Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
At times like this, he resented Charlie for her choices. He wasn’t a single parent, had never planned on being one. When she was in New York, he’d given her all the time off she needed, especially when the girls were young. He loved them more than life but he was only human and needed alone time with the woman he… loved.
Jesus.
On the one hand, that felt like it had come out of nowhere, on the other, the emotion had been building from the moment he’d gotten rid of his attitude toward her and let her in. Gotten to know her. And convinced himself the age difference didn’t matter, not if things between them were real. And they were, at least for him. With the time she gave to his girls and the way she looked at him, he believed she felt the same way.
His cell rang, distracting him, and he glanced at the screen, then swiped to open it and hit speaker. “Hey, Liam. How goes it?” he asked.
“It goes well. Spent the day at one of my investments and I’m happy to report they may be new but they’re turning a profit.” He sounded pleased and Noah was happy for him.
“That’s great. You know how to pick ’em.”
Both Noah’s brothers were angel investors, working together to buy into companies, investing capital in a start-up in exchange for an equity stake in their business. It was their way of using their trust funds to give back to the community while building their portfolio and income at the same time.
“Anyway, guess who I ran into at a small bar near one of my investments?”
Noah sat up straighter in bed. “Who?”
“Your girlfriend, and she was with a gorgeous friend. Of course, I took my shot but she turned me down. Now tell me, aren’t I a good-looking guy?”
Noah shook his head. His brother was such a ham. “You saw Fallon?” He thought she was with her father tonight. In fact, he was still waiting for her to text him she’d gotten home safely.
“Having drinks with her friend Brooklyn. Nice name, too.”
He rolled his eyes. “Was she okay? I thought she was going to see her dad.”
“Seemed fine to me. Anyway, just wanted to let you know I ran into her. Can you get away for a gym session this weekend?”
“I’m not sure but starting Monday I have a new nanny and the girls swore they’d be on their best behavior. Things should lighten up for me a little.” More time to adjust his schedule and have things get back to normal. Greta had Saturdays free too and could set up playdates with the girls’ friends. Once she survived one day with the twins, an invisible weight would lift from his shoulders.
“Sounds good. Let’s talk then.”
“Bye, Li.”
“Bye.”
Disconnecting the call, he leaned back in bed and debated calling Fallon. Ultimately, he decided to give her space, if that’s what she needed. Hopefully she’d call or text before she went to sleep.
But when he woke up in the morning, he still hadn’t heard from Fallon.
Chapter Eighteen
Fallon woke up the next morning and immediately realized she hadn’t checked in with Noah when she got home. He thought she’d gone to her dad’s and had asked her to let him know she was home safe.
“Shit.” Picking up her cell, she sent off a brief text apologizing, explaining she’d had a headache and was planning to go home but Brooke had called so she’d gone out with her instead, and had forgotten to call him when she got home.
After stopping in the bathroom, she pulled on her robe and walked into the kitchen and made herself a cup of much-needed caffeine. She and Brooke had ordered another drink and this one had been much heavier on the vodka. They’d ordered some fried appetizers but the food hadn’t done much to soak up the alcohol. She had a slight headache this morning. Taking a long sip of coffee, she moaned at the rich flavor. Exactly what she needed.
She took a cup of Greek yogurt from the fridge and sat at her small table by the window overlooking the city and ate a light breakfast. Today was her first day to herself in a week and she debated what she wanted to do with it.
She’d spend some time painting, for sure, but first she wanted to visit with Clara. She wouldn’t call first because she did not want to argue and end up being talked out of going over. Her day decided, she picked up her mug and empty yogurt cup and cleaned up.
She returned to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and was about take a shower when the intercom app from the downstairs doorman buzzed on her phone. “Hello?”
“Ms. Sterling, you have a Mr. Powers here to visit.”
“Oh!” What was Noah doing there? “Send him up, please.” Tugging her robe tighter, she headed to the door to meet him.