Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 64640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“I don’t know.” I lead her inside, and she sits next to me on the couch. “I don’t want Jeff. I am over that man. But I’m so unsure.”
“You can always raise the baby yourself,” I suggest.
“I don’t know if I can do that either.”
“We can help.” I touch her leg, and she glances up at me, smiling.
“That’s a no,” Zuko says as he enters the room, and I roll my eyes.
“He will. I can butter him up and make him say yes to anything. Power of the pussy and all.” I wink, and Louise can’t help but laugh.
“I’m leaving. Goodbye, Trouble.” Zuko kisses the top of my head before he heads out the door.
“You two are so lucky,” Louise gushes.
Ha! If only she knew how hard it was to get to this place in our lives.
How hard it can be some days.
Not because of anything Zuko does wrong. But it’s all about me realizing it’s okay to be loved and to want love in return.
It’s a battle I didn’t know I had to fight.
It’s a battle I know I need to win.
And I will fight the battle every day if it involves Zuko.
“One day, I want someone to love me the way he loves you.”
“You’ll have that,” I tell her. “It’s just a matter of time.”
“I hope so.” She smiles. “I think I’m going to move home, back to my mother’s, and go from there.” She pauses. “We’ll still be friends and see each other, right?”
“Of course. You are the only friend I have apart from Zuko and his brothers.”
His brothers are finally growing to like me.
They seem more accepting, even if I am treated like a pest most of the time.
But I’m sure they love me. Why wouldn’t they? Internally I laugh at my egotistical joke.
“You really don’t know how amazing you are, Alaska. From the moment I met you, I knew you were special.” She stands and goes to hug me, and I accept her hug and pat her back in an attempt to comfort her.
I know she needs this from me.
Even if I still hate affection.
The funny thing is—not from Zuko.
Zuko can hug me any day, and in any way, he pleases.
His affection I crave.
And I melt every single time.