Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 26232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
His offer means more than I can express. “I told him no.”
“Sounds like she’s going to be in your life now,” Z says.
What is that future going to look like? Christmas dinners with Sophie and my brother?
Oh shit. As far as I know, Hope and Sophie never mended their friendship. How’s Hope going to feel about me spending time with Sophie? Hope’s my club sister. And truthfully, she’s been a better friend to me than Sophie ever was. She’s always there for me when I need anything. She treats Chance like her own and he adores his Auntie Hope.
“What am I going to say to Hope?” I blurt out.
“That girl doesn’t have a spiteful bone in her body,” he answers with calm certainty. “Hope’s not going to hold it against you if you hang out with Sophie every now and then.” He snorts. “Knowing her, she’ll find it romantic that Alex and Sophie are together.”
“You’re probably right.”
Even so, worry eats at me for the rest of the drive.
CHAPTER FOUR
Hope
“I’m back,” Rock shouts.
“Up here!” I check my costume in the mirror one more time.
“Daddy!” Grace yelps.
“Go get your cape to show Daddy,” I say to Grace. She nods enthusiastically and scurries to her room.
Rock unlatches the baby gate at the top of the stairs and steps into our room a few seconds later. Something rustles behind his back. “Almost ready?”
“Yup.”
He pulls a thick bouquet of purple and orange roses wrapped in black and purple paper from behind his back. “Happy Halloween, baby doll.”
“Oh!” I gasp and hurry closer, gently taking the flowers from him. “These are beautiful. Where’d you find them?”
He half-shrugs. “A small thank you for putting up with all of this club stuff today.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” I step back and spin for him to check out my costume. “I’m going to the Furious party like this. Then I’ll change into my other costume at the clubhouse.”
“You’re the sexiest granny I’ve ever laid eyes on.” Rock runs his gaze over my kid-appropriate costume for the afternoon.
I tug at the red dress and white apron and dip in a half-curtsy. “A little preview of what’s to come a few decades from now, Mr. President.”
Laughter flickers over his lips and he tugs on my white bonnet. “Looking forward to it.”
I stick my nose in the roses, inhaling their rich scent. “I really love these. Thank you.”
“Momma!” Grace toddles into our bedroom, dragging her little red velvet cape behind her.
Rock squats to her level and reaches for the cape. Grace yanks it out of his grasp.
“Do you want to wear it now or when we get to the party?” he asks her.
She frowns at the cape, then up at me.
“You can hold it,” I assure her.
She hugs the cape to her chest, then eyes my roses, reaching for them with tiny fingers.
Rock picks her up, bouncing her gently in his arms until she squees with delight.
“Is this the dress?” he asks me, running his fingers over the red and black checked flannel. He brings her closer and I hold out the flowers for Grace to inspect.
“I was going for warmth over authenticity,” I explain. “Chance’s shirt matches. They’ll be so cute together.” I set the roses on the bed so I can fix the frilly lace at the collar of Grace’s dress and tug one ankle of her black leggings into place. “Where are your socks?” I ask her.
She squirms until Rock sets her down, then runs out of our room.
Laughing, Rock walks over to the doorway to watch her. A few seconds later, Grace returns, dragging her cape with one hand and clutching the socks in her other, arm raised triumphantly.
“Good job.” Rock picks her up again and she grins at me over his shoulder.
I hold out my hand and she plops the socks against my palm. “We’ll put them on downstairs.”
“Okay!” she chirps.
“Go ahead, Rock.” I turn, searching for my overnight bag. “I want to make sure I have everything. Grace’s stuff is all packed downstairs.”
I swear it feels like we’re going away for a week rather than an overnight stay at the Empire clubhouse.
“I’m going to put these in water,” Rock says, grabbing the flowers.
“Thank you.”
I shoot a text to Trinity asking if she needs me to bring a curling iron to the clubhouse. When I don’t get a response right away, I grab one and shove it into an outside pocket of my backpack—just in case.
Downstairs, Rock’s at the kitchen counter, scowling at his phone. The flowers are high on the counter where Grace can’t reach them, in a purple vase. I stop to rub the petals between my fingers, admiring the deep purples and oranges.
I set our bags on the bench by the front door. Grace is sitting on her cape in the middle of the living room floor, playing with the little stuffed doll Charlotte gave her yesterday.