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)
Shit. I’d forgotten to write him back earlier.
Whats up? You free this weekend?
My thumbs moved swiftly over the screen. I wanted to be done with this.
Sorry. I’m not really interested anymore. Take care.
I sent my response, then lifted my head and risked a glance at Nathan.
He was looking out at the kids now, mouth twitching as their adorable laughter filled the air. I wanted to sit here and watch him observe them for hours. The way he studied them like being given the opportunity to do so meant something…I knew how sweet our kids looked playing together. I wanted him familiar with it too, and I wanted to witness the moment this became a memory for him.
“They get along really well,” he said.
I nodded, set my phone on the wood, and peered over at the three of them. “They do. I love watching them together.”
“Marley asked about them today.”
“Aw, really?” We locked eyes, and Nathan nodded. “Mine were wondering what she was doing right before you and I spoke on the phone. Oliver knew it was her nap time. It was really sweet.”
“Marley asked about you too.”
My heart melted hearing that.
“I missed her so much today,” I revealed, laughing a little at myself. “You’d think I hadn’t seen her in weeks. I don’t know what I’m going to do when summer is over.”
Nathan held my eyes for a moment, then looked down at the wood. He picked at the edge of a splintering piece. “You could always come around. I’m sure she’ll want to see you.”
“I’d really like that.” I smiled at him when he glanced up, then palmed my phone again when it beeped. I flipped it over and slid my thumb across the screen to open up the conversation. “One second,” I told him.
“Sure.”
A picture of a dick downloaded instantly, along with the caption Still not interested?
“Oh my God! What the—” I turned my phone facedown on the table and trapped a curse inside my mouth. “Oh my God,” I repeated through clenched teeth, covering my face with both hands.
“You okay?” Nathan asked.
I shook my head, pulled my hands back to look at him, and immediately began fanning my face. I felt like I was burning up.
“No, I am not okay. I just…” How do I explain this? God, I didn’t even want to. I covered my face again and lowered my head, groaning against my palms.
What the hell? This is so weird and embarrassing!
I felt the table move underneath me and seconds later, Nathan’s hold on my wrist.
“Hey.” He pulled my hands away from my face and forced me to look at him.
We were sitting so close now, our hips almost touched.
“What’s going on? You’re freaking out.”
“I am freaked out. That’s exactly what I am.” I grabbed my phone and held it against my stomach so he couldn’t see the screen. “This…jerk just sent me a picture of his, you know, without me asking for it. He just sent it.”
Nathan’s brows raised. “He sent you a dick pic?”
“Yes. And I would never ask for something like that. Never. My God, what if my kids were standing right here? They’re next to me all the time when I’m doing stuff on my phone.” I rushed in a deep breath. I could feel myself shaking. “They could’ve seen that, Nathan. Who sends stuff like that? What if Olivia had seen that text?” My stomach turned over and knotted at the thought. “Oh my God,” I mumbled.
Nathan reacted to that possibility as well. His nostrils flared, and the sharp angle of his jaw twitched. I could suddenly hear his breaths.
“Who is this guy?” he asked. “Do you know him?”
I shook my head, then tipped it side to side. “Sort of. Not really.” I winced. “God, this is not something I’ve told people about.”
Nathan’s expression wiped clean of reaction. “I have absolutely no idea where this conversation is going.”
That made me laugh a little. “It’s not, like, weird or anything. I met him on a dating app. We were supposed to go out the other day, until he found out I had kids and expressed how he wasn’t looking for anything besides a hookup. I backed out immediately. Then he asked me out again today for this weekend, and I just told him a minute ago I wasn’t interested anymore. The dick pic was to change my mind.”
Nathan held out his hand.
I realized what he was asking for and blinked at him. I didn’t move. “You…want to see it?” I asked slowly.
“That is the last thing I want, trust me.” He gestured for the phone again, and when I handed it over, he stood with it and moved away from the seating area until there wasn’t anyone within twenty feet of him. With his back to me, Nathan pressed the phone to his ear.