Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Nico frowned as Lottie’s shoulders curved and she kind of hunched in on herself. It was like she’d received a blow.
While he got Thea’s concern, it was almost like she didn’t have faith in her. As though she didn’t trust Lottie to know her limits.
If her family didn’t have faith in her how could she have faith in herself?
“I’m going to be around today.” He gave Thea a reassuring smile. “I’ll help Lottie.”
“You will?” Thea appeared a bit startled.
Maybe it was the tattoos. They didn’t make him look that trustworthy. Or it could be that he was a stranger.
“I have lots of experience with kids. Big family.”
“Oh, do you have children?” Thea asked.
“No, but I have several nephews and nieces.” Sure, he hadn’t spent much time with them, but looking after children couldn’t be that hard. It wasn’t like they were babies.
“It will be good practice for when I have kids.”
“You want to have children?” Lottie asked.
“Yep. Well, I’d need to find someone who’d want to have them with me, of course.” And convince Liam that it was a good idea. He’d have to ease him into that idea.
“Oh, like a surrogate?” Lottie had a funny look on her face that he couldn’t quite decipher.
“Something like that.”
“All right, if you’re both sure. Remember, if they’re too much of a problem, then call me. Otherwise, Carrick will be by at around five to get them. Thanks so much.” Thea was gone before they could even say goodbye.
“She left quick.”
“She’s running late for work. Jardin has a big case coming up,” Lottie explained.
“Well, what shall we do with the boys first?” At first, he’d been annoyed when they’d turned up, thinking they would cut into his Lottie time. But this might just work in his favor. Give him an excuse to spend time with her.
“You really don’t have to hang out with us,” Lottie told him. “You must have better things to do with your time.”
“I really don’t.”
She gave him a skeptical look.
You’re losing her.
“Truth is, I would love a distraction.”
“Is something wrong?”
“I’m just feeling a bit lonely. Liam won’t be back for hours, and I was going to be stuck here doing nothing. You’d be doing me a favor.”
“Well, all right, if you’re sure.”
“It’s a nice day, what do you think about making up a picnic and go have lunch outside?”
Outside?
A picnic? She turned to look out the window. The boys would love to go outside to play, and it would help them burn off some of their excess energy. Truth was, she did find it exhausting looking after them. She loved them, but they were a lot of work. However, she hadn’t wanted to admit that to Thea.
Lottie was getting tired of everyone treating her like she was fragile. As though she wasn’t as capable as everyone else.
As though she was helpless.
Don’t trust Lottie with anything. She can’t handle it.
She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly as she dug her fingernails into the palms of her hand. The small bite of pain cleared the thoughts away, giving her a rush of energy.
“Lottie?” Nico asked. “Are you all right?”
“What? Yes, of course.”
Act normal, Lottie.
It was just so hard around Nico. Because he flustered her. Distracted her. Anyone would be distracted by his delicious muscle and those tattoos. Today he wore a dark-blue T-shirt and yet another pair of jeans that fit him perfectly.
“We don’t have to go outside if you don’t want to. Is there something else you had planned?”
Planned? She never had anything planned. What was wrong with her? She was suddenly questioning if this was really what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Live in this huge house, where she was practically a ghost, haunting the hallways.
“Lottie?” Nico was now looking really concerned. “Why don’t you come sit down? I’m going to get you some water. Maybe a snack. You look pale.”
“What? Oh, no, I’m fine. I just . . . I didn’t have anything planned.” But going outside was a big step. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d left the house. She never left the grounds. Ever. But surely, a picnic just in the garden would be okay. Where she could get inside the house quickly if she needed to.
She knew that Regent had the whole grounds under surveillance. There were guards outside. Nobody could get through the walls to her. And Nico would be with her. It was probably foolish to trust him, she didn’t know him that well.
But what she did know, she liked. He was always so happy. So confident. She wished she could be more like that.
“I’ll ask Gerald to pack up a picnic lunch,” she told him.
His smile was filled with warmth. “Come on then, let’s go have a cookie.”
“You’re dreaming if you think the boys left you any cookies.”