Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 69452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
“She is,” I said. “If you’re sure…”
“I’m very sure.” He hugged me tight. “But I actually want to start heading that way now, because I have to be back at practice later tonight, and there’s no telling what I’m going to be walking into.”
“I’ll be sure to be back before you have to leave,” I promised.
He winked and got up. “You get that sweet girl up and dressed while I take a quick shower?”
“I will,” I said, wishing I could watch him shower like I’d done yesterday.
He winked at me and hurried into the bathroom. “I’ll leave it unlocked in case you need the toilet part. I’ll be sure to close the shower door area.”
I watched him go, loving the sweatpants and shirtless look he had going on, before turning back to my daughter.
I saw her watching me. “Hey, sweet baby.”
“Hi,” she whispered.
But not as quiet as she usually would.
It was a practical scream for her.
“Mama is going to go have lunch with Ginger, Neesha, and Noel. Do you mind staying with Jeremiah?” I asked her.
I’d started talking to her seriously when it was apparent that her presence caused my dad to react poorly. He’d never hit her—never had a chance to come close to—but her presence did make him angry.
My dad must’ve instinctively known that I’d lose my shit on him if he’d come anywhere near my kid, so he’d always been standoffish with her.
“Yes.” She nodded vigorously.
“Good,” I said. “I was thinking we’d go get dressed and you could go see Grams with Jeremiah.”
She was up and out of the bed in seconds, heading to the room she’d been using.
It had an attached bath, and all of her clothes and things that Jeremiah and Chris had helped retrieve from my car.
She ran right to the Christmas sweats—which I’d washed and folded last night—and started to yank them on.
“Don’t you want to wash your face, brush your teeth, and go to the bathroom first?” I teased.
She finished putting her pants on backward and ran into the bathroom ready to go.
I waited until she was ready before helping her reposition her pants.
She ran for the line of shoes along the wall and stared at them in contemplation.
Eventually she chose the boots—which I would’ve put on her regardless since it was still wet and gross out—and sat down on her bottom.
“Wait, baby,” I said. “Let’s put some socks on.”
She held out her hand for the socks that I’d found for her, and I rolled my eyes.
She was in the ‘I’ll do it myself’ stage, and I never bothered to argue with her.
She was fully dressed, shoes even on the right feet, when she made a mad dash past me toward where I could now hear Jeremiah moving around.
“There you are, my little Christmas elf,” he called out.
When I made it around the corner the two of them were standing in front of the counter where the leftovers from yesterday were strewn.
“Should we go with cinnamon rolls, or turkey and eggs?”
I left them to it, getting myself ready—which took less time than it took to get Anleigh ready.
I came back out to the kitchen full of ladies.
“Hey.” I smiled bashfully at them. “Y’all are quick.”
“We want to go catch a few sales,” Noel said. “Neesha, you ready, darlin’?”
Neesha finished popping a chunk of turkey into her mouth.
“Go give your mama a hug, girly.” Jeremiah brushed his hand along her hair.
Anleigh took off like she was shot from a slingshot toward me, threw her arms around my legs, then ran back to her meal.
Jeremiah winked.
I left, shaking my head the whole time.
“What?” Ginger asked as we made our way down to Noel’s car.
“That.” I jerked my chin toward the apartment. “She’s never that open…or loud.”
“She’ll get there, honey,” Ginger said. “Especially with our big brother there to coax it out of her. He definitely inspires screaming.”
I laughed.
Then I spent the day with them, coming home just in time for Jeremiah to trade off Anleigh to me before he headed to practice.
And later that night, when he came in the door, Anleigh was asleep in her own bed, And I was splayed out in his.
His eyes gleamed as he closed and locked the apartment door and said, “Can I tell you how freakin’ exciting it is to know you’re here waiting for me?”
I sat up. “No. But now that I know, I’ll definitely celebrate with you any way you want to.”
He dropped his bag next to the door and stalked to me.
I squeaked when his cold skin met mine.
“Sounds like a fantastic plan.”
Chapter
Seventeen
A code that only parents will know:
G.Y.A.I.T.M.F.H.R.N.B.I.B.Y.A.*
JEREMIAH
The first game back after the holidays usually sucked to me.
I never played well—then again, no one really did—and it felt like it dragged on and on.
In reality, it was always dragging.
I loved the game of hockey.