Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
“Promise?”
He winks. “I guaran-fucking-tee it.”
And I’m dead.
A pile of swooning mush of emotions is all that remains where I once existed. There’s no way in heaven I’m going to survive co-parenting with this man if all he’s going to make me want to do is throw caution to the wind every time we’re together.
Taking a sip of coffee, I lean back on the counter, watching him walk away, and grinning like a fool because I’m okay with this arrangement. Technically, more than okay.
Here’s to Daddy Westcott.
18
Noah
“It’s all fun and games until you shit on yourself. Take it from me, kid, it’s no fun after that.” After dumping the dirty diaper into the bin, I tuck the tabs of the new diaper into the top of it. Max sits up, and it falls open again.
I didn’t know I needed a masters in engineering to work this thing. He’s a wiggler, but I look at the tabs once more. “Lie down for me, buddy.” How hard can this be to figure out? I don’t want to have to google this, but hm . . . Ah! I press down the front and pull the tabs around securing them.
Max has a new lease on life now that he’s clean. “I get it,” I tell him.
One diaper down and I’m not looking forward to more. I’ll ask Liv how the potty training is going and see if I can help onboard him quicker to the concept. I wash my hands in the attached bathroom and then open the door, letting this little beast free to roam through the apartment. And by free, he crawls some and then uses the wall to remain upright as he works his way into the other bedroom. “Mama,” he calls for her. It’s really stinkin’ cute.
We find her sitting in a chair putting on makeup. Maxwell holds his arms and seems to be having an entire conversation with her that only the two of them understand. It’s an unexpected side of Liv that no one else gets to see. There’s no way they’d call her the Ice Queen if they did.
Her eyes connect with mine in the mirror as she holds him in her lap. If only the office could see us now, sharing lingering glances, kisses that lasted long after the connection was broken. I wish they knew her like I do, but they won’t bother to look behind the rumors to the truth right in front of them.
If I had never met her, I might have done the same. Sure, she has a great body and face, but who she is as a person matters. She gave me her trust last night when she didn’t have to. Glancing at Max, I acknowledge she gave me more than I could have asked for.
She says, “I talked to a nurse earlier.”
“How’s Cassandra?”
“It sounded like she’s doing well. She wasn’t awake to talk to me, but I thought I would go visit.”
“Want some company?”
Her smile is so painfully genuine that my heart aches. “I’d love some.” Turning to Maxwell, she asks, “You want to go on an adventure with Mama?”
His arm swings out, and he points at me. “Dada.”
Liv’s mouth falls open as she stares at me. “When did he learn that?”
“I don’t know.” Raising my hands in surrender, I say, “I’m innocent.” Sitting on the side of the tub, I start laughing. “My side of the story is that I introduced myself as Noah, his daddy. When I picked him up out of his crib, he said Dada.”
“What’s his side of the story?”
“He knew who I was the moment he met me?”
A broad smile takes ownership of her lips, and she turns back to him. “Who’s my super smart son?” Tapping his nose, she adds, “You are.”
I slip my phone out to sneak a photo of them. The way he looks at her like she’s his whole world . . . It reminds me of how much I’ve missed. I push that down because it doesn’t matter. I can’t change the past. I can only embrace the present.
The present is stunning in her bra, towel wrapped around her waist hanging down, bare feet, and little makeup on. Her hair is in a clip. I’m sure she’d have something to say, most likely of the snarky variety, if I tell her she’s gorgeous. So I keep my mouth shut for now. Admiring this incredible woman who created the most amazing human I’ve ever seen.
I look at Max, feet dangling, a head of wisps in disarray, and wearing only a T-shirt and diaper. The two of them together look like the kind of morning I want to wake up to more often. Not just more often. Every day. Forever. They are my forever.
They’re home and so comfortable in being themselves that I almost feel like an intruder to their shared moment. Hate that.