Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
I definitely missed something because Milo mumbled under his breath before she laughed again. “Oh yes, but that just means you’ll get comfortable and say something eventually or do something that you’re telling yourself right now you’ll never do.”
More laughter said Milo was trying to at least shake his head to argue with her but she just talked over him. “You called him Daddy earlier. You can’t help it.”
As Milo groaned, I heard her move again and eventually he sighed. “Fine. I’m not very good at being subtle…or hiding things? I do fine at work. I call him my boyfriend or Elias. But away from work is harder. I’m already not sure what I’m going to do when we go to dinner with my friend Dally’s family.”
Me neither.
But since it seemed like the stressful part of the conversation had passed…a suspiciously well-timed conversation…I quietly made my way back to the front door and opened it again. “How am I walking in to an empty house?”
Shutting the door more loudly that time, I sighed. “I always meet you at the door. Milo?”
I was making a ridiculous racket and clearly begging for attention, so I wasn’t surprised when Milo came bouncing through the house. “I text you that I’m coming. You cheated.”
Hmm, half little?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Huffing dramatically as he threw his arms around me, I gave him a very well-done pout, even if I did say so myself. “I’m just psychic and you’re clearly ignoring my signals. I always know when you’re near.”
Little Milo wanted to believe me but big Milo laughed. “Psychic, huh?”
He was tempted.
“Of course.” Kissing the side of his head, I hugged him tight. “Did you sleep in? Your text was very vague.”
That got more laughter from him, but it came with a cute cheek kiss and a distraction. “We’re having spaghetti for dinner. Grace showed me how to make sauce from scratch.”
Ah.
That explained how they’d ended up in the kitchen and what some of the sounds had been…and the smells. Once I didn’t need to worry, it was amazing what else I noticed.
“She keeps saying she knows how to make pasta but I haven’t seen proof of that yet.” Mostly because cooking for one person was a pain in the ass, so I usually didn’t let her worry about it. “I think she’s making it up.”
Shaking his head, little Milo peeked out again, completely awed by the idea of her being able to make pasta from scratch. “No, she said she can do it. She said it was cheaper than buying the good kind of noodles. Did you know they don’t taste the same as the cheap ones?”
“I think that’s just what fancy people say.” I shrugged and had to do my best not to laugh when Grace snorted from the kitchen. “I’m not pretentious. I just like good food.”
Giggling, Milo pressed his face against my neck. When he could finally talk, he whispered softly. “Daddy, she knows. But it’s okay. She has friends who are fun too.”
He kept saying that I got the good gossip, but he’d found that out very quickly.
“I’m glad you got that worked out.” Kissing his head again, I rubbed his back and gave him another hug. “I’m very proud of you.”
I’d half expected him to hide in the bedroom all day, but he’d handled it very well.
“What else did you do today?” He hadn’t been very forthcoming. “I was patient and didn’t text you a thousand times.”
Just a few hundred.
He was doing his best not to laugh, but it wasn’t working very well. “Patient, huh?”
“Yes.” My answer was believable too because I hadn’t texted him every time I’d thought about him. “But you’ve been very vague. What have you been up to?”
It could’ve been anything from picking out toys for the new playroom to watching YouTube videos all day, but I was surprised when he blushed and hid against my shoulder.
That was unexpected.
“I…” Pausing, he turned his head and whispered. “I have to show you.”
Things were getting more and more interesting, but I did my best not to show that as I nodded and he inched away again. I was, however, very conscious of how he’d whispered, so I kept my voice low as well. “Should we go upstairs or in my office?”
“Office.” Wiggling nervously, Milo wrung his hands as he stepped back. “I…I was using your desk.”
“That’s a good place to get some work done.” I didn’t use it nearly enough since I hadn’t been working from home much, but with Milo around more that might change. “The chair is comfy.”
Grace could take a hint and made herself quiet and scarce as I took his hand and led him around the stairs to the office and guest bath that were tucked away there. It was supposed to be some kind of additional guest room, but it worked better as an office or more of a den.