Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
My heart skipped a beat at the question. It was evident that anyone looking at us would immediately see how perfect we were for each other. I held my breath waiting for Rex’s answer.
“What, marriage?” Rex asked.
“Yup. As far as I’m concerned that girl’s a keeper,” Matt said.
“I agree, Willow is awesome, and you guys are so perfect for each other. In a way you never were with any other woman you’ve been with.” There was a pause, then she spoke, “Anyone who didn’t know her would think she’s Kayden’s real mother.”
Guilt came over me as I stood there, my underarm dampening with nerves. I was eavesdropping, but I desperately wanted to know the answer to the question Matt was asking. Had Rex ever thought about marriage or a long-term relationship with me?
“Well, are you going to make an honest woman out of her?” Matt asked.
“You guys should learn to mind your own business,” Rex mocked, but there was no malice in his words.
“Fuck off,” Matt said.
“Fine, fine, be all secretive, then,” Alice said, with a laugh.
I waited a few more seconds, made my expression neutral, then I coughed and entered the room.
Later that afternoon, as we were headed home, and Kayden was dozing in the back seat, I studied Rex’s profile. He was so damn handsome. But more than that, he was good and loyal, and he made my heart do all sorts of crazy things in my chest. He glanced at me. “What?”
I inhaled deeply and arranged the words in my head. “Nothing. Just looking at a very beautiful man.”
He grinned. “Kayden and I have a present for you.”
“You got me a present?”
“Hmmm…”
“Why? It’s not Christmas or my birthday.”
Rex brought the car to a halt and turned to face me. His expression was unreadable. “Do you only get presents at Christmas or birthdays?”
“Usually, yeah.”
“Time to change that. From now on you’re getting presents when you’re good… and when you’re bad, but especially when you’ve been very bad. In case you didn’t notice, I like bad girls.” His eyes glinted.
“Promises, promises,” I said weakly.
I carried the shoulder bag which had Kayden’s spare clothes. Hannah must have been looking out the window because the front door swung open before we got there.
“Hi, Kayden,” she said. “I missed you.”
“I didn’t miss you at all,” he confessed with a child’s honesty, Hannah laughed.
“Well, in that case you better tell me everything you’ve been doing because it sounds like you had a wonderful time.” She took his hand, and they entered the apartment together. She really was good with him.
“If you guys want an early supper, Mrs. Wells has left meatloaf in the oven,” Hannah said over her shoulder.
If I wasn’t in the picture, Hannah would probably resume her flirtation with Rex. With extra touches like making dinner and offering him an ear to listen to, Rex might be tempted to get together with her. I shook my head. What was I thinking? I didn’t want to be that woman who was suspicious of every other woman.
The last thing I wanted was to be a version of my stepmother. She had ruined my life because she was so proud or pathetic, she married, then stayed with a man who wasn’t in love with her.
“Hang on, Kayden. Do you want to give your gift to Willow first?”
“Yeah, I do,” he said, and raced off to get it.
He came back with a gaily wrapped square box, which he held out to me.
I took it and shook it. Whatever was inside made soft thuds. I smiled at him. “Interesting.”
“Open it,” he urged, his hands clasped behind his back.
I tore open the wrapping, opened the box, and nestled inside black tissue was a white miniature of Pogo. My breath hitched. It was such a thoughtful gift for a little boy to give.
“I love it so much, thank you,” I said sincerely.
“You’re welcome,” he said politely, but I could see he was pleased that I liked his present.
I bent down and kissed him.
“Right. You can go off with Hannah,” Rex said.
They went away and I turned to Rex.
“Why do you look so beautiful and so sad?” he asked.
“I’m not sad,” I denied.
He reached into his jacket pocket and fished out a small blue jewelry box.
“Is this for being good or bad?” I asked in a mischievous voice, because I was scared of the powerful emotions that were trying to overtake me.
“This is for things you haven’t done yet,” he teased.
I opened the box to reveal a delicate gold necklace. It was not the flashy stuff Nina and I had picked out. This was the kind of stuff a man gave a woman because he really cared for her.
A tiny gasp left my mouth. “It’s beautiful.” I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. “Thank you.”
My brain screamed at me to throw myself at him and let him hold me until all these horrible thoughts inside me went away, but I couldn’t.