Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“We talk on the phone after my phone calls with Effie. I asked about you since Effie wouldn’t stop raving about the new house guest.”
I nodded. “It’s been quite a visit between my mother and sorting through all of my family’s old belongings.”
“Emotionally heavy, I would imagine.”
“Yes.” Suddenly I was in tears.
Lydia rubbed my arm gently. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m sorry to make you cry.”
“It’s okay. I don’t know why it’s coming out all of a sudden in the middle of this party.”
“Your mother would be very proud of how you’re handling everything.”
“I like to think that.” I sniffled.
“Grandma!” Effie appeared between us. “Did you make Chloe cry?”
“No, sweetie,” I answered. “These aren’t bad tears. Your grandma just made me feel some things that needed to come out having to do with my mama.” I looked over to find Evan standing there as well.
“You okay?” he asked, putting his hand on my back.
A shiver went down my spine as I wiped my eyes. “Yeah.”
“Grandma, come see the pumpkin I carved,” Effie said, pulling Lydia toward the door.
Once they were gone, Evan looked at me closely. “What was that all about?”
“Maura sort of ambushed me with your ex’s mother. Fortunately, Lydia’s an absolute sweetheart.”
“You’re right about that. I’m happy you had a chance to meet her. But why were you crying?”
“At first, she was talking to me about Katerina and how she has no control over her daughter’s decisions. Then she said you’d mentioned the situation with my mom. I started to cry when she brought up Mom, I think, because Lydia has such strong mother energy. I could sense her genuine concern for her child. I’m just really missing that in my life, having a mom who thinks about me, a mom I can call whenever I need to talk.”
“Sweetheart, I’m sorry,” Evan said. “I know you and Judy would be as close as you always were if she weren’t sick.”
“Yeah…” I murmured.
“I get what you mean about Lydia,” he said. “She gives me the same motherly vibe.”
I sometimes forgot that Evan had been without his mother long before I ever had to deal with my mom’s condition. He’d had it so much worse than me, lacking a father on top of that.
“It’s like a trifecta between you, me, and Effie. We’re all starving for our mothers for different reasons.”
Evan adjusted his hat. “I never thought of it that way, but you’re right.”
“Boy, do I know how to be a downer at a party, huh?” I sighed.
Evan looked around. “What happened to your boyfriend?”
“I ditched him to go find you before Maura cornered me. Meanwhile, you were chatting up your ex-girlfriend.”
“Kimber? She wasn’t a girlfriend.”
“Ah, but she still got to go to Never Never Land.” I winked, hoping my snarky comment didn’t come off as jealous—even if I’d be perpetually jealous of anyone who got to be with Evan Ricci.
Just then Brendan approached.
“Feel like skipping this joint and heading out for a drink?” he asked.
Evan’s jaw tightened.
Had I implied that I’d for sure be up for going to that bar with him? I hadn’t meant to.
Before I could respond, Evan had his hand on my back. “She has plans.”
Then he took my hand and led me not so gently into the house.
Chapter 29
* * *
EVAN
What the hell had come over me? I’d become a possessive, feral caveman. The nerve of that guy to ask her to leave when I was standing right there.
“Where are we going?” Chloe asked.
As I led her through the crowd of people inside Drew’s house, I looked back to make sure my daughter was still outside with her grandmother and not witnessing me basically kidnap Chloe. I tugged her down the hall and into Drew and Maura’s bedroom at the far end of the first level.
I shut the door behind us and locked it, the sounds of the party now muffled in the distance.
Chloe’s chest heaved as she looked up at me, her back against the door. I moved closer and caged her against it with both my arms. She should’ve been scared after the way I’d acted, but there wasn’t an ounce of fear in her eyes—only something that looked an awful lot like excitement and desire. I must’ve had the same look tenfold. Ravenous, I leaned in and took her mouth with mine. She let out the sexiest moan, and I felt the vibration of it deep in the back of my throat. Running my fingers through her long hair, I shoved my tongue not so gently into her mouth to taste her again like I’d been dying to. Chloe whimpered. She opened wider for me, and I kissed her harder, more addicted by the second. My dick grew rigid as I pressed my chest against her soft breasts that had been taunting me from the moment she decided to put on that fucking nurse costume.