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)
Tori shook her head in disapproval and mouthed, Seriously?
I’d become good friends with Tori after my brother got together with Sydney a little over a year ago. Tori and Syd were best friends. And now Tori was engaged to Brian’s friend Jamie, whom I’d known most of my life.
“Oh well. On to the next guy,” Tori mumbled, giving me a cheeky smile.
She knew how hard I was looking.
“We’re here celebrating,” Olivia shared, her crayon stilling so she could lift her head and look up at Tori. “School’s out!”
“Oh yeah, that’s right.” Tori turned to me. “Don’t you get off for the summer too?”
“Yep. Three months with my babies.”
I was eternally grateful for that job perk.
The attorneys at Price & Price LLC, the law firm where I worked as a paralegal, had offered me the option to work from home three years ago when I was first hired. I’d expressed concern about summer hours and affordable childcare, anticipating the worst and hoping for nothing. I’d thought for sure I’d be stuck working forty-hour weeks in the office and shelling out my entire paycheck to cover daycare. But they were impressed with my résumé and willing to work something out.
Unless I could somehow get paid to stay at home with my kids full-time, I was never leaving that job.
“Mom.” Oliver groaned. “We’re eight now. We’re not babies.”
“You’ll always be my babies, no matter how old you are.” I reached across the table and pinched his cheek.
“That’s weird.” He huffed, shaking his head.
Tori giggled, poising her pen to write on the ticket book in her hand. “Do you guys know what you want, or do you need a minute?” She looked from me to the twins.
“We’re ready,” Olivia answered.
I perused the menu while the kids rattled off their orders, thinking I wanted a burger but making sure of it. Everything listed looked delicious. It was hard to pick just one thing. I knew Stitch, the cook and Shay’s man, killed it in the kitchen. Everything he brought over to Sunday dinners at Syd and Brian’s house tasted amazing.
Movement near the back of the restaurant caught my attention. I leaned to the side to watch a little girl—a tiny thing, barely two years old if I were to guess—walk between the booths lining the window and the tables spread out in the middle of the room.
She was seriously adorable. Big blue eyes looking all around her. A head full of blond ringlet curls. With the cutest little summer dress stopping at her knees. She was also barefoot.
Huh. That was a little odd.
“Hi.” I cooed, smiling and waving as she stumbled closer.
Her mouth stretched into a toothy grin.
“Mo Mo, you’re killing me, babe.” Tori set her pen and ticket book on the table and scooped up the little cutie, propping her on her hip. “What did I tell you? You can’t be coming out here.”
“Oh, do you know her?” I asked, grinning at the girl. “Hi! Yeah, I’m talking about you, sweetheart.” I gave her little knee a gentle squeeze, and she giggled.
God. Seriously cute.
“She’s Nate’s,” Tori answered.
I followed her gaze to the manager’s office door, which was open just enough for a tiny body to slip through.
“His parents can’t watch her anymore or something, so he’s been bringing her here with him, and that is not working out, let me tell you,” Tori said. “The other day, she made it all the way into the kitchen before anyone saw her. Thank God Stitch grabbed her before she could put her hand on the grill.”
I gasped. “Oh my God. You’re not kidding.” I pictured the worst happening and felt my stomach tighten and twist.
“I don’t know what he’s doing,” Tori mumbled with sadness shining in her eyes.
I remembered hearing that Nate was widowed, and pain pulsed inside my heart. For him and his daughter. I glanced at the office door again.
“Excuse me? Can we get the check over here?”
“Shoot.” Tori looked behind her and smiled politely at the man who’d spoken. “I’ll be right there, sir.” Then she met my eyes again. “Let me take her back to Nate and get that guy’s check, and then I’ll be back over to take your order, Jenna.”
“Here, I’ll do it.” I reached for the little girl as I slid out of the booth. “I can take her to him.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” I had an apology to deliver anyway. What better time than now? “What’s her name? Mo?”
“It’s Marley. I just call her Mo.” Tori passed her off to me and gave my forearm a squeeze. “Thanks, Jenna.”
“No problem.” I put my attention on the little peanut I was holding, and the bluest eyes I’d ever seen. “Hi, pretty girl. Hi, Marley.” I spoke softly to her, trailing my fingertips down her arm to her hand. She squeezed my thumb.