Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 105301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
“You stink,” Nathan insists the second I step into the house. He pinches his nose with his fingers. “I kind of wish I hadn’t waited up for you now.”
“I know; I’m sorry. I’ve been at the fish market for the past hour studying fish.”
“Studying fish?” He sounds bunged up from being unable to breathe through his nose. I start stripping off my clothes the second he holds a bin bag open for them. “That sounds… odd.”
“I can’t tell the difference between cod and every other fish,” I admit, dropping my knickers to the floor with my leggings. “Well I can now, but I couldn’t before.”
“Nice.”
“I’m immune to the smell. Am I horrific?”
“I’d still do you.” He leans in to press his lips to mine but makes a hasty retreat. “After you’ve showered.”
“Coward,” I cry jokingly and make my way up the stairs. Nathan follows closely behind with a bottle of disinfectant in one hand and a sponge in the other. If he plans on cleaning me with that, we’ll be having issues.
I’m forced to shower three times before he’s satisfied and by the end of the third time, the house stinks of disinfectant and Nathan is fast asleep in bed, the empty bottle of cleaning fluid resting on its side on the bedside table.
Also my skin is red raw but I smell of raspberries so I’m not totally unhappy about it.
It’s a good thing I love him.
I’m awoken when a child lands heavily on my stomach. I “oof” as the wind is knocked out of me. A mess of brown curls tickles my nose and Dillan’s giggle as he climbs up my body makes this sudden wake up the best kind of wake up.
“Mummy,” he yells and pulls up my eyelid.
“Hey!” Batting his hand away, I roll us over and bite his chubby little shoulder.
“Noooo,” he giggles hysterically and thrashes to get me away.
Obviously I stop when it gets too much for him. “Love you.”
“Wuv ooo,” he responds and accepts my kiss. “Daddy uh-oh.”
“Daddy what?”
“Uh-oooooh,” he frowns and scrambles to move out from under me. I sit up and scan the empty room.
“Where is your daddy, I wonder,” I murmur, climbing from the bed. I close the bedroom door so the little terror can’t escape and quickly dress. “NATHAN?”
He doesn’t answer so I lift Dillan into my arms and step into the dark hallway that still stinks of disinfectant.
“Nathan?”
I can hear him speaking and it sounds as though it’s coming from the kitchen. I can’t quite make out what he’s saying.
When I enter the well-lit room, I immediately spot Emily in her highchair eating slices of banana. Nathan must have dropped Dillan in my room and left. He’s standing in the doorway leading to our small back garden and seems to be captured in a deep conversation. His tone is so low, I can hardly hear him.
When he senses my presence, he quickly barks, “I have to go. Now.” And then hangs up the phone.
“What the hell was that all about?” I snap, feeling out of the loop and a bit nervous.
“Nothing,” he responds. His brows draw in, making the lines on his forehead deep and concerning. “Just shop stuff. I hate it when they bother me at home.”
I blink, disbelieving his lie. “Since when?”
“Since now,” he snaps back but quickly softens when he sees that he has upset me. “I’m sorry. It’s just they’ve been calling non-stop all morning and it’s for stupid things. I’ve been up since six. Dillan has been driving me crazy, pulling everything from the cupboards.”
“Are the child locks broken?”
“The clever little git figured out how to open them.” I’m pulled into his arms and kissed slowly and wonderfully. So wonderfully I forget everything else for a moment. “We’ll either have to upgrade them or tie him to a chair.” A plate clatters on the ground, but fortunately it doesn’t break.
“Dillan,” I chastise and pull him away from the immediate danger. “Come on, let’s go and play in the room while Daddy cleans up your sister.” Before we fully exit, I turn back to my future husband. “Are you sure you don’t want to hire a nanny? It’s not like we can’t afford it right now.”
“No, we can handle this,” he barks, offended at my suggestion.
“Okay, I’m sorry. I don’t doubt you; I just don’t want you overworking yourself.”
“I know, I just… I don’t want them being raised by other people.” His lips twist with a grimace.
“It’d only have to be for a day or two a week. Just to give you a break.”
“No, okay? We’re fine. Now, are you hungry?”
I nod my head. “Starving. You?”
“Same. Shall I cook?”
“I’ll whip up some porridge and then we can go to the store to sort out the thousands of calls you’ve apparently been getting.”
“That’s fine.” He waves me off. “It’s sorted. Let’s take the kids to play instead.”