Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Sure, baby.” I brush her long hair out. Then, I move in front of her and fix the headband in place. I lean down and place a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Pretty girl,” I tell her.
She presses her hands to my cheeks. “Not as pwetty as you, Mommy.”
“No way!” I exclaim. “You’re way prettier than Mommy.”
She grins at me.
Jesus, I love her so much, it hurts sometimes.
I just pray to God that Zeus doesn’t hurt her.
I glance at the clock on the wall. Ten fifty-five. I told him to be here at eleven. He’d better not be late. Zeus and being on time didn’t always have the best relationship.
A minute later, the doorbell rings.
And my heart gallops off into a race.
I open the door.
Zeus is standing there, looking as handsome as ever in blue jeans and a black sweater.
“Hi,” I say.
“Hey, Cam.” His eyes hold mine for a beat before coming down to Gigi. “Hey, Gigi.” He smiles widely at her. “You look really pretty today. Is that a tutu?”
“Gigi dressed herself today,” I tell him.
“Well, I think you did a great job. These are for you.” He brings his hand from behind his back. He’s holding a large gift bag and a bunch of daisies that are all wrapped up and look like they came from a florist.
“You got me a pwesent? And flowers? But it’s not my birthday.”
I see the pain that flickers across his countenance, and I just know he’s thinking about the four birthdays that he missed.
“I know, but I wanted to get you a gift. I hope that’s okay?” His question is more for me than Gigi.
I give him a small nod, telling him it’s fine, and his expression relaxes.
“Say thank you, Gigi.”
“Thank you.”
“And I got these for you.” He pulls out from behind his back a bunch of Oriental lilies—my favorite flower—and hands them to me.
I blankly stare down at them, my heart racing in my chest.
“You don’t like them anymore?” His face falls.
“No. I mean, yes. It’s just…” I glance down at Gigi and then back to Zeus. “You don’t have to bring me flowers.”
“I know I don’t. I wanted to.”
“I just don’t think it’s appropriate,” I whisper that last word.
His brows furrow with a flash of anger in his eyes; if I didn’t know him as well as I do, I would have missed it.
“It’s just a gift, Dove.”
“Dove?” Gigi says, sounding confused.
“It’s a nickname I used to call your mom,” Zeus explains to her.
“You knew my mom before you was our new mailman?”
“Gigi, this is Zeus. The friend I was telling you about.”
Gigi stares at me, puzzled. “Your friend is our new mailman?”
Me and my big, stupid mouth.
“Oh. Well, um, I…I…” I’m faltering.
“I was your new mailman.” Zeus steps in for me, crouching down in front of Gigi so that he’s eye-level with her. “But I’m not very good at it, so your old mailman is coming back.”
“Oh, that’s sad for you. But I’m happy that Burt’s back, so he can tell me more jokes.”
Zeus’s lip lifts at the corner. “I know I’m not your mailman anymore, but I’d like to be your friend, if that’s okay with you?”
Gigi’s big blue eyes blink up at me, looking for confirmation that it’s okay.
“It’s okay, Gigi.”
“Okay, we can be fwiends.” She steps a little closer to him and whispers, “Just so you know, I’m an awesome fwiend to have.”
Zeus chuckles. “I bet you are.”
“What’s your name?” she asks even though I told her it not one minute ago. “’Cause, if we fwiends, I has to know your name.”
“Zeus Kincaid.” He holds his hand out to her, and she puts her little hand in his. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Zweus is a funny name.” The way she says his name is the cutest thing ever.
Still, the parent in me has to call her out for saying his name is funny. “Gigi, that’s not a nice thing to say.”
“Sorry,” she says to Zeus, lowering her eyes and pulling her hand from his, retreating back to my side.
“It’s fine.” He smiles warmly at her. “It is a funny name. Not pretty like yours. But you know, Gigi, I was named after a god.”
Her eyes widen. “You know God’s name?” she says with awe.
Zeus chuckles. “Not God’s name. Zeus was a Greek god. The god of the sky. He controlled thunder and lightning.”
“I’s scared of thunder and lightning.”
“Well then, I’ll protect you from it.” He winks at her before rising to stand.
“So, shall we get going then?” I say. “Let’s put these inside,” I tell Gigi, taking the flowers from her.
“Can I open it now?” she asks, holding up the gift bag.
“Sure,” I tell her.
She pulls out the present, handing the bag to me, and lets out a shriek. “Mommy, look! It’s the Magical Princess Twilight Sparkle!” She hugs it to her chest.