Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
He didn’t have to convince me he was digging with the best intentions in mind. I believed him, and I wanted him to know.
“I understand that,” I said, shifting my gaze back to him. “I’m grateful Reese was willing to connect a few dots about y’all.”
He hummed. “He told me last time we spoke.”
I wasn’t surprised.
“He reminded me of something your brother told me about you,” he went on. “He used to say you were a by-the-book kind of guy—right up until you weren’t.”
My mouth twitched. “Aren’t we all?”
He smirked and finished his coffee. “I always viewed the book as a recommendation.”
Of course he did. So had Vince, with less success.
I got what Darius meant, though. And glancing back at the girls, I had an idea.
“Alex!” I called.
She perked up from whatever she was inspecting on the ground, and she sprinted toward me, with Cass in tow.
“Yeah?” She was panting by the time she skipped up the steps and joined me.
“How’s land nav going?” I asked. She leaned against my armrest, so I put an arm around her and touched her rosy cheeks. Not too cold.
“It’s tough without a compass,” she said and sniffled. “But that’s south, ’cause it’s down.” She pointed east.
“Hi, Daddy! Alex learned me to draw a map,” Cass announced. She was as rosy-cheeked as Alex.
“She did, huh? That’s a great skill, angel,” Darius replied. “Where’re your brothers?”
Cass huffed. “Nobody knows.”
I grinned and tugged lightly on Alex’s ponytail. “Darius and I were just talking about work. You like runnin’ around there, don’t you?”
She nodded and beamed. “It’s better than school.”
I smirked and faced Darius. “Who was it you asked about, again?”
He furrowed his brow but caught on quick. “Gage Nolan.”
I sighed and shook my head. “Yeah, I just don’t remember anyone by the name Nolan.”
Alex made a giggly-snort sound and looked at me all weird. “What? Operator Nolan helped me tie my shoes when I almost fell in the cafeteria!”
I frowned, confused. “Huh? No, I would’ve remembered.”
She widened her eyes. “Are you being silly? He swims really fast! He fights lots and lots with Operator Slater, but it’s a joke. Danny says they’re best friends also.”
I just shook my head. “Nah. Go off and play some more with Cass instead. I wanna know where northwest is.”
She rolled her eyes and grabbed Cass’s hand. “You’re weird, Uncle Bo. Come on, Cass. I’m gonna teach you about ass mouths.”
What the f— Oh, Jesus fucking Christ.
“Azimuth,” I corrected.
“That’s what I said!” she griped.
Right. I scratched my forehead and watched the girls skip off again.
I was really screwing her up, wasn’t I?
I wondered if, at what point, I could get Leighton to shoulder some of the blame too. After all, Alex clung to every word he spoke.
I cleared my throat and shifted my gaze back to Darius, who smiled faintly.
“Thank you.”
“For what? Don’t listen to Alex. She’s a kid.” I smiled back.
He laughed through his nose. “By the book until you’re not.”
Yeah…maybe.
I looked toward Leighton and figured it might be about damn time I stopped being so me about a certain thing. The book of Bo? I didn’t wanna be by the book when it came to him. He’d already changed everything, and I’d been certain of how I felt for a while now.
I should tell him that.
December 25th, 2024
Leighton Watts
Darius had been right. No amount of love for this family would make me think Christmas was just wonderful. Right after a “light” Christmas Day brunch at Mary and James’s house, I escaped to the front porch to catch my breath and calm my brain.
Kids were so damn loud, and the Quinns had so many of them!
My stomach felt like it was going to explode after all that food, and I wasn’t sure my eardrums were intact any longer. Sweet Jesus.
I embraced the cold and sucked in lungfuls of air.
Also, Ryan could be louder than all the kids combined.
I wouldn’t wanna be anywhere else on the planet right now, but yeah, I definitely needed a breather.
Mary and James lived in a nice area, with modest Victorian houses and picket fences, and they managed to squeeze the whole damn family into the living room and adjacent dining room, which, in turn, opened up to the kitchen. So, there was no privacy, no secluded area. Everyone was on top of one another. All the Quinns—and even some members of Gray’s family.
I shivered as a harsh wind blew past, and I let out a long breath.
The door opened behind me a beat later, and I was relieved to see it was Bo.
He grinned and closed the door behind him. “You look sufficiently shell-shocked, pup.”
I widened my eyes. “Did you know it was going to be like this? I don’t wanna sound ungrateful—I love being here—but it’s one of the most overwhelming experiences of my life.”