Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
In a sense, they were. Neither of them could go to each other’s houses. What would their parents think? Their children? Deep down, Devy knew Chad would somehow get Maren to spill. Devorah didn’t understand the hold he had on her. She wanted it to break. For him to go away and live his life with Ester.
One day.
“As much as I want to stay in this space with you,” Hayden said, combing his fingers through her hair, “and make love to you again, we should get home.”
“But here, we’re free, and it’s quiet.”
He chuckled a bit. “I actually think if my neighbors were outside, they might have heard us.”
Devy’s cheeks burned. “Good thing it’s dark then, and no one will see us doing the walk of shame.”
“There’s zero shame in what we’ve done. I don’t have any regrets.”
“Me neither.” She sat up on her elbows and kissed him. “This was the most exceptional evening. Thank you.”
“Thank you,” he said. “We’ll make plans with the kids for tomorrow. I read in my single-parent handbook that it’s important to include the children in dates.”
“It’s a good thing Maren and Conor are friends.”
“Definitely.”
They got up, dressed, and began walking toward Crow’s, holding hands the entire way. She loved the way her hand fit in his, and also loved how Hayden was taller than her. Chad was her height, and he didn’t like it when she wore heels. Now, if she wanted, she could put a pair on, and she’d still have to look up at Hayden.
When they reached Crow’s porch, Hayden kissed her lightly on the lips and said he’d see her in the morning. Devorah waved to him when she got inside and then watched him walk away. She closed the door, kept her hand on it for a moment, wishing the night didn’t have to end, and then went to find her father.
Crow sat in his recliner, with the news playing on the television.
“How was your night?”
“Maren and I are a formidable team,” he told her. “We beat Lee and Conor at checkers, Monopoly, and some other card game she taught us. We’re taking our show on the road.”
Listening to him describe their night brought tears to her eyes.
“Why are you crying?” he asked as he kicked the recliner closed and stood. “Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head and let the tears fall. “I’m happy you and Maren have bonded. It means the world to me.”
Crow brought Devorah into his arms and hugged her tightly. He continued to hold her until she’d stopped crying.
“I’m trying, Devorah. I know I messed up with you, but Maren’s my second chance. Right now, I’d like to thank that horrible husband of yours for screwing up because I’m the victor in the situation. I have my daughter back and now my granddaughter.”
“I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too.” He pulled back a little. “Did you have a good night?”
“I did,” she said as she wiped her tears away. “Hayden took me out to this restaurant on a ship. It goes from port to port, so it’s pretty unique. After dinner, we danced and then we walked around town, remembering how awesome it was to grow up here.”
“Really?” His eyebrow popped up. “I recall many times while you were growing up, yelling and screaming about how you hated it here and couldn’t wait to move.”
Devorah shrugged. “That was before I became a mother. Now I love it. Good night, Crow.”
“Good grief, I can’t keep up with you kids and your ever-changing minds,” he mumbled. “Good night, Devorah.”
She went upstairs, sneaked into her daughter’s room, and crawled into bed with her. The slight dip in the bed caused Maren to roll into her mom.
“Mom?”
“Go back to sleep, my sweet girl.”
Maren opened her eyes and looked at her mom. “Did you have a nice dinner?”
“I did. If the boat we ate on is still there in the morning, I’ll take you to see it. Did you have fun with Crow?”
Maren nodded. “Grandpa is a lot of fun.”
Devorah wished she could’ve had this version of her father when she was younger, especially when she was struggling with her mother’s death.
“We went out for ice cream, but I’m not supposed to tell you.”
“That’s okay. Let’s not keep secrets, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy.”
“Go back to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night, love you.”
“Love you more.”
Devorah kissed Maren and then went into the bathroom to take a shower. While the water ran, she undressed and looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t sure if she expected her body to be different or if there would be some remnant of what she and Hayden had done, but she found none except for a bit of beard burn.
She stood under the hot water for what felt like five minutes before she washed her hair and body. Every time she closed her eyes, Hayden was there, moving his body over the top of hers, bringing her to ecstasy. The way he kissed and held her, the way he made her feel when he was inside her, the way he brought her to new heights that she didn’t know existed, all made her feel like she wasn’t broken. That Chad hadn’t destroyed the very essence that made her, her.