Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95393 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95393 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” Koda murmurs softly, avoiding looking at me as she packs up the girls’ stuff. “You didn’t have to do it.”
“Yeah,” I reply, giving a couple of the guys the chin up when they turn to walk out of the room, “I know I didn’t, but I wanted to.” She looks up at me, and I look around to see if many people are around to take in this conversation. I see there are maybe five people left, but no one is paying attention to what is happening between us. “I’ve been calling you.”
She’s about to say something when both Luna and Rain come barreling back into the room, singing her name, “Mommy.”
She looks over at them. “Can we go sleep at Noel’s house?” Rain asks her.
“Please-please-please.” She folds her hands together and bounces on her tippy-toes up and down.
“Yeah, please-please-please,” Luna joins her.
“I don’t know.” Koda hesitates when Cole and Brittany come back into the room with their two girls running in front of them.
“Sorry, they ambushed us,” Cole says to Koda, “I couldn’t really say no. Plus, they said they will make me watch The Little Mermaid again.” The way his lips get tight, I have to look down for him not to see me chuckle. “I have been waiting all week for this.”
“I don’t know,” Koda starts, “I don’t want to burden—”
“Burden us,” Brittany pleads, “it’s better when they are there because it’s like they babysit themselves.”
“Well,” Koda replies, “I guess if it’s okay.” I can see the turmoil all over her face. “I guess it’s okay with me.”
“Yay!” the four girls scream and jump up and down.
“Okay, give Mom a hug,” Cole urges. “Might as well get this over with so we can get straight to the movie.”
I watch as Koda gets on her knees to hug the girls. “You be good,” she instructs them, “and if you need anything—”
“We will call you,” Brittany reassures her, and she ushers the four girls out of the room. I think I even hear talk about painting nails.
I get up, then take Koda in as she tries to put on a brave face, but knowing she is probably freaking out that they are gone. I reach for the kids’ bags. “Let’s go,” I mumble to her as she looks up at me with shock on her face.
“What?” Her voice is soft.
“We’re going to go get something to eat,” I tell her, ignoring how my hand is gripping the bags, knowing that she’s been ignoring all my calls and texts for the last three months. “What do you feel like, burgers or sushi?” I make my way out of the room, hoping she just follows me.
“You hate sushi,” she points out as we step into the parking garage.
“It’s not that I hate it,” I try to say, “it’s a texture thing.” I stop at her Range Rover.
“You don’t have to do this, Christopher.” She looks at me. “I’ll just head on home.”
“Again, I don’t do things because I have to. I do things because I want to.” Her eyes watch me. “Now, do you want to follow me or do you want to come with me?”
“No, I’ll follow you,” she replies and I hold on to the bags.
“Okay. I’m going to hold on to these bags.” I hold up said bags in front of me. “Just to make sure you don’t ghost me.”
She throws her head back and booms out a laugh that I haven’t heard in over three months. The sound even shocks her. “That made me laugh,” she says, her green eyes lightening. “I’m not going to ghost you.” Her face is beautiful when she laughs, and I can bet my ass she hasn’t laughed in a long time.
“Well, when you park next to me, I’ll hand over the bags.” I don’t waste time talking to her. Instead, I walk over to my truck and open the door, tossing the bags in there. “Where do you want to go?” I watch her as she walks over to her SUV. “We can hit up McCloughan’s.”
“Oh, they have good burgers and fish and chips.” She opens her door. “I’ll meet you there. Bring the bags.” She laughs, getting into the SUV.
“I’ll follow you!” I shout at her. I don’t know if she hears me, but I wait for her to pull out of the parking spot.
I follow her and pull into the parking spot beside her. She gets out and comes over to my driver’s door and waits for me to open it. “Now, can I have my bags?”
“Yes.” I laugh, grabbing the bags and handing them to her. “You can.” She takes the bags from me, then turns and places them in the trunk. I meet her as we walk into the bar. It’s booming because it’s a Friday night.