Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 48187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 241(@200wpm)___ 193(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 241(@200wpm)___ 193(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Her cheeks turn slightly pink and I suppress a grin. Enzo is the typical Italian good-looking man. I’ve seen women do double takes at him, and Lauren is no different. I’ll just tease her about it later.
“Lauren,” she greets, shaking his hand. “Thanks for cooking. That’s really sweet of you.”
“Anything for my old man,” he jokes, ribbing me in the side.
In truth, I’m not much older than the guy.
“PopPop!”
Cora hugs my leg and I reach down to stroke her hair. I’m technically her guardian—on paper—but Jenna is every bit her mother where it counts. I scoop up my granddaughter and kiss her adorable face.
“Hi, Cora Bug. Did you get some tomatoes?”
She holds out one of her fists, red juice running down her wrist. “Mato, PopPop!”
I pretend to try and eat her fist, making her squeal.
“Hey, Dad. Hi, Lauren,” Jenna says, coming to stand beside me. She leans her head on my shoulder. “I’m starving.”
Lauren’s stiff posture relaxes. I think she expected war, kind of like the first time I met her family. But my family is easygoing.
“It smells amazing,” Lauren says. “If it’s as good as it smells, I’ll take a picture and post about it on my blog.”
“You have a blog?” Jenna asks. “About what?”
Lauren shrugs. “Food. Books. Sunsets.”
“Sounds fun,” Jenna says, smiling. “I’ll have to check it out.”
“Sometimes I interview hot doctors,” Lauren reveals.
“Oh yeah? Dad on there?”
“No, but George Clooney is.”
I snort. “This one’s a snarky smartass,” I tell Jenna. “Aren’t you, angel?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lauren says, blinking her big brown eyes in an innocent way.
Jenna laughs, which makes Cora giggle. Cute little Cora never knows what she’s laughing at…she just loves to do it.
“At least we know these two will get along,” Enzo says, ruffling Jenna’s hair and messing it up. “They’re both brats.”
The movie has long since ended. Enzo already carried Jenna off to bed, promising to be back to fetch Cora. I can’t help but smile at Lauren and Cora. Lauren has drifted off and has a sleeping three-year-old glued to her side. With Cora’s blond hair nearly the color of Lauren’s, they could almost pass for mother and daughter. Since I never saw my own daughter at this age, loss pangs in my heart. I missed out on so much. Maybe one day I’ll get to do the whole parenting thing again, but not from age eighteen and on. From birth would be fantastic.
I feel Lauren’s sleepy eyes on me and I flick my gaze to hers. Her fingers stroke through Cora’s hair as she burns me with an intense stare.
“I’ll never have kids,” she tells me, seemingly reading my thoughts.
All I can do is frown.
“Not that I don’t want to have them, because I do, but because it would be irresponsible of me.” Her eyes water. “I’ve been reading up on ADPKD, and my kind is most definitely hereditary. If there’s a chance I could pass it on, I don’t want to take it.”
My heart clenches. I hate that Lauren will never have a normal life. That she’ll never be able to do the things any other woman her age can do for fear of it impacting her health or someone else’s. She can’t even eat regular spaghetti, for fuck’s sake. Rather than placate her and give her false hope, I reach forward and squeeze her thigh.
“You’re the strongest woman I know,” I tell her firmly.
Her features relax and she smiles. “Thank you for being exactly the man I need.”
Enzo walks back into the media room and scoops Cora up. He winks at me before disappearing.
“Come on,” I tell Lauren, rising from the sofa to pull her up. “You’re staying here tonight.”
She smirks. “Is that so?”
“Yep. Get used to it.”
I hug her to me, tugging on her hair so she’s forced to look up. A serene smile plays at her lips. Leaning forward, I kiss her softly. When I pull away, I quickly asses her. She’s tired. Feeling unwell. It’s written all over her face—dark circles under eyes, ashen skin, slumped shoulders.
“Let’s get you to bed,” I say, grabbing her ass and lifting her.
She holds on and doesn’t even fight me when I take her straight to bed. So she can sleep. No fucking. It’s days like these that scare the shit out of me.
I scrub my hands with soap and then rinse them off before drying them on a paper towel. I’m tired as hell. Thank fuck it’s nearly time to go.
“You heading out, Dr. Venable?” Lin asks as she scribbles something on a chart.
“I have to finish writing up something for Dr. Morris, but then I’ll be leaving. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”
She waves to me as I stride down the hall. Once I push through the door of my small office, I freeze at seeing Lauren there. Her back is to me as she stares at a painting on the wall. I appreciate her delicate, feminine form. In just a simple yellow dress and white wedge heels, she’s fucking stunning. Upon realizing my presence, she turns her head, her brown eyes darting my way.