Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 89303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
“Thanks.” He lifted his chin and looked at me, still wearing his smile. “I’ve always wanted to be a father. Someday. We’ll get there.” He dropped his chin and read his tablet again, like I hadn’t just said something that could have ruined the entire day.
“I didn’t know that.”
“What?”
“That you’ve always wanted to be a father.”
He looked up and stared at me. “Not so much when I was younger, but then Derek had this really special relationship with Lizzie, and I started to think about my relationship with my own father, and yada-yada…and I just knew. It’ll happen when it’s meant to happen.” He went back to reading his screen but then abruptly looked up. “Wait, you wanna have kids, right?”
I chuckled. “Uh, yeah.”
“Phew, alright.” He went back to reading.
I had stuff to do, but I chose to stare at him for a while, picturing the two of us together, with a couple kids running around, living happily ever after, having the reality Catherine could have had…but she threw it away.
One bitch’s garbage was another woman’s treasure, right?
I was sitting at the desk in the lobby at the end of the day when the elevator doors opened and Daisy walked in. She wore a green dress with sandals, looking like she was ready for a spring day but also the office. Her thick hair was in a high ponytail, showing off her face and slender neck.
Why the hell would Mason let her go? He was a good-looking guy, but…
She strutted up to my desk. “Hey, girl.”
“Hey. How’s it going?”
She shrugged. “Same ol’, same ol’.” She was still the bright and bubbly woman she used to be, but there was a distinct shadow to her now, like her broken heart had slowed her down a bit. She put on a brave front for everyone, but she was human, so she was grieving like anybody would. “I hear you and Dex finally got your shit together.” She rested her arms on the surface of the desk, leaning forward slightly.
“Yeah…you could say that.”
“Good. I’m glad that you’re willing to put up with him. I know he came in a really shitty package. You know, like a new pair of scissors trapped inside the packaging that can only be opened with a pair of scissors—but worth it in the end.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, he’s great.”
“Only downside…” She held up one finger. “Is now that Dex has pretty much settled down, my parents are gonna point their headlights at me.” She pointed into her chest. “And that sucks pretty hard.”
“Your parents don’t seem that intrusive.”
She threw her head back and released a loud, booming laugh. “Oh girl, you don’t even know.” She came back to me and gave me a wink. “You’ll see.”
“What the hell is that obnoxious noise?” Dex came out of his office. “Is there a bat in here?”
Daisy flipped him the bird. “Oh, shut it.”
He grinned then came to her, giving her an unexpected hug. “You look nice.”
She gently pushed him off her. “Stop being nice to me because you feel bad for me. I prefer it when you’re a dick.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked incredulously. “I’m never a dick to you.”
“Then just don’t be so nice and affectionate,” she snapped. “You guys wanna go out for a drink or something?” She turned back to me.
I was put on the spot. “Oh, you guys can do something. I have a lot of work to do anyway.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “I’m inviting you. The only reason Dex has an invitation is because he’s dating you.”
“Oh, I’m a dick?” Dex asked, trying to suppress his smile.
She flipped him the bird again without looking at him. “Come on, let’s go. I skipped lunch today, so if I don’t get some fries in my stomach pronto, I’m gonna scream.”
We went to the same bar we usually frequented, and as I suspected, Daisy was hit with free drinks like crazy.
She literally had five drinks sitting there, two glasses of wine, one scotch, and two fruity drinks. “Hmm, what should I drink next? I’m not a sweet person, so you want it, girl?” Daisy placed the cranberry vodka in front of me.
I took it. “Sure.”
Dex continued to devour the fries as he sat across from his sister. “How was work?”
Daisy smacked his hand away so she could get into the basket since Dex had been hogging it. “I have two new patients. You would think I’d be a master at this by now, but I feel like every time I get someone new, it’s something I’ve never even heard of. I’m going to be working a lot for the next few weeks, so you may not see me much.”
Dex gave a nod of approval. “Niiiice.”
Daisy gave him a glare.
“Hey,” he said. “You wanted me to be a dick, so there you go.” He turned to me. “Baby, I’m gonna go to the bar. You’re okay with that, or you want something else?”