Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44788 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44788 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
“Hold up. Take your jacket off. Too many zippers .”
He nodded, pulling it off and hanging it on the doorknob .
“Okay, ready .”
“ Safety pins .”
He looked down .
“Oh, right .”
He pulled off his shirt that had several safety pins attached to it. His chest was covered in tats but he looked clean enough. And his nipple rings weren’t sharp .
“Better not let her get ahold of your hardware .”
He grinned .
“Worth the risk. Gimme .”
I guided Eliza into his arms and stared, dumbfounded as my best friend fell completely under the spell of a three-month-old baby. I knew without a doubt that she had another protector for life .
“Coochie coochie coo !”
I started laughing at the ridiculous sounds Callaway was making. Becky came back in, holding two plates with sandwiches. Her eyes got real wide when she saw him holding the baby against his bare chest .
“Is that sanitary ?”
Callaway raised an eyebrow .
“I’m clean as a whistle. I’m extremely fond of long, hot showers.” He grinned and winked. “I just look dirty .”
She held up the plates .
“Well, come into the kitchen anyway. Bring Eliza. I need to feed her .”
Callaway’s eyes got big now .
“With your boobs ?”
“Hell no, you are not watching my woman suckle our child .”
I grinned .
“But I am .”
Becky ignored us both, leading the way to the kitchen .
“I’ll take her while you two eat .”
“Or he could take his sandwich to go and I could help .”
She sighed .
“You just want to see my boobs .”
“Guilty as charged .”
Callaway was already eating the sandwich, nearly finishing it in a few bites. I decided I should eat too. So I could focus on the boobs, I mean, the baby, with my full attention .
“I’ll be right in to get Cal’s jacket and shirt .”
“Whatever .”
Ten minutes later the plates were in the dishwasher, and Callaway was walking down the front path with his shirt and jacket in his hands. The door opened a few minutes later, while Eliza and I were napping in an easy chair .
A shrill voice woke me from my nap .
“What is he doing here ?”
I smiled at Mae, even though she looking more bristly than an aggravated hedgehog. Becky was about to tell her the deal but I beat her to the punch .
“I’m holding my baby, Mae. What does it look like ?”
Chapter Thirty -Two
Becky
“M ae, can we go into the kitchen please ?”
“Humph .”
She followed me in and stood there, looking angrier than a hornet .
“I was going to tell you .”
“That you gave in ?”
“What I thought I saw last year? It wasn’t what it looked like .”
“Oh, I’ve heard that one before .”
“It was a scavenger hunt. The girls were sitting on his lap just long enough to snap a picture. They were doing it because he doesn’t mess around. He was worth more points that way .”
“Points ?”
“On the hunt .”
“What was the prize ?”
“Huh ?”
“What did these floozies win for sitting on his lap ?”
“I don’t know .”
“Humph .”
Mae crossed her arms and glared at me .
“I believe him, Mae. And besides that, he has the right to be in his daughter’s life, even if we weren’t getting back together. And we are .”
“Where’s he been all this time then ?”
“That part is my fault. Not his .”
She narrowed her eyes .
“So, I guess you don’t want me moving in then. Right Mae ?”
Whiskey was leaning against the doorframe, our tiny daughter nestled against his massive shoulder. The sight of the two of them together warmed my heart. He really was a natural with her .
Though he said it was Callaway who really had the magic baby touch .
Now he was waving a red cape at Mae, and she was about to charge him like a stampeding bull .
“Whiskey…” I warned. But the daft man winked at me .
Winked !
“Move in? You are out of your everloving mind !”
He nodded .
“I guess that settles it. Becky and Miss Eliza here will be moving in with me then. That’s good. I would have been sad to have to sell my house .”
He was whistling as he headed down the hall to the nursery. I chased after him, hissing in a loud whisper .
“Whiskey! Stop right there !”
He paused, then headed into the nursery to put the baby down. I watched as he opened the closet and fished out a clean baby bag. I had a few washable ones in steady rotation. They got messy fast .
“What are you doing ?”
“Packing, of course .”
“Why ?”
“I told you, angle cakes.” He looked at me, his eyes full of warm promise. “I died inside without you. And that was before I even knew about Eliza .”
He stared down at the baby sleeping in her crib and then back at me. He brushed his rough knuckles over my cheek, sending chills down my spine .