Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“Please,” she says quietly, and I nod, then grab her hand. I don’t take her bag to my room; I drop it on the couch, then walk her to the kitchen. With the way Hazel is acting, I’m not sure I trust her alone with Emma. I don’t think she would go out of her way to hurt her, but she has a sharp tongue, and I’d rather Emma not be on the receiving end of it and caught off guard.
“Can we eat at the table?” Winter asks, climbing back up on the step stool next to her mom, and Hazel glances quickly at Emma.
Last night, Winter asked the same question, then told her mom that when Emma is over, we always “eat at the table, like a family.” The last part was something she added on her own, and being young, she missed the hurt that slashed across her mom’s features.
“Sure.” I smile at her, and she grins back before leaning into her mom.
“So, Emma, you work with Miranda?” Hazel asks, taking the pot of macaroni and cheese off the stove.
“I do. We’ve always worked together.”
“How did you two meet?” she asks.
I pass Emma her glass of wine and then grab plates from the cabinet.
“In cosmetology school. We were both living in Washington at the time.”
“Is that where your family lives?”
“No,” Emma says quietly, her voice too soft, and I become hyper-focused on her. “Both my parents passed away, and my sister Gianna lives in Florida with her husband. I did grow up in Washington though.”
My muscles tense. I knew about her sister in Florida; she mentioned her a couple of times, but I had no clue both of her parents are dead. Not when she spoke about them like they’re still alive.
“I’m sorry,” Hazel says, and I can tell she means it.
“That’s life, right?” Emma shrugs, the carefree action contradictory to the slight wobble of her chin. Stepping closer to her, I touch her back, and she looks up at me. I can see the silent “I’m okay” in her eyes and place a kiss on her lips.
“Are you Dad’s girlfriend now?” Winter’s question causes Emma to almost drop her glass of wine, and I chuckle.
“I….” Emma glances between me and Hazel before looking at Winter. “Well, I….” Her wide-eyed stare shoots to me once more, and I raise a brow. Then her eyes narrow.
“Yeah, Win. Emma is my girlfriend.” I look at my daughter. “Is that okay with you.”
“Yes!” She smiles huge. “Can we get a dog when you get married?”
“Oh God.” Emma starts to cough, choking on the sip of wine she had just taken. I laugh, patting her back.
“How about you just focus on helping me get everyone drinks?” I suggest.
“Fine.” She pouts.
I shake my head and look down at Em. “You okay?”
“Great.”
It’s a lie. One look at her and anyone would know she’s scared out of her mind. I don’t call her on it though. Instead, I kiss the side of her head, then help Winter get down glasses so we can enjoy an awkward dinner with my ex.
CHAPTER 23
emma
With my toothbrush still in my mouth, I look to my side in the mirror and watch Miles, dressed only in a pair of black sleep pants that hang low on his hips, walk into the bathroom behind me. The light scattering of hair in the center of his broad chest catches my attention, and I follow that dark line down to where it disappears into the waistband of his bottoms. His body is toned—I can see the shadow of each of his abs—but not overly muscular like he spends all his free time in the gym and never eats carbs or drinks beer. Stepping up behind me, his eyes lock on mine in the mirror, and his big hands wrap around my waist. While I stand in front of him barefoot, the width and height of him seems to engulf me.
“You doing okay?”
I nod as I brush. That’s the third time he’s asked me that question this evening, and the second time he’s asked since Hazel and Winter left to go downstairs. I can admit I was surprised that they were here when I arrived, but dinner was good. Awkward, yes, but the tension that was in the air last night when Winter came up to get the stuff from her room was not as thick.
It helped that Winter has a way of lightening the mood with her questions or comments. Her first of the evening, asking me if I’m her dad’s girlfriend, threw me for a loop. I had no idea how to answer her, and I didn’t want to make any assumptions. Her second, asking if we could get a dog after we get married, caused me to do more than just choke on my wine. I thought I was going to pass out, especially when Miles didn’t immediately say no.