Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 106538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
“Stay,” she mumbles. “It’s your job to woo me, but your plate is full, so I’ll make an exception and woo you instead. Now get up here and kiss me.”
I have a few things to say about her wooing, but they’ll have to wait until I’m done kissing her. She snakes her hand up the inside of my shirt.
“You and Lola have no patience. She wants to roam the entire city on her bike like she’s twenty, not ten. And you don’t see that I’ve been wooing you since we met because you’re too twitchy to see that I have my own wooing style.”
Maren’s gaze sweeps in all directions along my face as she nibbles on her lower lip. “Twitchy? I’m not twitchy or impatient.”
I chuckle. “You are, and so is Lola.”
“She stopped for doughnuts this morning.”
“Gah!” I roll to my back and throw my arm over my head. “Don’t tell me that. I have enough worries.”
Maren laughs.
“Yet another thing that her therapist needs to discuss with her,” I say.
“Move in with me.” Maren reaches for my hand and kisses the back of it.
“We talked about this.” I roll to my side and stroke her hair. “I think I need to wait until Lola’s making more progress before I let Tia and Amos abandon us. Because that’s what they’ll do: move to Florida.”
“Let them move. We’ve got this.”
I narrow my eyes.
Maren grins.
“We?”
“Give her room to spread her wings, Ozzy. She wants it. Why do you think she rode her bike here? Maybe living with you and her grandparents is too much. Too restrictive. Maybe she needs a change. A new home. A tree house. A cat. And a badass female.”
I love this woman. I just love her so damn much.
“I’m out for the season. I don’t have to fly for Ted. By the time she returns to school, my bones will be healed. I can ride a bike. If I’m being honest, I’m not the best at baking cookies. Jamie made the cookies I brought to your work. But I love to kayak, hike, stargaze, and I’ve recently discovered I can crochet cat toys. And don’t forget, I’m good at braiding hair.”
“Dad? I’m hungry.”
We startle at Lola in the doorway. She’s sneaky in her own right. I should put a bell on her.
I sit up, and Lola smirks, clearly pleased to see me lying in bed with Maren. “Let’s head home for dinner.”
“I had fun with you today, Lola. Thanks for cleaning Bandit’s litter box and helping my mom with my laundry,” Maren says.
Lola bites her bottom lip to control her grin as she nods her reply.
“We have to talk about your rebellious adventure.” I start to guide Lola out of the bedroom.
“Let me hug Maren before we go.” Lola slides past to give Maren a gentle hug. “Did you tell him to go easy on me?” She attempts a whisper, but I hear every word.
Maren winks. “You’ll be fine.”
Lola turns and takes two steps before craning her neck to the side, eyes squinted. She pushes the door until it hits my foot. “Oh. My. Gosh.” She covers her mouth. “Did you write on her door?”
“It’s getting replaced,” I say. “Let’s go.”
“It’s not.” Maren smirks.
Lola’s gaze ping-pongs between us. “I can’t believe you wrote her a note on her door.”
“Go get your stuff together.” I grab her shoulders and give her a nudge.
Lola giggles, bouncing down the stairs.
“You’ve set the bar high for any man who tries to steal her heart. They’ll have a terrible time living up to her daddy.” Maren slowly sits up, adjusting her sling.
“For sure.” I roll my eyes. “If my daughter gets in a life-threatening accident, she needs a guy who will completely ghost her.”
Maren frowns while standing. “Stop. We’re done with that. I had a full thirty seconds of feeling let down when you hung up on me. Then my mom made me look at it from your point of view—her point of view. And that was it. I wasn’t angry or disappointed. Okay, that’s a lie. I’m human, but I’m not superhuman. But I’ve let it go, and you need to do the same. Okay?” She strolls to me, rests her forehead on my chest, and my arms instinctively go around her.
“Okay,” I whisper.
“Are you moving in with me?”
I kiss the crown of her head. “I have to go. I’ll check on you tomorrow. I love you.”
“You’re torturing me, Oswald. Why? Why do that?”
Chapter Forty-One
Lola pedals her ass off all the way home so that I can’t have a conversation with her. Then she flies off her bike and runs into the house like I’ve removed my belt and threatened to redden her behind (which I have never done).
“I take it you had a long talk with her?” Tia asks, peeking at the lasagna in the oven as the magical garlic aroma makes me drool. “She didn’t even look at me before running to her room.”