Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
I was currently burping him while Genesis had taken the phone call to the back bedroom. I knew it was Bowie, and I was trying to give her privacy, but, damn, it was hard. If I hadn’t been feeding Jagger, I’d have cracked by now and gone to eavesdrop. There was a small part of me that worried he might convince her to have me call my mom for help. But it was so unlikely that she would do that. I didn’t dwell on it.
Jagger had hooked her pretty hard. Listening to her talk to him was my favorite. Her voice would get all soft and cute. I didn’t even think she realized she was doing it. I wasn’t going to point it out to her either. Why take that away from the little dude? And, well, me too. I didn’t want her to stop.
The belch that came from this tiny body made me chuckle. I wiped the spit-up from his chin and stood up. Genesis was still back there, and if I could keep Jagger quiet, we could go listen a little. Just to make sure she was okay. If Bowie had upset her, she could be crying. I’d fucking kill him if he made her cry.
When we got to the closed door, I could hear her.
“Yes. I know that, and he is doing a great job of it. He’s blown me away with what a good dad he is. I’m not having them stay here because he isn’t doing anything. You aren’t listening to me.”
She stopped talking again, and I knew it was because he was talking over her. I hated when he did that.
“A baby is a lot of work. It takes more than one person. I—” She was cut off again.
I clenched my teeth. Stupid fucker. I wanted to barge in there, snatch the phone out of her hand, and shut him up. But Jagger was saving my ass from only getting her more upset. Having to hold him was keeping me from snapping.
“I don’t want to fight about it either. But I’m doing this. Until he finds parents worthy of Jagger, I will be right by his side.”
I looked down at Jagger. “Told you she wouldn’t kick us out,” I whispered.
“There is no reason to rush the wedding anyway. It can wait until summer. Right now, Kye needs me. He’s my best friend, and I’m not letting him deal with all this alone.” A brief pause. “Because I am here. He doesn’t want his mom here all the time. No, I am not putting my life on hold for him. You aren’t listening to me. I want to help.”
I winked at Jagger as he stared up at me, wide-eyed.
“I still help my parents too. I go over to the house every day—”
Again, cut off. Damn him. I made sure she was available to her mom and dad at all times.
“Bowie, I love you. I want to marry you. This does not have to come between us. But it will if you let it.”
Other than having to listen to her tell him she loved him and wanted to marry him, I fucking enjoyed hearing her tell him that Jagger and I were more important than he was. Even if she didn’t realize that was what she’d just said.
“No. I didn’t say that. But you are trying to make me choose, and I told you when we started dating again that if you ever tried to make me choose you or him, it would end things.”
I smirked. Damn, I liked knowing that.
Hell yeah, Bowie. She’s always been my Baby Doll.
“Well, it’s not healthy to tell your partner they have to choose between you or their best friend either … BUT you knew. You knew about my relationship with Kye. It’s not like you didn’t already know the history. You are part of it … please don’t throw that in my face. We were in high school, and you know he was drunk. He never ever made another move on me.”
Why was this annoying me? It was true. She was just telling him the truth. But I didn’t like hearing it. Jagger started to scrunch up his nose, and I moved quickly back down the hall in case he was about to wail. I didn’t need to be caught listening in.
I was just getting settled on the sofa with Jagger in my lap when the door opened, and I watched the doorway to see her expression when she walked into the room. I needed to make sure she was okay before she masked it.
When she emerged, her eyes met mine, and she sighed heavily. Her shoulders rising and falling with exaggeration was adorable.
“That went … okay,” she said. “Maybe worse than I’d anticipated, but we are still engaged. He didn’t break up with me. So, there is that.”