Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
“She’s okay, baby.” He kisses my forehead and nuzzles my nose. “She’s great.”
“I really like her.”
“I know, and I’m glad you do because I hang out with my family often, and I want you to be around as well.”
“I don’t have a problem with that.”
After we’ve finished washing and are dry, we slip on bathing suits and walk down to the pool, where Bridger and Birdie are already waiting for us.
“She will outswim you,” Bridger informs me. “She thinks she’s a fish.”
“No, Daddy, I’m a mermaid. I’m Ariel.”
“Is she your favorite princess?” I ask her.
“No, but she’s the one who swims best.”
“That’s fair.” I nod and smile at Bridger. “I won swimming competitions in high school. She’s safe, Bridger.”
Blake frowns down at me. “You did?”
“She took state her senior year.”
We all glance over and see Tucker and Easton sitting on lounge chairs, drinking beer and relaxing with who I think are Chase and Brady Wild.
I really need a spreadsheet with pictures.
Tucker grins. “She can kick your ass.”
“It’s a good thing the swear jar doesn’t count up here,” Birdie says to Tucker, who laughs. The little girl takes my hand and leads me to the deep end.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go in over there?” I point at the shallow end, but she shakes her head.
“No. Let’s jump together.”
“Okay. One, two, three!”
We hop into the water, and when we come up for air, I keep my hands on Birdie’s sides to make sure she doesn’t go back under.
But she’s kicking and using her arms the way she should, and she grins at me.
“We did it!”
“We sure did. Do you know how to do a back float?”
Birdie shakes her head.
“Okay, hold on to the side while I show you. Don’t let go, okay?”
“I won’t,” she says and brushes some hair out of her eyes, watching me closely.
I lie back and float on top of the warm water for at least ten seconds. When I right myself, Birdie’s already floating, her arms stretched out and a smile on her beautiful little face.
“This is really nice, and you don’t have to work super hard to do it,” she says.
“I agree. I’ll join you.”
I lie back again, but before I close my eyes, I see Blake smiling at the edge of the pool, taking a picture of us with his phone.
“I love you,” he mouths to me, and I grin up at him before I bring my hands together, making a heart.
“Okay, now what are we going to do?” Birdie asks, breaking the moment.
“Whatever you want.”
“Let’s race!”
Chapter Twenty-Three
BLAKE
“Ihear you have a girlfriend,” Dad says the following week before lifting his mug of coffee to his lips and taking a sip.
How is it possible that I’m in my mid-thirties, I’m a doctor, and I’ve been living my own life for a damn long time, but my father can make me feel like a teenager again with only six words?
And I want to tell him that I don’t simply have a girlfriend. I’ve found the love of my fucking life, and as soon as I can talk her into it, she’ll be my wife.
“I do.” I cross one ankle over my knee. I’m sitting at my parents’ kitchen table. Mom’s off for a hair appointment, and Dad asked me to come over to “help him with something.”
I’ve been here for twenty minutes, and he still hasn’t told me what he needs help with.
I suspect he just wanted to have coffee.
“What’s her name?”
I lift a brow. “Billie didn’t tell you her name?”
Dad smirks. We all know who the gossip in our family is. “I want to know more about her from you. Better yet, I’d like to meet her myself.”
“I’ll bring her to the next family dinner.” I sip my water. I’ve already had too much coffee today. “Her name is Harper. She’s from Silver Springs, and she’s a NICU nurse.”
“Works with babies.”
That’s an incredibly simple way to say that Harper takes care of extremely tiny, medically fragile preemies and is honestly a fucking badass for being able to do her job, but I leave it at that.
“She does. If you and Mom had come up to the resort last week, you would have spent time with her. It was fun.”
“We wanted to leave that for you kids,” Dad replies, shaking his head. “I’m glad you had a good time.”
“Dad, you know I always love seeing you, but what did you need help with this morning?”
“Got somewhere else you need to be, son?” Dad smiles, taking any sting out of the question. He’s a smart man, and he’s always been a gentle one.
“I have a little time,” I reply. “But you said you needed help.”
“I lied.” He watches me for a few seconds and blows out a breath. “I haven’t seen my boy in weeks, and I miss you. I thought we could have coffee together. If I tell you I need help, you won’t turn me down.”