Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Dad? Oops. Sorry. Hey, Magnus.” John clomped down the back stairs, then quieted his voice as he noticed the portable crib near the island. “Baby asleep?”
“Yeah.” Of all Eric’s kids, I was most nervous around John. He’d been the most hostile to the news of us dating and had also been the hardest of the kids to get to know in the time I’d been living in the carriage house. I stepped away from the fridge. “I was just trying to decipher your dad’s work schedule, but I’ll get out of your way.”
“It’s okay.” John pointed at one of the several calendars. “Red are work days, yellow are days where he could be called in, and blue are days off.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem. It’s confusing. The station keeps changing how they are handling shifts.” John pointed at an upcoming date in February. “He’s off on the eleventh though.”
“What’s the eleventh?”
“Another fundraiser for the school.” John pointed at a colorful poster on the side of the fridge. “It’s the winter carnival. Sort of Valentine’s Day themed. You should come.”
“I should?” I peered at him, trying to decide whether I was being pranked.
“You guys are dating, right?” He frowned back at me.
“Yeah.” I nodded slowly. “I don’t have to go to a school thing though. I know you don’t want town gossip.”
John quirked his mouth. “Like Dad said, some of that is inevitable.”
“Thank you.” I wasn’t sure what else to say, but apparently, I’d chosen wrong because John let out a huff.
“You don’t need to thank me.”
“Okay.” Rubbing the back of my neck, I glanced again at the poster, unsure whether John actually wanted me to attend or not.
“Look. I’m not like Rowan. I missed all the signs Dad was falling for you.” John’s body language stayed rigid, but his eyes were not unkind.
“I’m sorr—”
“Don’t apologize.” He held up both hands. “In retrospect, though, I should have guessed. He laughs around you. You make him happy. Like really happy.”
“I hope so,” I said softly.
“You guys are a great team.” John gave another huff, clenching and unclenching his hands. “Everyone can see it. Including me.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s easy.” I refused to discount John’s earlier pain over the news. “I’m… I’m not here to replace anyone.”
John took several deliberate breaths, color rising on his cheeks.
“Appreciate that.” His voice turned low and gruff. “If it had to be someone, I guess I’m glad it’s you.”
“Thanks.” I didn’t know him well enough to pat his arm, but I met his gaze, trying to make space for the myriad of emotions neither of us was great at naming. “And thanks for the heads-up about the carnival. I’ll arrange things at The Heist so I can come.”
“Come where?” The back door brought a gust of chilly air as Eric entered the kitchen. Like John, he immediately lowered his voice. “Oops. Sleeping baby. Sorry. Forgot you were on grandpa duty. Hi, John.”
“Hey, Dad.” John retrieved a soda from the fridge. “I’m just grabbing a drink.”
“John thinks we should go to the school fundraising carnival,” I said before John could escape upstairs.
“Does he?” Eric tilted his head, gaze moving back and forth between John and me until he nodded, apparently satisfied. “Then I guess it’s a date.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Magnus
I picked Eric up for our date night to the school carnival at the main house, so we could walk together to the high school. My dogs greeted me from their spot on either side of the recliner where Maren and the baby lounged, watching a recent rom-com.
“You look nice.” Eric gestured at my wool coat and white button-down. I’d taken time to shower and change when I’d returned from The Heist. “Now I feel underdressed.”
“Don’t. You’re getting all the good dad points,” I said as he pulled his coat on over a Mount Hope Football Dad sweatshirt.
“Thanks.”
“What do you think they mean by the carnival having a Valentine’s Day theme?” I asked as we stepped onto the porch. “Kissing booths like in Maren’s movie?”
“Ha.” Chuckling, Eric bumped shoulders with me. “The only one I’m kissing tonight is you.”
I glanced back at the door and window to make sure we were truly alone, and he laughed harder.
“After months of me being the one nervous about people overhearing, it’s kind of funny to watch you jump.”
“Sorry.” I exhaled with each step toward the front yard, trying to will myself to relax. “Diesel said something similar the other day. I’m trying to find my chill, I swear.”
“Is it the publicly dating a guy thing?” Eric paused near one of the scraggly rose bushes.
“No.” I met his gaze so he’d know I wasn’t lying. “It’s more about your kids and hoping they truly are okay with me dating their dad. I didn’t fully realize until the family meeting that I’m not only dating you. I’m courting a whole family, and that’s a little daunting. I worry about saying or doing the wrong thing.”