Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 76203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
“I heard stories about the club girls.”
“Yeah. And to keep shit fun, you keep shit wrapped. Some sage advice I got from my old man when I was a teen. Think it was why learning I had a kid out there was so shocking.”
“I know. No one was more shocked than me. Speaking of, we should probably head back in case Denny is looking for us.”
It was usually the moment when things shifted, got awkward or uncomfortable.
But after locking the gate again, York slung an arm around me, keeping me close the whole walk back to the clubhouse.
And when he came into the room I shared with Denny, I didn’t object to him being in bed next to me.
I slept better than I had in years with him beside me.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Runa
“For the record, I still think this is absolutely insane.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you,” York said as we walked toward the private jet. “But Teddy overheard me talking about getting plane tickets and insisted. He said it’s been sitting around doing nothing for long enough. And also suggested that kids on planes aren’t always fun, so having one all to ourselves might make it easier.”
Denny had been less than enthusiastic about the idea of flying. I’d never really talked to her about going on planes since our lives never allowed for that kind of adventure.
Admittedly, I was even a little nervous. I’d only been on a plane twice in my life, both times when I was a kid.
We’d spent the last few days casually trying to ease her fears by watching movies where families went on planes or reading books about it.
She still had a death grip on my hand. And, judging by the way her other little hand was white, she was holding York’s hand just as hard.
“York told me there’s a whole bedroom in this plane! With a big bed!”
Her glance said she wasn’t interested in hearing about the plane’s features.
“I almost feel like we should have—”
“Thirty-two hours compared to six,” he reminded me.
We’d debated the road trip thing when we first realized Denny wasn’t too keen on flying. But thirty-two hours drive time would, realistically, be something more like six days. Six hotel room stays. And I just wasn’t feeling that. I was already too anxious about this trip. I didn’t need six days of nothing to do but work myself into knots.
So, flying it was.
“Mommy?” Denny whimpered when we got to the stairs.
“It’s going to be okay, munchkin,” I assured her.
“I would never, ever do something with you that wasn’t safe, princess,” York assured her. “And, guess what I heard?”
I glanced over at him, confused by his bright tone.
“What?” Denny asked.
“There are a bunch of toys inside the plane just waiting for you to open them.”
She dropped both our hands and charged up the steep stairs.
“When reasoning fails, bribes always seem like a good idea,” York said when I shot him a look.
“I’m kinda just mad I didn’t think of it,” I admitted, starting up the steps.
He hadn’t been kidding about there being a ‘bunch’ of toys. Teddy, it seemed, had bought out half a toy store.
Denny was so distracted by it that she growled—actually growled—when we had to abandon her toys to strap in for takeoff.
As soon as it was safe, she whipped off her belt and ran back to the unopened packages while York passed me a beer from the fridge, clinking his bottle to mine as we watched our daughter claw at the cardboard on the back of a package of little fuzzy animal figurines.
“She’s fun as fuck on Christmas, isn’t she?”
“This is new,” I admitted. “In the past, she’s been the slowest present opener in history. And she had to pause in between each package to open it, look it over, set it carefully aside, then get rid of the paper before reaching for the next. I have the feeling this year is going to be pure chaos.” I looked over at him. “You know, if there are still any toys left in the world that she doesn’t own by then.”
He shrugged at that. “I had a lot of time to make up for. And this felt necessary.”
“I’m not going to argue with that,” I agreed. “I hate how anxious she was.”
“Me too. But now she’s done it, she won’t be scared the next time.”
“This is true.”
“How are you doing? Where’s your head at, now that you’re not worried about Denali?”
“Well, part of me is still a little in awe of this insane plane.”
“Right? I think I like Teddy’s understated, old-money interior to Zayn’s chaotic party plane.”
“After all the stories I’ve heard about him, I’m not sure if I’m excited or terrified to meet Zayn.”
“He will show you the time of your life. That you may or may not remember. And hopefully don’t end up waking up in a foreign country without your fucking passport.”