Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
What a fucking concept.
“So what do you think?” she asks.
“I want all of that too.”
She starts to speak when the door opens from the house. We both turn our attention to Dylan as he walks onto the deck. He spies the two of us sitting on the swing and scowls.
“Hey, buddy,” Gabrielle says. “I thought you were in bed.”
“I thought you were in bed,” he says.
“Jay brought me a glass of tea.” She smiles in a futile attempt at disarming Dylan. “What’s up?”
He side-eyes me. “I wanted to ask you something, but I can do it later.”
“Are you sure?” she asks. “Because I can go inside and we can talk, if you want.”
“I’d hate to interrupt your date,” he says, his jaw flexing.
This is going nowhere, and it’s getting there fast. In a few seconds, Gabrielle will respond, and then Dylan will fire something back to get under my skin. We’ve done this dance before.
How can I make the boy see we aren’t enemies?
“Have you dated before?” I ask him.
“What’s it matter?”
“Dylan, please don’t be rude,” Gabby says, sighing.
I shrug, my gaze pinned on the boy. “I suppose it doesn’t.”
His brows pull together, clearly pissed. “How did you know?”
“How did I know what?” I ask.
“How did you know that I was going to ask Mom about going on a date with a girl from school?”
Gabrielle’s eyes widen.
“I didn’t,” I say, buying her time to regroup. “How would I have known that?”
“You tell me.”
It’s purely a coincidence, but one that makes all the sense in the world. Dylan doesn’t know what to do, and he’s frustrated about talking to his mother about it. I remember being that age and the awkwardness of conversing with my mother about such things. Having me here doesn’t make it any better.
But it could . . .
“I had no clue,” I say, before taking a drink. “But since you’re new around here and need tips on where to take your girl, let me know.”
He narrows his eyes. “Because you take a lot of women out on dates, huh?”
Gabrielle sighs again.
He’s picking a fight in his teenage way. I just need to unpick it somehow.
“Actually, no,” I say. “I don’t. But I do know where all the restaurants and movie theaters are, and also the hangout spots. So, if you have questions, let me know.”
He holds my gaze as if he’s processing my offer.
I run my hands down my thighs and then get to my feet. “I have to work early in the morning, so I better get going. It was nice talking to you, Gabrielle.”
“Good night, Jay.”
“Good seeing you again, Dylan,” I say.
“Bye.”
I take the steps slowly and then set out across the lawn. Their words are a whisper in the wind as I reach my house. Once I’m inside, I glance through the kitchen window to find they’ve gone inside themselves.
I won’t lie. I wanted more time with Gabrielle, but this is the reality of her life. Her kids come first, and I fucking love that about her.
And Dylan and I might’ve made the slightest bit of headway.
A smile reaches my lips.
Who would’ve thought that I would be happy about making progress with a woman and her children?
Not fucking me.
But here we are.
CHAPTER TWENTY
GABRIELLE
So how are things going?” Cricket asks, meeting me stride for stride on the sidewalk. “Are the boys taking things well?”
“Jay and I haven’t been together in front of them as a couple yet.”
“Oh.” She pumps her arms at her sides as we walk. “That’s smart. What’s the rush, right?”
I smile at her and hope she doesn’t laugh.
I’m practically beaming. My cheeks ache from the smile that’s been plastered on my face since last Saturday. It’s been a week and I’m still walking on air.
Cricket doesn’t laugh. She only acknowledges it with a sly grin of her own.
The sky is gray with black clouds jetting over our heads. A few rumbles of thunder rocked the church this morning, but no rain has fallen. It’s the only reason Cricket agreed to walk with me. The sun isn’t out.
“You haven’t been together in front of the boys, but have you been together without them?” she asks, stepping over a skateboard. “I would imagine you’re still in the dating honeymoon phase of things when you can’t keep your hands off each other.”
I sigh blissfully. “We’ve been together at some point every day, even if it’s for a few minutes. Sometimes it’s just at lunchtime when he comes by to eat at my house, if you get my drift.”
“Ooh.”
“Yeah.” I shiver at the reminder of how well that man takes care of every part of me. “He’s helped me build the new stairs. The boys were home but didn’t pay a bit of attention to us. He’s helped me with the drains, things like that. I’ve gone over there after the kids have gone to bed most nights. We’ve snuck in something every day. We’ve made it work.”