Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“Many of the guests are here to see you, son,” Shan pointed out.
“Well, tough shit! We’re starving,” Finn bitched. “They can kiss my ass some other time.”
“You tell him, baby.” Emilia was on her hubby’s side. “Ooh, I want those garlic knots.”
Alfie and I exchanged a grin, and he dipped down and kissed me.
“You havin’ a good time?” he murmured.
“I am. But I apologize for bailing on you.”
He shook his head and draped an arm around my shoulders. “It’s all good. When Finn came out and told me you and Shan were bonding, I was just happy.”
That was the trouble with these charming criminals, wasn’t it? They were fun to be around.
“He’s worn a shit-eating grin the whole time,” Kellan informed me. “Even when Reagan flung spaghetti on him.”
“Boy did what?” Finn looked up from his phone.
Alfie laughed. “All in good fun. Ryan declared a food war. You missed out.”
“I’m glad I was there for that,” Emilia chuckled. She turned to Finn. “Don’t worry, we got pictures.”
The only one not amused by sticky children declaring a food war was obviously Kellan.
He eyed me. “And I assume you’re all over that kid shit like your man.”
“No, I had children because I love cleanliness and order,” I drawled.
“Pshhh.” He waved me off as the others laughed.
“My man’s good for more than his dry wit,” Alfie promised. “As I always say, it’s a great idea to have someone around who uses words like abscond, besmirch, and indubididably.”
“Indubitably,” Shan and I echoed and cracked up.
“Right. That. It’s so much easier when you have to forge a form or formal letter if you can throw some college words in there.”
“That’s fuckin’ legit,” Finn said.
Good lord! “I’ll put up with your crimes, boy. I will under no circumstances help you commit them.”
He widened his eyes at me. “You’d actually refuse me?”
I kissed his jaw. “Indubitably.”
“Which crimes, by the way?” Finn asked.
“That’s what I wanna know too.” Kellan nodded. “We run a comedy club. Don’t go besmirching our reputation, West.”
I grinned.
“Look atchu!” Alfie exclaimed. “You know a big word, Ford.”
Kellan flashed his middle finger and a smirk. “Be nice or abscond the fuck outta hea.”
Alfie held out his arms. “Mate, you’re like my mom when she switches to Spanish. I don’t fucking understand.” Then he peered down at me and lowered his voice. “I thought abscond was a lamp or some shite.”
Oh, for— I coughed on a laugh, and unfortunately for him, the others had heard what he’d said. Everyone laughed except Finn, so maybe he didn’t know the meaning of the word either.
“Wait, no, I know that one,” Finn said, snapping his fingers. “Innit sconces?”
“Three hundred grand,” Shan repeated. Oh yes, money well spent on private schooling.
“Fuck, now I want scones,” Emilia sighed.
I wanted…more of this.
I was fucked.
CHAPTER 17
West Scott
“Istill can’t believe we got cockblocked,” Alfie muttered, opening the fridge.
“You can’t? It used to happen at least twice a week before.” I tucked in my button-down before switching on the coffee machine.
“Whatever. It’s that damn cat’s fault. He makes Ellie wake up earlier.”
I chuckled and looked around to make sure we didn’t step on the little thing. “We’ll make up for it tonight.” I came up behind him and kissed his neck. “By ten PM, I’ll have my tongue in your tight little ass.”
“Hnngh. Quit it,” he complained. “Now I gotta go all day and think about that…?”
Well, yes.
He closed the fridge without having grabbed anything, and he frowned. “How about a quickie right now?”
I checked my watch. Sadly, it was a no-go. “I’m already late, baby. And Colby will be in any second.” Instead, I kissed his cheek and then grabbed two travel mugs for us. “You’ll have to shower without me.”
I’d gotten my shower while he’d dropped the kids off at school.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?” I asked. Again.
He shook his head and leaned back against the counter, arms folded.
I knew it bothered him, but hopefully I’d make some progress today.
“What if she’ll never come around?” he asked.
“She will,” I said firmly. “It’s your mother we’re talking about. You’re her everything.”
He huffed and looked out the window. “Didn’t feel that way at church.”
No, that’d been…rough.
We’d run into Giulia a little over two weeks ago at Mass, and even I had been taken aback by how cold she’d been toward Alfie. She’d greeted the children with big smiles and hugs, and she’d expressed how happy she was that we were together again, but all her attention had been on me, or Trip and Ellie.
Either way, I was determined to fix this mess today. I was meeting up with Giulia at her favorite bakery in forty-five minutes. Treating her with pastries was usually a good way to warm her up.
“I’ll get this sorted, I promise.” I pressed a kiss to his temple before grabbing the creamer from the fridge. Just a teaspoon of it was Alfie’s sweet spot since I made my coffee very strong.