Total pages in book: 178
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Why didn’t anyone understand?
I had my one in a million. I’d never find anyone like him again. And, to be honest, I didn’t want to.
There was only one infuriatingly bossy, hot as hell, downright maddening Twitch.
And it wasn’t like I was completely sexless. I still had a hand and my memories, and, for now, that was enough. I did miss that physical connection and craved to be touched at times, but that was life.
Truth was, I lived and part of me died. I mourned my loss and often times mourned it still. But moving on?
Yeah right.
God knows I’ve tried.
A slight, achy melancholy filled me.
It was hard to forget somebody who gave you so much to remember.
At the very moment the oven dinged, the doorbell rang, and I called out, “Coming!” When I opened it, Julius and Ana stood there, and I threw the door open, smiling openly. “Hey, you guys. Come on in. I hope you’re hungry.”
Ana came forward, hugging me gently, and I was touched at how happy she looked to see me. Julius was patting his belly cheerfully. “Baby girl, when am I not hungry?”
I made a face of agreement, nodding lightly. “This is true.”
He grinned down at me before enveloping me in his arms, and I took all the love he gave. Truth was, I was kind of an affection whore. Always had been. Whenever someone needed a hug, I was the first to throw myself on them. Sometimes, I wondered if I was a little too handsy with some people. I knew how situations could be misread. I was uber cautious about touching men, but with Happy and Julius, I accepted all they gave because I didn’t have anyone else and I loved them dearly.
Whenever I was having a general home issue or needed some brawn, they were the first people I called.
They were kind of my “house husbands.”
I was thankful for their partners being so understanding in that sense. I seemed to borrow them all the time.
We all sat down at my barely big enough eight-seater table. Molly and I placed the food in the center of the tabletop, and I contentedly watched everyone dig in.
It was nice to share a meal with family and friends.
Nikki scooped out some spaghetti for the little monster, and when she held out her cheek, A.J. smacked a kiss to it before forking a huge amount of pasta into his mouth. Nikki smiled down at her godson. “You’re welcome, sweetie.”
Happy stole a piece of garlic bread off Ana’s plate, and I watched in amusement as she glared at him, smacking his knuckles with her fork. He pulled away, looking sore and shaking out his hand. And Julius chuckled, scooping a meatball onto his plate. “Don’t steal her food, man. She don’t like that. Only I’m allowed to do that.”
Ana nodded, then adoringly grinned up at her husband.
Molly held out the salad to Dave, and he took it with a wink.
Quite suddenly, I was choking on emotion. This—this right here—was what made my life good. I was surrounded by good people who provided great company, and for the ones who couldn’t bring themselves to participate in conversation, they spared a smile to those who did.
At moments like this, I considered myself lucky. Luckier than most.
When it got late, A.J. went around the table, hugging and kissing everybody goodnight before I walked him to his room and put him to bed. I watched him settle for the evening, and my heart jolted with the amount of love the sight of him induced.
With a light sigh, I made it back to the table as Molly dealt out the cherries-and-cream buttercake I’d made the night before. She handed me a piece, and I thanked her with a squeeze to her arm before I sat and laid it on them. “I have a problem I’d like to talk to you about.”
Everyone stilled, looking up at me, giving me their full attention.
“What is it, babe?” Nikki asked cautiously, the first to speak.
I picked at the cake on my plate. “I don’t know. It’s probably nothing.” I rolled my eyes and let out an exaggerated exhale. “A.J. has been talking about Twitch a lot. And he’s been saying some very out there things.”
“What things?” Julius queried, his face bunched.
“Well, for one, he says Twitch comes to visit him at night,” I told them with a light laugh.
That was when Happy choked on his cake. He coughed and coughed until tears formed in his eyes, and he wheezed out, “What?” Nikki handed him her glass of water and he took it, chugging it down.
“Okay, look,” I said sadly. “It’s not that completely unknown for a child to conjure up imaginary scenarios in their minds when they’re fighting to cope with something like this. I’m pretty sure that’s all this is. What I’m asking is, should I let it go, or take him to see somebody, to talk to somebody?”