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)
Lo was sixteen the last time I saw him. He was tall then, but now, he’s twenty-one and standing as tall as Zeus, just not as muscular. More athletic-looking.
And Missy is stunning. She was a pretty girl when she was a kid, but she’s grown into a beautiful young woman. Tall, like her brothers, she’s around my height, and looking at her now, I can see some of Gigi in her, or vice versa.
Zeus picks Gigi up, so she’s at eye-level with them. And I hang back with Aunt Elle at a safe distance, watching them.
“Gigi, this is your uncle Ares,” Zeus indicates.
“Hey, Gigi.” Ares smiles at her. “It’s good to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from your daddy.”
“Daddy told me you pway fwootball,” she says.
“You like football?” he asks her.
“S’okay, I guess. But I wikes to dance.”
“Yeah, and I’ve heard you’re really good at it.”
She beams at him. “I pwactise all the time.”
“Gigi, this is your uncle Lo and your aunt Missy.”
“Hey, Gigi,” they say at the same time.
“Do you pway fwootball, too?” she asks Lo.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “No, I leave the sports to your dad and Uncle Ares.”
“Look how beautiful she is, Z.” Missy steps closer to Gigi. “She has mom’s eyes. God, I’m so happy to meet you, Gigi. Would it be okay if I hugged you?”
Gigi looks to Zeus for consent, and he nods at her.
Missy reaches out and hugs her while Gigi’s legs stay attached to Zeus’s hips.
Missy leans back, taking Gigi’s face in her hands. “I’m gonna spoil you so bad.” Missy grins at her.
I decide, thanks to the gentle dig in my ribs from Aunt Elle, that it’s time for me to say my hellos and invite them in, as they’re all still standing outside on the porch.
“Hey, guys.” I walk toward them, smiling.
The greeting I get isn’t one I was expecting.
“Cam!” Missy squeals and then runs through the doorway at me, throwing her arms around my neck, almost knocking me off my feet.
“Hey.” I chuckle, a little winded, hugging her back.
She leans back, grinning into my face. “I can’t believe how long it’s been! And you look even more gorgeous than ever, ya biatch—oops! Shit!” She covers her mouth, giggling. “Gotta learn to watch my mouth,” she says between her fingers.
“Yeah, you do,” Zeus grunts from behind.
“It’s good to see you, Missy.”
“You, too.” She smiles at me.
Lo comes over and kisses me on the cheek. “Thanks for inviting us, Cam.”
“Oh, no problem at all.”
They go over to say hello to my aunt Elle as Ares meanders over to me.
“Cam.”
“Hey, Ares.” I smile, not sure how to greet him.
He’s the one I’ve been most worried about hating me, as he’s always been closest to Zeus. I mean, they’re all close. But, with Lo and Missy being twins, they are naturally close. Zeus and Ares have always looked out for one another. They’re brothers in the truest sense of the word.
Then, he steps forward, puts his huge arms out, and hugs me. “Missed you,” he says.
I feel a wave of emotion.
Zeus was the love of my life. But Ares was my friend. We went to high school together, and after Zeus left to get a job and box full-time, Ares was the one to watch out for me at school. When Zeus and I broke up, I didn’t just lose him; I lost my friend, too.
Freeing his arms from around me, he steps back and looks me in the eyes. “You’re not getting rid of us now, you know. We’re here to stay.”
He grins, and I laugh softly.
“Glad to hear it.”
Zeus comes over with Gigi still in his arms.
“Mommy, can we eat now?”
“Sure, Gigi girl.” I smile at her. “Why don’t you take our guests into the living room, and I’ll bring the food through?”
“I’ll give you a hand,” Zeus says.
“And I’ll grab the drinks,” Aunt Elle announces.
“Thanks again for inviting us,” Missy says to me as we all reach the door.
They’re leaving, as Ares has to be up early for practice. It’s well past Gigi’s bedtime, and she’s starting to tire.
“You’re welcome anytime,” I tell her.
“You’re gonna regret saying that.” She chuckles, and I laugh, opening the door for them.
But I can’t imagine ever regretting it. Today has been really great. I was totally worried for no reason.
We all got along great. It was like old times. At one point, we were even all out back, playing a game of football, as Gigi wanted Ares to show her how to play. Even Aunt Elle joined in.
It was fun.
But, now, Gigi’s saying she wants to play football.
Not sure how that will go over with Miss Hannah, her ballet teacher, but if my girl wants to learn to play football, then she can.
But, mainly, they doted on Gigi. And she loved the attention.