Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
“How many reallys was that?” I asked.
“Three, though it probably should be four.”
The giggle attached to that quip was enough to have me opening one eye to find her kneeling up on the bed with her hands on her hips.
“Is that my shirt?” I asked, opening the other eye to get a better look.
“You did promise me a bath and a change of clothing.”
She wasn’t wrong, but I had a better idea. “How about taking it off and getting back into bed with me?”
“Daddy, everyone knows bartering is best done with full bellies.”
When I didn’t so much as move, she shrugged. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Before I could blink, she’d sashayed her way right out the bedroom door, but at the sound of her singing, I bolted upright.
“Bacon, bacon, so crispy and hot,
It sizzles and pops and sure hits the spot,
Bacon, bacon, oh, it’s so very fine,
And my Daddy said what was his is now ALLLL MIIINE!”
“Little girl, I said no such thing!” I shouted and was halfway out the door before remembering I was naked. Snagging the jeans I’d discarded from the floor, I put them on one leg at a time as I hopped my way down the hall. When I entered the center hallway that split the house into wings, it was to see Kate, and Livvy standing with silly grins on their faces.
Luther was there as well, but the look he shot me was more of one of disdain as he shook his head.
“What? It’s bacon!”
The women broke out into giggles and it wasn’t until Kate said, “Walk you!” that I realized Livvy was on crutches. I was about to lunge forward but when she spun on her good heel and took off as if she’d been born using them, I didn’t have the heart. That didn’t keep me from calling, “You fall and both of you will be over my lap!”
Luther smiled. “Welcome to the club. It’s about damn time you caught up.”
I didn’t even need to ask what club. He’d been a very contented member of that special Daddy cadre for the past year. “Thanks.”
“And that means, you can finally open that toy box and play.” While I stood there and tried to decide whether to high-five or punch him, he added, “But first, put a shirt on. Mom would hit the roof if she knew you were sitting at her table half naked.”
“Hey, those weren’t exactly church dresses our girls were wearing.”
He rolled his eyes as if I’d said the stupidest thing possible, and when I remembered the sway of Livvy’s hips beneath that t-shirt, I couldn’t exactly argue.
“I’ll be back,” I said and then turned to direct my next words to the kitchen, “nd there better be plenty of bacon left or there will be counts added, you hear me, pixie?”
“Worth it!” Livvy called back.
Luther laughed, slapped my shoulder and went to join the girls. Or if he knew what was good for him, to gobble his own share of bacon before Livvy got hold of it.
Chapter Eighteen
Livvy
I’d been joking about eating all the bacon, because, come on, who in the world could eat an entire platter in one sitting?
Let me tell you who I’d put my money on… Lincoln Waters, that’s who. I could only sit there and stare as it took just two bites for yet another piece to disappear. When he finally took a breather and looked up, his eyebrow quirked.
“What?”
“Nothing.” I hid my smile by raising my mug to my lips when I saw Luther’s hand reaching toward the platter. I almost spewed my coffee when, without taking his eyes off me, Lincoln’s hand shot out to snatch the last piece of bacon a nanosecond before his brother’s fingers reached it. Setting down my mug, I shook my head. “Wow. I mean, seriously, wow.”
Kate laughed and transferred her piece to Luther’s plate. “I know. It’s like being in the middle of one of those National Geographic specials on wild beasts fattening themselves up for hibernation.”
“Who you calling fat, little girl?”
I giggled as both brothers had lifted their heads and asked that question at the exact same time. I’d forgotten they’d often done that as kids and evidently hadn’t grown out of synchronizing their speech.
It didn’t seem to surprise Kate either. “No one. I was simply pointing out that unless Livvy wants to chance losing a hand, she needs to fill her plate before sitting down with you two.”
The brothers looked at each other and once again, they acted at the same moment as shoulders shrugged and napkins lifted to wipe mouths.
I began to stand only to have Lincoln reaching out to place his hand over mine. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Well, unless you two believe licking up the grease and the crumbs from those platters counts as cleaning them, I thought I’d make myself useful and actually wash the dishes.”