, it’s just fucking embarrassing because she was his wife. Guy had the ball in his hands and he fucking fumbled it.”
“People fumble balls sometimes. It happens. And sometimes people get along better once they separate,” I point out. “At least they can still work together to provide for their family. It’s how they make their living. What, you would just let your kids go hungry because you couldn’t set aside your own petty bullshit to work with your ex-wife?”
His eyebrows rise. “My kids will never have to worry about going hungry, and I’ll never have an ex-wife. You think I’d let my wife leave me, run off and marry some other fucker, have his baby, and then I’d swallow that shit and poke fun at her with a camera crew around to watch the spectacle? I don’t fucking think so. My show would be a true crime documentary about how I murdered the asshole she tried to leave me for and convinced her to help me bury him.”