Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
So much for “this isn’t over yet” and all that smoldering, sexy intensity of his.
This is about your ego. Snap out of it.
Stupid men.
As if summoned by my thoughts, a sheriff’s car pulled into the parking lot. I could all but smell Hannah’s excitement.
“You’re a slut,” I told her glumly.
“Yeah, well, you’re just jealous,” she replied, sounding perky. “And he’s a nice guy. Exactly the kind of guy we never date.”
“That’s why we shouldn’t be dating at all,” I reminded her. “Mom was shit at it, I’m shit at it and so are you. You just wait and see—he’s going to strap you to the train tracks while a train is coming, then stroke his mustache and cackle. It’s our destiny as McBride women.”
“He doesn’t have a mustache.”
A clump of grass hit me in the side of the head. I turned on her, grabbing my own clump to throw as she screamed. Callie and the little girls came running, jumping on their mom in excitement. She managed to send me a death glare and I knew I’d pay for making her look silly in front of her new boyfriend. Too fucking bad.
“Totally worth it,” I mouthed at her, then I looked up at Heath Andrews and smiled.
“My sister’s crazy,” I told him. “You should run away while you still can.”
The twins were sound asleep in the stroller by the time we got home, exhausted from playing with Callie, Hannah and Heath. My sister and her deputy looked so adorable together that I could’ve barfed. Even worse was the way he watched her—the man was crazy about Hannah.
Obviously, he was a secret serial killer.
Only possible explanation.
The sidewalk disappeared once I passed the railroad tracks, which made pushing the stroller a hell of a lot harder. Nothing quite like tiny plastic wheels on gravel for a smooth ride. That’s probably why I didn’t notice the old pickup truck parked next to the trailer until we were nearly on top of it.
“Daddy’s here!” Callie shouted, her little voice full of joy. I felt sick to my stomach because I remembered those days from my own childhood. My father had been in and out of our lives until I was about six. Then he was out for good and I never saw him again. It took another few years before I realized he wasn’t coming back, and even longer before I understood it wasn’t my fault.
Now I was watching the same scenario playing out with my nieces and Randy, Hannah’s loser of an ex.
A loser of an ex who was apparently waiting inside the trailer, despite the fact that he didn’t have a key. I must’ve forgotten to lock it when we left for the park.
Hannah was gonna kill me.
Callie took off running and I pushed the stroller faster, wondering why the hell he’d finally decided to visit. He lived nearby but we never saw him, even though it would take less than ten minutes for him to swing by and see his own kids.
I’d love to say I’d been surprised by how things had turned out, but I really wasn’t. Randy had never been a winner. The first time I’d met him, he’d gotten drunk and made a pass at me, but Hannah was pregnant and in love. I wasn’t going to be the one to burst her happy little bubble.
Right after Callie was born, he’d been arrested for possession. He’d gotten less reliable after that and started cheating on Hannah with Vera Blount. Vera was ten years older than him and had gotten money in her divorce. Six months ago he’d taken off to buy a pack of smokes and never came back. Hannah had finally acknowledged reality and changed the locks when she learned they were living together.
Better late than never.
“You’ve been growing!” Randy was telling Callie, all smiles as I walked in with the twins. He glanced up at me and his expression was a lot less friendly. Fair enough—the feeling was mutual.
“What are you doing here?” I asked bluntly.
“Stopped by to see my girls,” the bastard replied, his voice so sweet I wanted to vomit. “You know I’ve been missing you, don’t you baby?”
Callie hugged him hard, although I noticed the twins didn’t seem the slightest bit interested. Probably couldn’t remember who he was.
“Callie, can you go into your room for a few?” I asked, forcing myself to stay polite. The little girl frowned, but she followed my instructions. The twins followed as usual, muttering in their own little language. I waited until they were out of earshot and then laid into him. “You aren’t supposed to be here, Randy.”
“Last I checked, I owned this trailer.”
“No, your parents do,” I corrected. “And they’re as sick of your shit as the rest of us. Unless you’re here with a child support check and your balls in a jar, you need to get the hell out.”