Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
He slides the silver foil bowl toward me after he removes the cardstock lid, and the scent of the lasagna wafts up, making me moan. This is my absolute favorite thing he makes, and it’s not even on the menu. Which means he made it specially for me.
He’s playing dirty.
I hop up and circle the island to grab two forks when I see he’s brought his own dinner too, then go back to my stool as he takes the one beside it. “Yeah, but not having much luck. I don’t understand why rent is just as expensive if not more than actually paying a mortgage.”
“Well, a lot of people rent out their property to pay for the mortgage of the house,” he explains, which makes sense. “And if it’s an apartment, you’re not just paying for your apartment itself, but all the amenities it might come with. Like, you don’t do any landscaping, and there might be pools, or a gym on site, or maybe a community center that has a small movie theater and space to throw birthday parties, like a club house, ya know?”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t know. I’ve never lived in an apartment before,” I reply, and he shrugs.
“Well, that’s how it is. Especially around here. They’re all super nice and gated, well maintained. Anything less, it might get a little sketchy. If you find a place you find promising that you believe you can afford, let me know and I’ll make sure it’s suitable. I have friends not only in the construction business, so they know property values and safe areas, but I also have an acquaintance who’s a cop. I believe there’s even a PI in their family,” he tells me, taking a bite of his lasagna.
I nod, swallowing my food. “I’d appreciate that.” I lift a brow. “Construction company. Is it Talon you’re talking about?”
He finishes chewing his bread then licks the garlic butter from his full upper lip, and I feel myself clench.
Jesus H., girl. Calm the hell down!
“I know Talon, but I’m closer with his uncle Asher. He and his brothers built my house. I believe Talon and his brother Bax have started their own thing,” he explains, and it grows awkwardly quiet as we continue to eat, neither of us knowing where to start with the rest of what needs to be said. Finally, he asks quietly, “If you’re looking for a new place, does that mean you’ve talked to your kids about moving?”
I put my fork down and grab a napkin to wipe my mouth, then twist it in my lap. I let out a sigh, looking down into my half-eaten lunch. “I did. Yesterday morning, Mia and I sat them down and finally explained everything that was going on. I had wanted to break it to them gently, when that was totally stupid, since Mike already introduced them to his new girlfriend.”
He shakes his head. “It’s not stupid for trying to be a good mom and be careful with your girls’ feelings. Especially you. I’m sure you’re trying to be extra careful to make sure you don’t do what your mom did with you, since you said that was pretty traumatizing the way she vented to you when you were so young.”
I turn wide eyes on him, shocked he would understand that without me having to spell it out. “Exactly. And in an ironic turn of events, it’s Mike who’s the one telling the girls we’re getting divorced. He’s even pressuring them, talking to them behind my back and asking them who they’d rather live with. All because of the amount of money I asked for in the divorce.”
His face morphs with anger, and his fork clatters on the countertop. “Are you serious?” he growls. When I nod, his jaw looks like it might shatter he clenches it so hard. “That motherfucker. Are the girls all right? I take it they were the ones who informed you of this.”
I nod again, swallowing down the emotions that Winston conjures just by asking how my kids are, just by caring so deeply. “When we told them yesterday, they hardly reacted. We thought they’d know it was coming, since he’d already introduced them to Tammy, but we were prepared to comfort them after we told them the news that we were going to need to move. Little did we know, they already knew about that too. Ruby said Mike asked them during their nighttime call the night he was served, who they would rather live with, him or me. They were put on the spot and said they didn’t know what to say. They love their dad and didn’t want to hurt his feelings by flat out saying no, they didn’t want to live with him instead of me, so they all avoided answering at all. But like… what the hell was he thinking? They’re only nine and six. How do you put that kind of pressure on kids their age? Especially when they’re already going through such drastic changes in their life to begin with.”