Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
I have a feeling that my girl has each and every one of the Kincaids wrapped around her little finger.
Lo and Ares say their byes to Gigi, and I receive a kiss on the cheek from each of them before they step outside with Zeus.
Aunt Elle’s not here. She said her good-byes earlier. She had gotten a call about an hour ago and had to head into the station.
Missy drops to one knee in front of Gigi. “So, I’ll see you real soon, Gigi. And your mom has my number now, so we can FaceTime whenever you want.”
“I’ll set it up on her iPad, so she can call you,” I tell Missy. “But you do realize that you’ll probably get calls at six in the morning.”
“No problem at all. I’m usually up early.”
“You mean, up late and coming home at six,” Lo grunts from outside the door.
She rolls her eyes and says, “I have no idea what you mean, little brother.”
Missy is older by five minutes, and she doesn’t let Lo forget it.
She focuses her attention back on Gigi. “Can I have a hug from my gorgeous niece before I go?”
I love how she always asks Gigi for her permission before hugging her. I hate it when relatives force kids to hug and kiss them.
“Of cwourse you can, Aunt Missy!” Gigi giggles and launches herself at Missy, nearly knocking her over.
“Steady, Gigi,” I say.
“She’s fine.” Missy chuckles. “Best tackle hug I’ve ever received. We’ll make a football player out of you yet.”
She gently tweaks Gigi’s nose and then gets to her feet. She comes over to me and wraps her arms around me. “Thank you, Cam,” she says quietly. The emotion I hear in her voice puts a lump in my throat. “This is the happiest I’ve seen Zeus in a long time.” She pulls back and looks me in the eyes. “He…told me that you’re seeing someone. A cop?”
My eyes seek out Gigi, and I see she’s outside with the men.
Missy drops her voice even lower, recognizing my concern. “I just wanted to say that I hope you’re happy. You deserve to be.”
I swallow back my emotion. “I’m not…I mean, I am happy. But that’s not because of Rich. And I don’t know exactly what Zeus told you, but the thing with Rich…it’s not serious. Honestly, I don’t even know if I’m seeing him anymore. Things are…complicated at the moment.”
My eyes flicker to Zeus without permission. He’s laughing at something Ares just said. His smiling eyes meet mine, and something tugs painfully in my chest.
“He’s never gotten over you,” Missy softly tells me, pulling my eyes back to hers. “And something tells me that you’ve never gotten over him either.”
I press my lips together, not wanting to say anything because I’m not sure what to say.
“God, sorry.” She screws up her face. “I’m overstepping, like usual. Just tell me to mind my own business.”
“You’re fine. It’s just…”
“Complicated,” she finishes for me.
“Yeah.” I sigh.
“Life would be a hell of a lot simpler if things weren’t though, right?”
I nod my agreement.
She presses a kiss to my cheek. “Thanks again, Cam. And, next time, I promise to keep my opinions to myself.”
I smile at her before she turns away.
“Right, come on, boys.” She claps her hands together. “Let’s leave Cam in peace.”
“What? You were the one holding us up by chatting with her,” Lo grumbles.
She passes him, going down the porch steps. “I wasn’t chatting. I was talking.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“No.”
“I think, if you check the dictionary, you’ll find it is.”
“Shut up, Lo.”
“Jesus, I’m gonna have to listen to you two bitching all the way home,” Ares complains as they start to walk down the driveway toward Ares’s car.
“So long as Lo doesn’t talk, we should be fine,” I hear Missy say.
I laugh.
Zeus picks up Gigi and comes over to stand beside me. She rests her head on his shoulder, her eyes drooping.
“Bedtime,” I say to her.
She must be tired because she doesn’t even complain.
“You want me to put her down?” Zeus asks.
“That’d be great,” I tell him. “I’ll get the house cleaned up.”
I do kind of miss putting Gigi to bed, but I’ve had four years of doing it, so I figure it’s only right to let Zeus do it for now.
“If you wait, I’ll help you when I come down.”
“It’s fine.” I wave him off. I give Gigi a good-night kiss. “Night, baby.”
“Night, Mommy,” she mumbles, sounding exhausted.
“Maybe skip brushing her teeth tonight,” I tell Zeus, “and just put her straight to bed.”
“Got it,” he says.
I watch him carry her upstairs, emotion swelling inside me at the sight of them together like that.
I swear, every time I see Zeus carrying her, my ovaries do a shimmy, and I can’t help but think, What if…
Shaking my head clear of those thoughts, I head into the kitchen and start on the cleanup.