Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“Calm down, babe.” Blake wraps his hand around the back of my neck, and I spin around to face him, then reach out for my boy. Once he’s in my arms, I hold his head against my chest, just needing to feel his weight.
“Did that just happen?” I ask Blake when I meet his gaze, and his jaw twitches.
“Unfortunately,” he responds as I kiss the top of Sampson’s head, and Blake places his hand against my lower back and leads me toward the restaurant.
“I didn’t think I could eat before; I really don’t think I can eat now.”
“Then you can watch me eat. I don’t want you driving when you’re shaking like you are,” he says, and I start to tell him that I’m not shaking but realize he’s right. My body is still vibrating from the adrenaline dumped into my system after that scene.
“Maybe sitting down for a few minutes would be smart,” I agree as he opens the door for me to walk in ahead of him.
“Sit where you like.” An older gentleman greets us with two menus, and Blake takes them before leading us to a half-circle booth in the back of the room that’s away from everyone else. Once we’re seated, Sampson crawls out of my arms and uses the back of the booth to walk to Blake, who grabs hold of him and settles him on his lap.
“Are you hungry, big guy?” Blake asks him, moving the silverware out of his reach when he tries to grab for it.
“I’m sure he is. He hasn’t eaten lunch yet,” I tell him, digging through his diaper bag for one of his rags so I can wipe the drool off his chin and a toy so that he has something to keep him occupied for a couple of minutes.
“They have mashed potatoes. Do you think he could eat that?” he asks me, taking the rag and wiping Sampson’s face himself, then holding the small duck for him and squeezing it so it squeaks.
“Yeah, he also likes chicken if it’s chopped up small.” I glance at the menu, and the pepper-jack cheeseburger and fries combo actually makes my mouth water.
“Chicken and mashed potatoes it is.” He pushes the menu away, and I shake my head.
“I can get something for Sampson and me to share. You should get what you want.”
“That is what I want,” he says, and even though I know he’s lying, it’s still sweet. “Are you going to eat something?”
“The pepper-jack burger looks good,” I say, and he smiles softly, then turns his attention to the waitress, who comes over with a pad of paper and a pen, and I blink, recognizing her.
“Hey, big brother.” Margret grins, then transfers that same smile to me. “Everly.” Her gaze pings between the two of us. “Funny seeing you two here . . . together . . . on a Saturday for lunch.”
“Margret.” Blake sighs.
“Hey, little dude.” She picks up Sampson when he reaches for her. “Are you feeling like a third wheel on this date?”
“Margret,” Blake repeats, and she laughs, while my cheeks warm. I learned from Blake the other day that they’re twins, and when she smiles you can definitely see the resemblance.
“Okay, okay.” She waves him off. “What can I get you two?”
Quickly, Blake gives her our order, and I tell her what I would like to drink; then she passes Sampson back to Blake and tells us that she’ll be back in a minute.
“I didn’t know she works here.”
“Yeah, she’s helped out here most weekends since she was in high school.”
“That’s cool.” I hold Sampson’s hand as he walks around the booth to me. You’d think that with Blake, Margret, and me being so close in age, we would have known each other growing up. But I learned when we were all at dinner at Tanner and Cybil’s place that their family actually lives a town over, so they went to one of our rival schools. Not that I was involved in anything that I would consider them rivals for; I didn’t participate in sports or go to football games. I was a part of the book club, but we never competed with any other school to show our master reading powers.
“So do you feel up to talking about what happened with your ex’s parents?” he asks quietly, and my nose scrunches. “If I’d known me being here would make his mom act like that, I wouldn’t have come.”
“I’m glad you came.” I settle Sampson on my lap and give him his bottle when he reaches for where it’s tucked in the side pocket of the diaper bag. “It’s better to know that people are crazy up front.”
“I guess that’s one way to look at it,” he says, studying me. “So what now?”
“Nothing, I’m done with them and with Lex. I don’t need or want them in my life, and I for sure do not want them around my son.”