Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
I nod, then focus on Maddi once more. I try to ignore the obvious worry I see in her eyes. She might not know exactly what’s going on, but she knows her dad well enough to know he’s not happy about something.
“Why don’t you take that big unicorn balloon and tie it to wherever you’re going to sit?”
“Okay,” she agrees. Then she asks, “Is my mom still coming to my birthday?”
Gahhh! Maybe I actually do hate Eva.
“I don’t know, sweetheart. But I do know that your friends will be here soon, and we are going to have so much fun today.” I put on a smile, and she smiles back, but her smile is just like mine—totally fake. “Go pick your seat,” I urge. She nods and heads away from me.
I walk toward Lucas. Even before I get to him, I feel his pissed-off vibe coming my way. “She’s gonna be late. She said she’s got the drinks and stuff but won’t be here for an hour and a half.”
“At least she’s coming,” I tell him quietly.
“Yeah. At least she’s coming to her own child’s birthday party,” he says sarcastically. “Even if she isn’t doing it on time or doing something she promised me she would do, which is to bring the drinks and shit for the party.” He runs his fingers through his hair.
I get closer to him and rest my hand on his bicep. “It’s going to be okay. I can run across the street to get some stuff to hold us until Eva gets here.”
“I know you’ll do that, baby. It also fucking kills me that you have to do that.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“It is.”
“Okay, it is, but you need to take a breath. Maddi knows something is off right now, and you looking like an angry bear isn’t going to make her feel any better.”
His eyes go across the room, and his expression shifts. “You’re right.”
“I know. Now put on a happy face so you don’t scare the kids or the other parents,” I say quietly.
His eyes come to me and soften. “I”—my heart speeds up—“lo—”
“Madeline!” Three girls shriek in unison as they plow by us and head right for Maddi, cutting off whatever Lucas was going to say.
I laugh as they all hug Maddi. Then I feel Lucas’s fingers brush mine. My pointer finger wraps around his, and I lean into him for a second before murmuring, “I’m going to run across the street and get some drinks and chips.”
“All right, baby.” I feel his lips touch the top of my head, and I smile before I go across the room to get my bag. When I make it back to him, he’s holding out a wad of cash for me.
“I have money.”
“Yeah.” He shoves the money into my hand, ignoring my comment.
I don’t argue with him since I know it will be pointless. He never lets me pay when we are out to dinner or at the grocery store. I’ve given up trying.
“I’ll be back,” I say as he presses a quick kiss to my lips.
When I make it back to the party about twenty minutes later, there are little girls filling every single seat and parents lining the walls, chatting and laughing. I start to take the drinks and things to the table with the cake, but notice that there are already drinks out, along with bowls filled with chips and platters covered in finger foods.
I look around the room. My eyes meet Eva’s. If looks could kill, I’d for sure be dead. I don’t know why she lied about being so late—and I really don’t care. All I care about is that Maddi has all the people she cares about here. I tuck the bags away under the table, then feel Lucas get close to my back.
“She showed up not even five minutes after you left.” His hand wraps around my hip, and his mouth rests next to my ear.
“At least she showed.”
“I wish I had your outlook on things,” he mutters.
I sigh. “Remember, you’re not allowed to scare anyone with your angry-bear vibes.”
“I remember.” I hear the smile in his voice, and I turn to look up at him over my shoulder. “Thank you, baby,” he says.
“For what?”
“For being you.”
“I am kind of awesome,” I joke.
He shakes his head, his expression turning serious. “You don’t realize how amazing you are.” My body melts into his. “You don’t know how grateful I am that I found you—for not only me, but for Maddi, too.”
Tears sting the backs of my eyes, and I turn toward him and rest my hands against his chest. “Don’t make me cry in a room full of total strangers—and your ex-wife.”
“All right, I won’t make you cry.” He cups my cheek and slides his fingers along my jaw. “I just need you to know that we both lo—”