Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“What?” Palmer and Charlie both asked at the same time. Although, I wasn’t sure what they were asking about: Kelsey watching Charlie, or Kelsey degrading my son’s work right in front of him.
Before I could reply, Palmer leaned into Kelsey and whispered, “Did you just say that to him? He’s five, Kelsey, and you’re worried about technique?”
Kelsey blinked a few times, then shook her head. “No, I…I didn’t mean…”
Her voice trailed off when Palmer looked at me and asked, “Is Kelsey going to watch Charlie for you now? Are you going around asking every available single woman in Seaside?”
The tone of her voice, as well as her words, pissed me off. Who was she to question who I decided to have watch my son? She’d made it perfectly damn clear she wasn’t interested in the job.
I wanted to pull Palmer to the side and tell her she had no right to say that to me. Instead, I put on my best smirk of a smile—childish, I know—and replied, “She might be, or at least she might help me out until I can hire someone full time. And being single isn’t a requirement.”
Charlie tugged at Kelsey’s hand. “Can we draw, Ms. Kelsey? If you watch me?”
She laughed and bent down to tussle Charlie’s hair. “We sure can, Charlie.”
Standing, Kelsey looked at Palmer. “Do you mind if I sneak away for a bit? I’d love to show Mason and Charlie around the rest of the show.” She looked at me. “I’m on the committee, so I know all about the exhibits.”
“I see,” I said, glancing between Kelsey and Palmer. A part of me wanted Palmer to say that she did mind. That she needed a break or was about to leave. Or better yet, that she would show us around herself. None of that happened though.
“Not at all,” Palmer said before she bent down and spoke to Charlie. “Great job today, buddy. I can’t wait to see what you paint next.”
Then she stood and said, “Have fun.”
Before I could reply, Kelsey said, “We will! Come on, Charlie.”
I stood there for a moment, unable to move. What in the hell was it about Palmer that made me feel like I was losing my damn mind?
“Dad! Come on!”
I tried not to frown as I turned and joined Kelsey and Charlie.
Palmer
“Who are you glaring at?”
“Harlee!” I said as I jumped and shot her a dirty look. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you I was volunteering today.”
Sighing, I moved to the table where little Candace was drawing. I had been helping both her and Charlie with their art earlier, and Candace was still working on hers. “I forgot you said you would be here. And for the record, I wasn’t glaring at anyone.”
“What does glaring mean?” Candace asked as I sat down in the chair next to her.
I smiled. “Nothing.”
“I hear my daddy telling my mommy that he doesn’t like it when she glares at him. She glared at him last night, and he slept on the sofa ’cause of it.”
Harlee and I both looked at each other and then back to Candace. How in the hell were we supposed to respond to that?
Hitting me on the arm, Harlee motioned for me to say something. But all I could get out was, “Um.”
“My mom is here, got to go! Bye, Palmer!” Candace said as she grabbed her piece of art and rushed toward her mother.
“Saved by the glaring mom,” Harlee whispered while I tried not to laugh.
Spinning around, she looked at me. “I thought you were only volunteering until one.”
“I was, but then Kelsey decided she needed to give Mason the grand tour of our little town art show.”
Harlee blinked a few times. “Kelsey Roberts?”
I nodded. “If I had known she was running this booth, I wouldn’t have volunteered to help out.”
“I thought you two made up years ago. Are you back to being rivals? This time for the hot doctor?” Harlee asked, referring to the strained friendship between Kelsey and me. We had made up years ago, and I thought things were fine—until she started giving Mason the look. The one that said take me to bed.
Narrowing my eyes at Harlee, I stated, “I am not her rival, thank you very much. I simply…” Looking around to make sure no little kids were in the booth, I finished, “I simply don’t like her at the moment. That’s all. This has nothing to do with her or Mason.”
Harlee looked past me and frowned. “Mason seems to like her.”
I peeked over my shoulder to see the two of them walking together with Charlie between them. I hated how the sight of the three of them together like that made me cranky.
“Someone’s glaring again,” Harlee sing-songed.
“I’m not glaring! Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”
Smiling, she took my hand and squeezed it. “Palmer, what’s going on? You haven’t been yourself lately.”