Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 112600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112600 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
We walked back to the lounge chairs, and Hailey finally noticed me.
“Hi, Uncle Hollsy!” she yelled from the pool.
I waved and spoke with my mouth full. “Hey, Hailey.”
“Can we stay longer?” she asked.
“Yeah. A little while,” I said.
I sure as hell wasn’t going to push going home early when here I could gaze at Elodie’s body in that getup.
Yeah, it was official. Addison was right.
I do have a thing for Elodie.
Chapter 14
* * *
Elodie
Yeah. Pretty sure he has a thing for me. At least the way he was sneaking glances at my breasts and navel indicated that. Or maybe it was wishful thinking because I found him so attractive.
Hollis wore a gray polo shirt and khakis, his shades tucked into the opening of his shirt. I loved when he dressed down.
“I actually don’t live very far from here,” I said.
“That’s right. I keep forgetting you’re all the way out in the boonies.”
“I like living outside the city. It’s peaceful. My ex-husband and I had a very active social life in town. That got me nowhere. I’d much rather wake up to birds chirping than honking and yelling any day.” I smiled. “And that was just in our apartment.”
“Your ex seems to influence a lot of the decisions you’ve made.”
“Yes. But the experience only made me stronger.”
“Stronger or guarded?”
“What do you mean?”
“Two years, Elodie? And the only man you’re spending time with is on some Turkish soap opera with subtitles?”
“How did you know about that?”
“You had YouTube on the TV when I walked in and woke you up last night.”
“Oh...well, yeah... That guy is…pretty nice.” I grinned sheepishly.
“And he can’t hurt you.”
“What are you getting at?”
“He can’t hurt you, like your ex-husband did—the guy who inspired you to become a man trap. The guy behind the TV screen is safe.”
“You think you have me all figured out, huh?”
His brow lifted. “Don’t I?”
“I don’t exactly see you in a healthy relationship. You can barely look at your bird because he reminds you of some broad who dumped you. I think you have a little bit of a history with heartbreak yourself.”
Before he could address my comment, Hailey interrupted. She was dripping from the pool and shivering.
“Can I spend the night here?” she asked.
“No,” Hollis said. “I came all the way out here to pick you up. That means you’re coming home with me.”
She pouted, then ran back to the pool and jumped in the water.
“I can pick her up tomorrow morning and bring her back to the city if you want,” I offered.
While I’d been taking the train into the city most days to save on gas, I still used my car on my days off.
“No. She has to learn that sometimes the answer is no.”
“Okay.”
“Plus, you shouldn’t have to work tomorrow.”
“I don’t have anything else going on. I actually like my job for once in my life. I look forward to Mondays.”
“What do you typically do on the weekends?”
“I sleep in. Sometimes I’ll go out and get breakfast and take it over to my friend Bree’s house. Later in the day, I’ll food shop for the week or maybe work on some of my art. I never really have plans.”
“Given your two-year hiatus from men, I take it you stay in at night and curl up with Turkish Fabio?”
“He’s the perfect man, right? Handsome, funny, charming, and not a cheat.”
“He needs a haircut.”
“Don’t knock my show until you watch it, Hollsy. There’s some pretty eye candy for you on there, too, considering you don’t have much of a weekend nightlife, either.” I winked.
***
During the ride to my house, Hollis told us the story of what happened to Huey at the vet. Hailey and I were cracking up. He wasn’t amused.
“He says nothing but ‘Anna’s home’ for years, and this is how he decides to branch out?” Hollis snapped.
“I think he knew just the thing to drive you over the edge,” I said.
“And what the hell does the B stand for in his name? Did you give him a middle name?” he asked.
I half-laughed. “It stands for bird.”
“Creative.” He chuckled.
“Well, there was a spot for a middle name on the admission form, so…”
Hailey interrupted the conversation when she suddenly asked, “What’s a DILF?”
Hollis and I looked at each other, unsure how to respond.
“Why?” I asked.
“Megan heard her mom call Uncle Hollis that. Is a DILF like a doofus?”
I bent my head back in laughter. “Nice assumption.”
Hollis clearly didn’t know how to answer her question.
I was quickly learning that one of my regular duties as Hailey’s nanny was to save Hollis’s ass when it came to addressing certain things.
“DILF stands for Dad I’d Like to Friend,” I said.
She scrunched her nose. “Like on Facebook?”
I nodded. “Exactly.”
“Oh. That’s not that bad. But weird that she said that because he’s not even my dad.” She shrugged. “You’re a nanny I’d like to friend, Elodie. Does that makes you a…NILF?”