Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
After that, we transferred the shopping bags to my car, and Lucky thanked the driver and told him we were done with the town car for the day. Then JoJo directed me to the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
It was definitely the right call, because Owen absolutely loved it. He ran all around and took in everything as he babbled excitedly. There were animals, and different habitats, and even though a lot of the science exhibits were too advanced for a toddler, he still reveled in it. Meanwhile, the three of us followed along and got to experience his pure joy.
We spent hours there, and shortly before the museum was set to close, we sat in the cafeteria with iced coffees and a snack for Owen. “This place is almost perfect,” JoJo said. “The only thing I’d change is that I’d sell cocktails in the cafeteria.”
Lucky raised his cup and muttered, “Cheers to that.”
“We’re definitely making some drinks when we get home,” I said.
JoJo nodded. “Damn right we are. I vote for giant pitchers of margaritas.”
We all agreed that was an excellent plan, which prompted Lucky to place delivery orders with both a liquor store and a market. Then he pronounced us, “All set.”
Just then, the announcement came over the PA system that the museum was closing in fifteen minutes. I picked up Owen, who was starting to nod off, and Lucky grabbed the diaper bag before we all headed out.
Owen fell asleep before we reached the car and was still out when we got home. As we stepped through the front door, I told my friends, “Be right back, I’m going to put him in his crib and grab the baby monitor.”
But before I could go anywhere, Yolanda met us in the foyer and gave me a hug. “JoJo texted me earlier and told me what’s going on, but you have nothing to worry about. He’s your son, Logan. He just is.” As a nurse, she was usually all about facts and test results, so that burst of pure, unscientific optimism was sweet and unexpected. Then she turned to Lucky and told him, “We have company. He arrived about fifteen minutes ago, right around the same time as your deliveries, so he’s in the kitchen making margaritas.”
Lucky looked shocked. “You’re not talking about my dad, are you?”
A deep voice with a slight Spanish accent said, “Of course she is.”
I turned to look at a tall, handsome older gentleman with thick white hair, a mustache, and a three-piece suit as Lucky exclaimed, “Dad! What a surprise. Your assistant told me you were on your way, but I assumed you’d go to the house.”
“Why would I do that when you’re never there? I spoke to Nina, and she told me where to find you. Now are you going to introduce me to your companions?”
“Federico Suarez, please meet my good friend Josephine Deveraux, and this is my boyfriend, Logan Genardi. We took his son Owen to a science museum this afternoon and wore him out. JoJo and Logan, this is my dad.”
We took turns shaking his hand, and Mr. Suarez said hello to JoJo before telling me, “I recognize you and your son from the photo on my son’s nightstand, and of course Elie has mentioned you many times.” It took me a moment to remember that was what his dad called him, instead of Lucky or Elian.
Lucky said, “I didn’t think you ever went into my room.”
“Not usually, but I went in there this morning to grab a few things for you. Since you left so quickly, I knew you didn’t have a chance to pack a bag.” Lucky thanked him, and then his father turned back to me and said, “It looks like the little one is down for the count. May I accompany you as you put him to bed?”
I said, “Yes, sir, of course,” and opened the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs for him.
Lucky started to come along, but his dad said, “Not you. I need the opportunity to talk about you behind your back, so go finish the margaritas. Good thing you bought our brand of tequila by the way, or you’d be hearing about it, chico.” Lucky grinned at that, but he also caught my eye and shrugged subtly, as if to say he had no idea what his father wanted.
On the way to my room, the man said, “I was having a lovely chat with Ms. Gutierrez before you got home. How wonderful that you live with a pediatric nurse. It must give you a lot of peace of mind with the baby.”
“She’s great for a lot of reasons. So’s her wife.” I slid the sandals from Owen’s feet before putting him in his crib, and he barely stirred. “The museum was exhausting for him,” I explained, “but he loved it. They have an enclosure with an albino alligator, and Owen ran back to it at least a dozen times. There’s also a walk-through rainforest habitat, and he thought that was pretty great.”