Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“Go away, Noah. We’re getting to know each other,” Charlie said lightly.
Fallon chuckled. “She’s right. Everything is fine.”
“I’m glad. I want you two to like one another.”
“No worries there,” Charlie said. “I can tell how much Fallon cares about the girls. That’s what matters to me. Plus, you’re nice.” Charlie winked.
Fallon grinned, liking how she read Noah and wasn’t afraid to let him know what she was thinking. No wonder they were such good co-parents.
Noah picked a pretzel from a bowl on the counter and took a bite. “Then I suppose I’m not needed here.”
“Exactly what I said when you walked over. I’m not going to bite. And, for what it’s worth, I approve, not that you need that from me.”
Fallon released a breath she hadn’t been aware of holding. “We may not need it but I respect you as the twins’ mom too much not to care. So thank you. That means a lot.”
Noah pressed a kiss to Fallon’s cheek. “Anyone want a soda? Water?”
Both Fallon and Charlie gave him their preference, Diet Coke for Charlie and club soda for Fallon, and he strode away to play bartender.
The rest of the day passed with the same flow and dynamic, Fallon feeling comfortable with his family, and for that she was grateful. The twins conned her and Charlie into playing a game of Twister in the family room, which they did. With an audience.
They ate burgers and hot dogs, Liam’s choice for his birthday lunch, like a kid, and after they finished, Nina asked Noah to help her reach something in the hall closet which she used as a pantry. And Fallon found herself talking to Simon about how he and Liam became angel investors.
All in all, she’d call the day a success.
* * *
Noah’s mother needed him to pull a package of paper towels from the top shelf of the closet, so he followed her into the hallway and grabbed the bundle, handing it to her.
“There you go. This has been a great day, Mom. Thanks for making it so easy to have Charlie and Fallon.” His parents liked Charlie but she wasn’t always included in his family gatherings. Because she was here for such a short time, he’d wanted to give her as much time with the girls as he could.
“Of course, honey.”
Turning so he could return to the family room, he stopped when his mother called his name.
He pivoted back around to find a concerned look on her face. “Mom? Is everything okay?”
She nodded but he got the sense she wasn’t being one hundred percent truthful. He knew his mother, she wanted to have her say and all he could do was wait her out.
“You’re right. Today was fun. Liam is so antsy to open his presents. He’s such a kid sometimes,” she said with a loving smile.
Noah chuckled. “He definitely is.”
“And Fallon is good with the girls. That was a mean game of Twister they played.”
Yeah. With her body bent over, her ass out, his dick grew hard and he’d been tempted to walk up behind her and pull her against him to relieve the ache.
“Fallon’s a lovely young woman,” his mother said, bringing his mind out of the gutter. Not the thing to be thinking about with his mom right here.
Noah nodded. “I agree. I’m glad you like her.”
“But—”
He narrowed his gaze, his defenses rising. “But what?” he asked, unable to control the bite in his tone. The last thing he wanted was to listen to any complaints about the woman who was perfect for him.
“Isn’t she a little young for you?”
And there it was. The elephant in the room the times Fallon had been with his family. He’d come to terms with the fact. And that’s all it was. A fact. Numbers. They had too much in common for him to let perception get in the way of them. He didn’t need anyone getting in the middle of his feelings for Fallon or bringing up potential pitfalls.
“Can you keep your concerns to yourself?” He moderated his tone because he knew his mother meant well and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
His mom reached out and touched his cheek in a move he knew all too well. “I’m just worried about you. A young girl like that? She loves your kids. There’s no doubt she’ll want a baby one day and I know you’ve said you’re finished after the twins. How do you plan to deal with that once you’re in so deep both of you risk getting hurt?” she asked.
Once he was in deep? He was already there. The possibility of losing Fallon made his stomach twist in pain. He rubbed a hand over his face and groaned.
Happy bubble burst, he thought, wishing he could glare at his mother, but she had a point. “How about you not borrow trouble?”