Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“You want me to get you a water from inside?”
She shakes her head, and I’m surprised that she looks thoughtful, staring at her donut. “What’s wrong? You don’t like it?”
She nods her head. “I love it. Strawberry is my favorite.”
I nudge her gently with my elbow. “Then what’s wrong?”
She blinks up at me, and I’m entranced because she looks so much like her momma. The worried look on her face has me turning toward her. “Talk to me. You can tell me anything.”
She opens her mouth, closes it, and then opens it again. “Do you think my mom is fat?”
I rear back. “No. Why would you ask me that, Lex?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I think my mom is great, but my dad always says that I don’t want to end up fat like her. I just… I just know that she likes you, but I don’t want you to wish she was different, that’s all.”
I look down at this little girl and wonder how in the world is she only six years old? Obviously, she’s had to grow up a little fast, and her father is not helping matters with the bullshit he says to her. “I wouldn’t want to change her, Lex. I think your mom is perfect just the way she is.”
And just like that, her beautiful smile is back in place. “That’s good because donuts make her happy, and I like it when my mom is happy.”
I’m nodding in agreement when Abby and Wayne come from around the corner of the house. She stops, surprised to see us on the porch, and Wayne keeps walking toward his car. I’m up making my way toward him when Abby stops me. “Where are you going?”
I soften just looking at her. “Do you trust me?”
She tilts her head to the side and whispers, “You know I do.”
Because I can’t resist, I lean over and press my lips to her forehead before making my way to the driveway. Wayne is just about to get into his car, and I hold the door before he closes it. “Wayne, can you and I have a little chat?”
He rolls his eyes. “What? You going to threaten me again? Trust me, I remember you and her goon brother threatening to put me six feet under if I didn’t shape up. What do you want now?”
I lean down so I don’t have to talk loud enough for Abby and Alexis to hear me. “I don’t want you talking about Abby. Not about her weight, how she looks, what she’s doing, nothing. I don’t want her daughter to hear anything negative from you when it comes to her mother. Do you get me?”
He glares at me. “She’s my daughter.”
I lean farther into the car. His hand is on the door, and I cover it with my own, pushing the pressure points. “Yeah, I know she’s your daughter. But I also know if you hurt her—or her mom—with your words or any way else, you’re a dead man. Trust me, I won’t think twice.”
He looks as if he’s about to argue, but he doesn’t. His face is scrunched up as I apply more pressure to his hand. It wouldn’t take much for me to break a few bones, and honestly, I would take great pleasure in it. He nods his head, and it’s only then that I release my hold on him and step away.
“Bye now, we’ll be seeing you.”
He puts the car in gear and then asks me, “How long you in town for anyway?”
I put my hands on my hips. “As long as she wants me here.”
His eyes widen as he gets my drift. I wave at him as he’s backing out of the driveway. When he’s gone, I force a smile to my face and make my way back up to the porch. Alexis is now drinking a bottle of water, and Abby is watching me closely. “What was all that about?”
“Nothing. I wanted to have a man-to-man, that’s all.”
I sit down on the porch next to Abby and point to the box. “Can you tell which one I picked out for you?”
She looks at Alexis. “Well, look at that. She said you picked one special out for her. Are you telling me you picked out a special one for me too?”
I nod, unable to stop the smile that forms on my face. “I have to take care of my two favorite girls.”
Alexis giggles, and Abby’s gaze turns heated. Fuck, if we were alone right now, I’d take full advantage of that promise in her eyes. Instead, I point at the box. “Can you guess?”
She looks at the assortment of donuts and answers me unsure. “The chocolate donut with chocolate icing and chocolate sprinkles?”
I nod, and she shakes her head. “How did you know?”
I chuckle. “Are you kidding me? You’ve always loved chocolate ice cream, chocolate cake, chocolate frosting. Anytime we went anywhere, you got chocolate.”