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)
“Oh.” That made my heart warm. “That was nice.”
He shrugged, dropping his head on top of Syd’s. “Wild,” he urged, giving her a squeeze.
“Right.” She grinned at me. “August fourteenth is a Friday. Do you and the kids have plans that night?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Great. Because we’re throwing a massive party.”
“Okay.”
“At Jamie’s house.”
“Why there?”
Her eyes went round. “Huh?”
I laughed at her confusion. “Why are you having it there and not here? What’s wrong with here?” Their house was nice and plenty big enough to host a party.
“Nothing’s wrong with here,” Syd was quick to answer. “We just…wanted a bigger space. Plus, Jamie’s view. You can’t beat it.”
“Oh.” Well, that made sense. Jamie’s house was beachfront.
So is Nathan’s, I thought.
My shoulders dropped. “Cool. Sounds fun.”
“It’s going to be amazing.” Syd grinned. “You have to be there. No dates that night.” We stared at each other.
Syd frowned. “I’m an idiot. Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“Nate’s even closing Whitecaps early so none of the girls will have to miss it.”
“Really?” Closing up for a party? That seemed strange. But I was more surprised to hear he knew about this party before I did.
“When did he tell you he’d close Whitecaps?”
“Yesterday when we spoke on the phone.”
What? “You spoke to him yesterday?”
Sydney blinked. Her lips slowly parted. “Y-yes, but really briefly, Jenna. Super brief. He called work to talk to Tori and I basically just stole the phone from her. I’m sorry I didn’t mention it. We didn’t talk long or about you, obviously…I mean, not obviously like he wouldn’t want to talk about you…”
My brother mumbled a curse, dropping his arms from around her and stepping back.
“I just mean I would’ve told her if he had said something.” Syd snapped her eyes to mine again. “I was literally on the phone with him for two seconds, Jenna. That’s it.”
“How was he? How did he sound?”
Sydney shook her head, shrugged, glanced back at Brian, who didn’t offer any assistance since he’d preoccupied himself by watching the kids, and then she met my gaze again. “Okay?” She winced.
She looked uncomfortable giving the answer. It was more uncomfortable to hear. I didn’t want Nathan not to be okay. I would never want that. But he was okay. He was okay and talking on the phone.
He just wasn’t talking on the phone to me.
I had been frustrated with Nathan because of his silence. Hurt too. Now I was pissed off.
Day six felt official.
* * *
It was just after five o’clock when I pulled into the apartment complex.
After learning of Syd’s conversation with Nathan, I had wanted to leave right along with my brother when he headed out, but the kids had asked for more time with Sir and Syd had asked for more time with me, so we stayed. It didn’t take much convincing.
If there was ever a time for my children to push for a puppy of their own, now was it. I was shocked they weren’t going there yet.
After leaving Syd, we swung by my office so I could hand in the documents I had been working on. I collected new forms, filings that needed proofing, and spoke briefly to my boss—one of the partners at the firm—then I took us home.
“Any thoughts on dinner?” I asked, driving through the lot.
“No,” Oliver mumbled over Olivia’s, “I don’t care.”
My attitude echoed hers as I pulled into a space and shifted into park. If it weren’t for the kids, I doubt I would’ve cooked anything that night. I had zero desire to eat.
“Mom, look!” Olivia shrieked, startling me. She pointed over my shoulder.
Heart racing and hands gripping the wheel, I focused through the windshield.
Nathan was seated on the steps.
Chapter Twenty-Four
NATHAN
I got to my feet as the kids fled the car, Olivia pushing past Oliver and jumping up onto the sidewalk. She ran at me, smiling and yelling my name.
“Nate! Nate!”
Oliver walked behind her with his head lowered. He wouldn’t meet my eyes. Jenna stood frozen beside the car. I wasn’t sure whose reaction I had been expecting more.
I met Olivia at the bottom of the steps.
“I knew you’d come over! I knew it!”
She launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck when I lifted her off her feet and held on with all the strength she had. The pounding of her heart mirrored mine. I was so fucking happy to see them. I rubbed Olivia’s back as we hugged, keeping my eyes on Oliver as he slowly made his way over. He stopped in front of me and stared at the sidewalk.
“Hey, bud.”
“Hey,” he mumbled.
I held out my fist. Oliver glanced up and looked at it for a moment, then quickly bumped his knuckles against mine.
He was feeling something—anger or dejection, maybe both. Maybe a lot of things, and even though he could’ve been reacting to something that had nothing to do with me, I knew it had everything to do with me. I had a lot to fix, to explain. I’d known that coming over here.