Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“Did you have a good day?” I asked her.
She giggled. “Yeah.”
“What’s so funny?” I asked, following the car in front of me out onto the main road.
“Mr. Powell has a crush on you. He asked me if you had a boyfriend at lunch today. Then, at recess, he asked if you lived in town.”
Oh, good Lord. That man must be desperate.
I cocked an eyebrow as I looked back at her in the mirror. “Did you tell him I have eleven toes, that I snore like a bear, and I chew with my mouth open?”
She shook her head. “You don’t do those things, and you don’t have eleven toes.”
I nodded my head. “Yes, but he doesn’t have to know that.”
She burst into a fit of laughter.
“If you want a boy to leave you alone, that’s how you get him to back off,” I informed her.
“Is that why you aren’t married?” she asked me.
I scrunched my nose. “Boys are gross and stinky. That’s why I’m not married.”
She started back with her giggles. I loved to hear her laugh. Smiling, I thought about how she was going to react to her room, and I couldn’t wait to get her home. But first, a stop at the ice cream parlor, then fall decor shopping for the inside of the house.
“You didn’t think my dad was gross and stinky once,” she said, and I almost swerved off the road.
I knew she’d heard things over the years from Sylvia and Cleo, but she had never mentioned it. I’d convinced myself that she didn’t understand what they were saying. Which was naive because Sarah was sharp.
I cleared my throat, grasping at what to say.
“I was a kid. Your dad was older, and it was a crush. He loved your mom.” Having to speak those words was more painful than it should have been. That should have been all behind me. Time healed—or it sure as shit was supposed to.
“I think Dad smells nice, and he bathes a lot,” she pointed out.
I nodded. Yeah, kid, he smells real nice. But can we not talk about it?
“What ice cream flavor are you getting today?” I asked, hoping to change the subject.
“Definitely not pumpkin spice. That should be illegal,” she replied, making me laugh and feel grateful that we were moving on from the dad talk.
Eight
Wilder
Sitting on the hotel bed, I looked out over the Vegas Strip while I waited for Sarah to answer her phone. Today was Oakley’s first day taking Sarah to school and picking her up. I’d been nervous about it. I didn’t like not being the one there to make sure she was safely in and out of the building.
The private school she attended had agreed to my safety measures with Sarah. It was one of the reasons I had chosen that school. No photos of her were to be taken. She wasn’t allowed to be outside without a teacher. She must have a male teacher who was fit and could handle things in case of an emergency. I’d even met with Barry Powell, her teacher, prior to her attending to discuss her security. I hadn’t told the man I was part of the Southern Mafia, but I’d weaved enough fear into my words that he was aware of who he was dealing with if something happened to my daughter.
“Hey, Daddy!” Sarah’s happy voice came over the line.
Damn, it had been a while since she’d answered my calls like that.
“Hey, you. How was your day?” I replied, smiling.
“Awesome! I’m helping Oaky make dinner. We are having cheesy spaghetti and meatballs. And we bought a basket of apples on our way home from school, and we’re gonna make apple pie for dessert.”
Of course Oakley was the reason for my daughter’s joy. I should be thankful she was so damn happy. Not annoyed with the person who was causing it.
“That sounds good. How was school?” I asked, not wanting to talk about her aunt.
School was a safe zone. Oakley wasn’t there.
Sarah giggled. “Good.”
That was it.
“What’s funny?” I asked, curious as to what was amusing her.
“Mr. Powell has a crush on Oaky.”
I heard Oakley shush her in the background. When the hell had Barry seen Oakley? She had to drop Sarah off and pick her up, for God’s sake. Did the woman not go unnoticed by any man?
“Just from seeing her in the car line?” I asked, pressing for more information.
I heard some whispering and more laughter from Sarah.
“He saw her when she walked me in this morning,” Sarah blurted out, then squealed.
Oakley must be trying to stop her from telling me something.
I reached for my phone. I had my earbud in, talking to Sarah, but I wanted to see the camera in the kitchen. I didn’t like this, and I fucking didn’t like the fact that Oakley had done something that she was wanting my daughter to keep a secret from me.