Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Ava had given her some time off, and as she made her way downstairs on the morning after the funeral, she stepped into the kitchen to find George already there. George was not wearing a shirt. In fact, he rarely wore any shirt or apron while he cooked.
“Bacon and eggs are nearly done. I’ve got fluffy pancakes in the oven.” He winked toward her. “All you have to do is make yourself a drink. No coffee either. I have made sure if I want some, I will drink it outside the house, and I even brush my teeth before I come inside.”
“You do?”
“Yep, I have seen how the scent of coffee makes you feel. I am being completely caring and considerate.” He smiled toward her. “How are you feeling today?”
Yesterday, the day her mother passed, she cried. Today, she felt ... sad but also happy.
“I don’t know how I feel right now. I think I am happy because she is no longer in pain, and at least I got to know her.”
George nodded. “I’m glad.”
She didn’t know what happened between her father and George. They both were sporting black eyes. In the strangest twist of fate, she found herself on George’s side, and it had been the first time since finding out he made a bet about sleeping with her, that she referred to him as Big Dick. In her mind, his name kept changing between Big Dick and George.
“I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to get to know her if it wasn’t for you,” she said.
“Yeah, well, don’t worry, I more than made up for it. Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
“Good, because breakfast is ready.”
She made her way to the table, and it was nice to wake up and not want to throw up her guts. She looked around the dining room, and they had already put out the Christmas decorations. In the past few weeks with her mother, they celebrated Thanksgiving, and even decorated with her. It had been a lot of fun.
Even though she had been upset with her father, her mother had told her not to hold onto a grudge. Life was too short, and she needed to learn to accept that some people act in their own best interest.
“So, tell me, what is going on with you and this George, man?” Larissa’s mom asked.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing? You’re pregnant with his baby. Living with him, and nothing is going on?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Uncomplicate it for me.”
Larissa uncomplicated it for her.
And her mother nodded. “I can see why you’re upset, but you know what, that man didn’t do all of this because of some bet. You might not see it, honey, but that man is in love with you.”
“What?”
“I saw the same look on your father’s face when we were younger, but I was an idiot. I ran away from it rather than embrace it. He loved me, and I spent my whole life looking for that feeling, and I didn’t get it. I got heartbreak and pain.”
“Why didn’t you come home?”
“Fear,” her mother said. “Fear that he would have moved on. Fear that he would look at me and know what I’d done and be so disappointed. You can be angry with him, honey, but if you love him, and he proves he loves you, don’t let it come between you too long.”
“What if he breaks my heart?”
“What if he doesn’t?”
Larissa pulled out of her thoughts and laughed as George carried in a large plate of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and there was even a small pot of maple syrup.
“Are you insane?” she asked. “There is no way I am going to finish all of this.”
“Eat what you can. As it happens, I am starving, and I know I am going to be able to eat for the three of us.”
She felt that warmth.
“Shit, that’s four of us, isn’t it? Fuck me, I am going to have to get used to that.”
“I’m going to get huge,” she said. “Two babies.”
He reached across and held her hand. “And I will be there every step of the way. In fact, I’ve already got some furniture arriving today.”
“You have?”
“Yeah, you left the laptop open, with some of your choices.”
“I was just window shopping, but online, you fill your basket, then empty it out.”
“Are you telling me you didn’t want those two cribs?” he asked.
She nibbled her lip. “I did.”
“So, I got them for you. Also, whatever else you put in the basket.”
She watched as he took a large forkful of food and shoved it right into his mouth. “So delicious.”
She laughed. “So I guess that is what we’re doing today.”
“They should be delivered by nine, but we can go and do some Christmas shopping if you’d like. I could take you to lunch at the diner.”
“You know, I think I quite like the idea of us getting the nursery set up,” Larissa said. “How are you at putting furniture together?”