Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
But there will be boys, Jack. Don’t be the bad guy here.
“You know what?” I ask. “Let’s do that. Bring him to the shop.”
She looks at me warily.
“If you’re in love with this guy, I want to know what he’s all about,” I say. And show him all my tools and how good I am with them.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Her smile stretches across her cheeks. “Thanks, Daddy. You’re the best.”
I blow out a breath as she skips up the stairs toward her room.
“Fucking Daniel,” I say, pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge.
How do I handle this boyfriend shit? Do I just lock Maddie up in her room and never let her out? Because boys are going to find her if she breathes the same air as them. She’s too cute and funny. Just like Lauren.
I take a long swig of the water, letting it cool me down.
Jealousy at the thought of another man’s car being at my house the other day, even though it was Billie’s, floods me again. I have to get control of this situation now.
Maddie’s sandals smack against the stairs again. I turn around to see her flying out the door. I also see Lauren through the screen door. She’s not expecting me; the surprise on her face proves that to be true.
“Hey,” I say, my throat dry despite the water I just drank.
“I just went to the Cupboard.” She sets two bags on the table. “Mrs. Shaw is having her granddaughter bring us some meat later.”
“Okay.”
She pulls out a variety of items and puts them away.
“Want some help?” I ask.
“I have it. Thanks.” She looks at me sideways. “Where did she just run off to?”
“The Fritzes’. Tina is making some kind of mini sandwiches for lunch, and it’s very exciting.”
Lauren grins. There’s my girl.
“But she’s also waiting on a call from Daniel.” I sigh in frustration. “I hate that kid.”
“You don’t even know him.”
“Don’t have to know him. I hate him.”
She wraps her hands around the top of the chair. “You don’t hate him, Jack. Give the kid a chance. He’s actually a pretty sweet—”
“You’ve met him?”
“Of course I’ve met him. He’s come over after school a few times. Stayed for dinner. He’s chatted with me while I’ve waited on Maddie to come out of cheer practice.”
“Why was he there?”
She laughs. “Because he plays basketball. There’s not some big conspiracy here.”
It sure as hell feels like it. I take a deep breath, refusing to step away from my point. “I don’t see why you’re encouraging this. He’ll just break her heart . . . or worse.”
She holds my gaze, not even pretending not to stare. “What’s worse than breaking someone’s heart?”
The room heats. It suddenly feels much, much smaller.
I see where she’s going with this—subtly poking me over our current situation. But if she thinks she’s the only one who’s been hurt over the last year or so, she’s wrong.
“What’s worse than heartbreak?” I ask. “Apathy.”
“Maybe the apathy is a by-product of the heartbreak.”
“Maybe the heartbreak was unintentional.”
“Maybe that doesn’t matter anymore.”
My brows pull together. “What do you mean it doesn’t matter? Of course it matters.”
“But does it, Jack?”
Fuck this. I’m taking the blanket off the baby. “I didn’t know you were filing for divorce before now.”
Her eyes widen. “So, that’s it—it only matters because you know I’m going to file?”
You were going to file. I run a hand down my face. Breathe, Jack. Stay calm. “I didn’t realize how bad things were.”
“Whose fault is that?”
“Mine.”
“Yes, it’s yours. Because I tried to tell you. I tried to tell you so many times. I begged you to come home, to help me, to—”
“Lauren, I know.”
I haven’t been home for dinners, but I’ve been looking after my family. I’ve been depositing checks into our bank account, and as far as Lauren is concerned, that’s not enough. I know. But I also know divorce is so . . . final.
Her eyes cloud with unshed tears, and the sight of them is a knife in my heart. I reach for her, but she takes a step away.
“Let’s not do this,” she says, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. “There’s no reason to.”
“I don’t want to fight with you.”
“Then let’s not.” A flurry of emotions flies through her beautiful blue eyes before she shoves away from the chair. “I need to help your dad get things cleaned up.”
My heart leaps. I don’t know what to say, but I don’t want to leave it like this. There’s so much to figure out, to talk about—to resolve. But we can’t do that if she goes. “Lo, wait.”
She shakes her head and leaves without looking back.
The door smacks shut behind her.
A burst of energy floods my veins. The sound of an invisible clock ticks in my head. I’m out of my league here.