Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 76934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“A lot of trips to the bookstore,” she said, nodding solemnly as she pushed up to look down at me.
I reached out to tuck her hair behind her ears as it fell forward to curtain her face.
“I mean it, Alara. Liam’s older. And way too fucking smart for his own good. But Char is still young. She’s going to start… seeing you as less of a friend figure and eventually like…”
“Like a mom,” Alara concluded.
“Yeah.”
“I won’t lie to you. I’ve been pretty open about not wanting to have kids. But I mostly mean like… the having part. After conception and through the whole first year, it sounds like a complete horror movie to me.”
A chuckle escaped me at that.
“Couldn’t imagine handling babies at this age,” I admitted.
“But Charlotte isn’t a baby. She’s a whole person. With thoughts and feelings. With great taste in books and questionable pizza topping choices. She did manage to get me sticky after she ate that jelly donut, but I’m choosing not to hold that against her.”
“I love how you are with her. With how you are with both of them, but especially Charlotte. But I know that being her friend and being something more is a big ask.”
“Is it?” she asked, her face screwing up. “I don’t think it should ever be a ‘big ask’ to love your kids. That seems like the bare minimum.”
“I like that,” I said, my fingers drifting down her jaw.
“And what else could there really be involved? I mean, I’m not doing the cooking. That’s all on you. But I do a mean load of laundry. There’s a day off at school… she can hang at the shop and talk books with me...”
“There might be some talks she’d be more comfortable having with you. The, uh, period talk had been painful for both of us.”
Alara fought the lip twitch for a moment before the smile broke free. “Hold on. Just trying to imagine the horror-struck look on your face during that.”
“Thankfully, she did manage to fight her embarrassment enough to inform me that she already had the period talk with her mom and at school. Was it a waste of all the time I spent studying how to use pads and tampons? Yep. But she is well aware she can let me know when she needs them.”
“Yeah, this is where being a woman comes in handy,” she said with a head shake. “Just buy the damn things and put them in the bathroom. She’s not going to want to ask. Kind of how you handle condoms with Liam.”
“Shit. I didn’t even consider condoms,” I admitted, rubbing my forehead.
“To be fair, I think he’s working too much to spend much time chasing girls. But I’m sure it’s on his mind. I mean, did you make it past eighteen with your virginity?”
“I did not. Alright. Trip to the drugstore ahead of me.”
“I can do the sex talk with Charlotte when it seems necessary. Lord knows she’s not going to want to ask her uncle some of the questions she’s sure to have.” She shrugged a shoulder. “What else is there? To, like, being a parent? Isn’t it mostly just… being there? Listening? Caring?”
“That is the majority of it, yeah.”
“Well, I’ve already been here. I listen. I definitely care. And we’re totally planning on going to that book convention next year, even if you and I didn’t do this.”
My lips curved.
“Maybe I was worried about nothing.”
“Like I said, if diapers or snot suckers were involved, this would be a very different conversation.”
“Noted.”
“But loving those kids is already done.”
“Is that you saying you’re in this?”
“Well, I do have one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“We can’t live here forever. I mean, if I’m living here,” she rushed to add.
“You’re already living here.”
“Yes, but not with my stuff.”
“We can grab your stuff tomorrow.”
“And put it where, exactly?” she asked, glancing around the room.
“Fair point. I never planned on staying here long either. It was just a place to be while I got my career going again. Though, the smaller bed has its perks,” I said, my fingers drifting over her hip.
“Yes, but think how nice a small bed would be in a big room. With a closet big enough for two.”
“I’m with you there.”
“So, that’s it, then? We’re doing this?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“What about the kids?”
“What about them?”
“Do we have to… sit them down and tell them?”
“Liam already has his suspicions. But, yeah, eventually.”
“Not looking forward to it, huh?” she asked.
“This was enough serious conversing for one day,” I told her.
“So, we sneak around for a day or two until you recover.”
“I like the way your mind thinks.”
“If you want to stick with that plan, though, you might want to get some clothes on. They should be home soon.”
I turned my wrist to glance at my watch.
“Shit.”
I nearly dropped her off the bed, I knifed up so fast.