Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
“No.” I gestured at the notepad as she scribbled my answer. “I don’t currently have it either, if you’d like to make a note of that as well.”
“I’m just going to put no, if that’s okay.”
“I guess that’s fine.”
“I think it is.” Olivia finished writing and peered up at me. “Um, my mom…” She paused, thinking over her next words. Then she scooted closer on the cushion until she was pressed up against me. Her voice softened to a whisper. “My mom said Marley’s mom died. So…who do you go out on dates with now?”
“Nobody.”
“Oh.” Her eyes filled with sadness.
I didn’t want this upsetting her. We always had a good time doing this. She’d ask questions. I’d answer them. She’d always smile. I wanted Olivia smiling now. And, obviously, I’d do a lot to keep this girl happy. Like tell her how excited I was about some guy taking her mother out.
“How about we go out sometime?” I proposed, thinking Olivia might like that idea. “You can be my date.”
She quickly nodded her head. She was back to grinning now. “Okay! We can go to the movies. That’s where I’d want to go.”
“Really? You’re not afraid to get lice?”
“Nope. I like bugs.”
I chuckled. When Marley moved down the couch again and tried climbing into my lap, I picked her up. She stood on my thighs and bounced her turtle in the air.
“Marley can go with us,” Olivia suggested sweetly.
“Yeah?” I looked at my daughter. “Just me and my girls—what do you think, sweetheart? You in?”
Marley tossed her turtle at my face. She squealed when I pulled her closer.
“I’m not sure how to take that,” I grumbled, kissing her cheek. I felt Olivia scoot away from me, and when I turned to look at her, she had her back pressed against the arm of the couch so she was sitting sideways now, her legs stretched out between us and her toes digging into my leg. She frantically flipped through the pages of her notepad, settled on one and smiled when she found it. Then she quickly jotted something down.
When she peered up at me, I narrowed my eyes and asked, “What are you writing?”
“Nothing!” she shrieked, flattening the notepad against her stomach.
She broke into laughter when I wrapped my hand around her knee and gently tugged her closer. I squeezed her side until she twisted and squealed. Marley crawled over her, the two of them giggling. It was really fucking cute.
“I’m going to go talk to your mom,” I said, standing from the couch.
“Okay.” Olivia closed her notepad and swapped it out for her iPad again. She climbed on the cushion beside Marley.
“Sit with Olivia, sweetheart,” I said, kissing Marley’s head.
I padded across the room and moved into the kitchen, heading for the fridge. Jenna was still on the phone. I grabbed a bottled water out of the door, twisted the cap off, and took a drink. When Jenna glanced over at me, I gestured, offering her a beverage.
She shook her head, a soft smile lifting her mouth, then spoke into the phone. “Okay, sounds good. I will. Love you too.” She disconnected the call and set her phone on the counter. “Hey. Sorry. It was my parents.”
“Do they ever try to get you to go back to Denver?” I asked, moving to stand across from her.
Jenna was wearing the yellow top she wore that first day in my office. She looked good in yellow. She looks good in everything. Her hair fell in a braid in front of her shoulder.
“Not really,” she said. “I think they know they couldn’t convince me even if they tried. I like it here too much.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’d have no issues finding someone to watch Marley for you if you needed it.”
“I’d hope not, but I’m not talking about that.” I watched her above the bottle as I took another drink. A flush colored her cheeks. “So, this date—Olivia said it’s happening tomorrow…”
“Yep.”
“Where’s he taking you?”
“I don’t know yet. I just know he’s picking me up at six. I didn’t ask where we were going.”
“And the kids are staying over at your brother’s house for the night.”
I squeezed the back of my neck, wincing through a head roll. I was tense as fuck just thinking about that. Jenna could go home with this guy. Maybe she’d invite him back to her place. There was no reason why this date couldn’t last all night.
“Are you okay?” she asked, watching me carefully.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I dropped my arm.
“Are you sure? You seem…stressed.”
“Why would I be stressed? I’m just tired,” I lied. “Long day.”
“What are your plans tomorrow? Are you and Marley doing anything?”
I glanced into the family room when my daughter laughed at something Olivia was doing. “Just going over to my parents’ house,” I said. “They haven’t seen her in a while. She’s spending the weekend with them.”