Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Daphne held the door open. “I absolutely think we should have a discussion when you get back because things are going to be different. Have a good time, sweetheart.”
Lou grinned. “Uh, I think I will now. Bye.”
The door closed, and Boomer stared at it. “I don’t think that woman liked me.”
“She doesn’t like anything.” She wasn’t worried about Amelia’s opinion of her boyfriend. The discussion they were going to have when Lou decided she wanted to give public school a try was another story. “I swear I’ve watched her frown at babies and puppies. I’m not surprised she disapproves of a gorgeous, kind-hearted, lovable man.”
His lips kicked up. “I’m lovable?”
She moved into his space. “Infinitely. Have I thanked you lately for being so kind to my daughter?”
“I adore Lou.” He sighed and dropped his head to hers. “I shouldn’t have told her I love her. I know it’s too soon and I don’t have any rights when it comes to her.”
She needed to let him know she was all in. “Are you serious about us?”
“I am so fucking serious,” he replied. “Like more serious than I’ve ever been in my life.”
“Then I hope you love me, too.”
His jaw tightened, and his eyes closed briefly. “I love you, Daphne.”
Those tears wouldn’t be forced back now. “I love you, Boomer.”
She wasn’t sure how she’d managed to snag this big, beautiful man, but she wasn’t going to question it a second longer. She loved him and he loved her, and their relationship was worth the risk.
A brilliant smile came over his face, and he leaned over, picking her up easily. “Then I’m glad I’ve got twenty minutes. Because I am going to show you how much I love you.”
She laughed as he carried her back to her bedroom.
* * * *
Boomer glanced over at the clock with a sigh.
It was weird not to have to pick up Lou. He didn’t like it. Knowing it was four o’clock and she wasn’t in the gulag gave him a weird sense of anxiety. Like he was supposed to be doing something but he wasn’t.
Except he wasn’t supposed to be doing anything because Lou was in Austin and wouldn’t be back for another twenty-four hours.
Not that he wouldn’t use those hours. He was going to take Daphne to Top tonight and then back to his place for an all-night dessert.
Although he would totally eat dessert at Top, too. And there was some cheesecake left over from last night that he would probably polish off at some point.
He was a little hungry.
“When’s Lou coming back?” Kala stood in his doorway dressed in artfully ripped jeans, a T-shirt with a rainbow and happy bunnies declaring Fight the Patriarchy, and combat boots. “I’m stuck in the gulag because I’m grounded, and Lou’s the only cool one.”
He liked that Lou was considered the cool one. He would bet in most places his mathtastic daughter wasn’t considered cool.
Damn. He’d just thought of Lou as his daughter.
“She’ll be back tomorrow, though her group is getting in late, so she won’t be here.” They were taking her out to dinner somewhere fun, and then Daphne intended to talk to her about where she wanted to go to school next year.
He’d been so relieved when she’d told him she was going to give Lou a choice. They’d talked a lot about it last night. Mostly he’d listened because this was Daphne’s decision. However, he thought that particular school was sucking the life out of Lou. Public school could do the same, but he rather thought Lou would have a couple friends when she started. Because she would start. He had no doubt Lou wanted to leave Hanover.
Friends could make even the darkest days survivable.
Kala groaned and sank down onto the chair in front of his desk. “I need her. She chills me out. Mostly because she’s a real thinker. Like when I get mad and decide to stab someone, she comes up with a way better plan. Usually one that won’t get me in trouble. If she’d been around last night, I might not be grounded.”
“Do I want to know what you did?” He’d heard Big Tag and Charlotte talking this morning about the kids, but he hadn’t been sure which one. They could all get into trouble.
Trouble could be fun.
“Punched a guy. I didn’t even break his nose or anything,” Kala complained. “We were at Cooper’s game, and this jerk was yelling at Coop. Stupid, mean stuff. Coop needs serious concentration when he’s pitching, and that jerk wasn’t giving it to him, and so I handled it and guess who got in trouble.”
Even he knew the answer to that question. “You. It was totally you.”
“It was me. Coop didn’t even thank me for handling the situation.” She shook her head like she couldn’t believe the world was so unfair. “He said I was trying to take his balls or something. I’m not, and that was a gross way to put it. Why are boys so gross?”