Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“Of course.” But I can tell by the smile on her beautiful face that she knows that she won’t need me. “Have a good day, Bridger.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Reluctantly, I leave the classroom and walk out to my truck and decide that even though it’s my day off, I’m going to go to the firehouse and work out. We have a state-of-the-art gym, and I need to sweat some nervous energy out of my system.
There are a few of my guys working out, lifting weights, and running on the treadmills. After changing at my locker, I decide to work on my back and shoulders today, so I cross to the pull-up bar and start with twenty pull-ups. By the time I’m done, the burn in my back is satisfying, and I make my way to free weights.
“Hey, Chief,” Diego Martinez, one of our younger guys, says. “I didn’t think you were on today.”
“I’m not, just here to work out,” I reply, grabbing dumbbells for arm raises. “I dropped Birdie off for her first day of school today, and I’m not excited about it. She did preschool last year, but that’s not the same.”
“I get it,” Diego says with a nod much wiser than I’d expect from a man his age. He’s a big guy, taller than my six-foot-three, muscular, with a lot of tattoos, and he’s always fending off female attention, but Diego’s a happily married man. “Our oldest started kindergarten last year, and I was shaking like a leaf when I left him there.”
I frown at him. “How fucking old are you?”
“Twenty-four,” he replies with a shrug before doing a deadlift. “Shandy and I had him right out of high school. Anyway, the first day is the worst. For you, not for her. She’ll have a fucking blast, and then it’ll break your heart that she didn’t miss you at all today.”
I grin at him, feeling marginally better than I did when I walked in here. “Thanks, man.”
“Sure thing.”
We go our separate ways, concentrating on our own workouts. When my muscles are screaming for mercy, I pack it in and check some emails—happily deleting the one from Evans, a disgruntled applicant who won’t give up—before heading home.
I spend the rest of the day cutting the grass, and then I cut Dani’s, too, since she’s at work and doesn’t have as much free time anymore. It’ll cool down soon, and we won’t have to mow the lawn for long, but until then, I’ll do hers when I do my own. I edge, take care of weeds, and generally try to keep myself busy, and then take a shower to wash off the workout and the yard work.
When I get out of the shower, there’s a text from Dani, and my heart stops but then picks up again when I see it’s just a photo of Birdie, sitting at a short table with a bunch of other little girls, giggling over her PB&J.
Dani: She’s having a great day!
I’m going to kiss the hell out of her, just for that.
When there are only thirty minutes left before school is out, I pack Birdie a snack and head over to the school, where I wait in my truck until the bell rings.
Kids come pouring out of the doors, most of them smiling, excited to see their parents and go home for the day.
Finally, I see my daughter, holding Dani’s hand, as they both walk outside. They’re grinning at each other, and Birdie’s talking about something that makes Dani laugh, and my heart catches again.
Shit, she looks good with my kid.
I’m so fucked.
I should not be so hot for the teacher look, yet it seems a new kink has been unlocked because all I can think about is bending her over, pulling that tight skirt up around her waist, and taking her from behind, making her scream my name. Making her forget her own.
“Daddy!”
I shake my head and grin at my daughter, who comes skipping to me.
“Hey, peanut. Did you have a good day?”
“Yes! We learned math, and I drew a picture, and we had a snack, and Jacob was smelly, but that’s okay because not everybody has learned self-control.”
My surprised gaze jumps up to Dani, who just smiles and shrugs a shoulder. “It was a big day, but Birdie did fabulous. It’s going to be a great year.”
“I’m happy to hear that.” Birdie slips her hand into mine, and I give her a little squeeze. “Should we get pizza for dinner to celebrate?”
“Pepperoni,” she says with an enthusiastic nod.
“Join us,” I say to Dani. It’s not a question, but she’s already shaking her head.
“Oh, thank you, but I’m going to Holden and Millie’s for dinner tonight. You guys enjoy your pizza. I have to go talk to this parent. Thank you for a great first day, Birdie.”