Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“I’m heading out for a while, but I’ll be back in enough time to get ready for the interview.”
“Where are you going,” he asked like a stern father.
“Out, like I said. I’m not pulling a runner, Alex. I’m going out and I’ll be back.”
“Fine. But when you come back, I expect to see a smile.”
“I’ll come up with one just for you, Alex. Promise.” I was already heading out of the studio, sunglasses perched on my nose and a Panama hat on my head so I could at least walk around the city without being swarmed.
I walked a few blocks before I found what I was looking for: a toy store. Specifically, a giant three-story toy store, where I bought everything pink I could find. Stuffed animals, pink dump trucks, a pink microscope, and even a handheld gaming device. It was all pink, but that didn’t mean I wanted to pigeonhole my girls. They could—no, they would—be anything they wanted to be.
“Will that be all, sir?” The teenager behind the cash register asked the question with a smirk.
“Depends. Got anything else?”
“Not in pink. But if you sign up for our newsletter, you can be alerted to all new products, in pink or any other color.”
“I’m good. I need this all shipped to this address.” I scribbled Suzie’s address and smiled as I thought about her expression when the packages arrived. She would be shocked, maybe a little bit surprised, but I hoped that above all else, she was happy that I did it.
She would be less happy that I was getting her something, but as I bypassed boutiques and jewelry shops, shoe stores and other high end shopping venues, I knew Suzie wouldn’t appreciate a gift like that. She would enjoy something a little more personal. Something that mattered to her.
Holy shit.
I knew exactly what she wouldn’t just appreciate, but she would love. “Hey, Alex, I need a favor. It’s big enough that I’ll be wearing a smile forever if you can find someone to do this for me.”
There was a long pause before Alex spoke, probably trying to figure out how to finagle a few more interviews or photo shoots into the deal. “I’m listening.”
“Excellent.” I told him exactly what I needed and made my way back to the studio. To the hair and makeup chair.
To my life as a rock star.
Suzie
“All done.”
It was Sunday afternoon, a day I usually spent relaxing and preparing for another busy week at the hospital. Instead, I’d spent all morning removing the items from my home office because tomorrow, Teddy would start work on converting the room into a functional nursery—for two. After lunch, I would get started on emptying the future guest room.
Lunch was a white lasagna with salad, made by the housekeeper that Gavin still paid to show up and make my life a little bit easier. I appreciated the small gestures that showed he cared, that showed he would be a presence in the lives of our daughters, if not a full-time dad. I missed him and wished he was here with me, but in lieu of that, the extra help was nice.
That was what I told myself and it was what I believed, until it came time to lug the treadmill out of my office without any help. It was an impossible feat, and ultimately, I decided to leave it for Teddy and her crew to remove in the morning. I focused instead on the weights and resistance bands, along with the television on the wall that sometimes played aerobics or kickboxing videos. It would have to go somewhere else, but for now it was all piled in my dining room until I could spare the energy, or the muscle power, to get them moved to the basement. Then again, maybe the dining room would be better served as my exercise room—at least, it would when all the loot Gavin had sent to me was put where it belonged.
Though I suspected that chasing after twin toddlers would be sufficient exercise.
The sun was starting its final descent by the time I had the place back to something that resembled order. I heated the rest of the lasagna and curled up on the sofa for an evening of holiday-themed movies. It wasn’t the most exciting night of my life, but I wasn’t looking for excitement. I just wanted to relax after an exhausting day. And I wanted to see Gavin. To hear his voice and see his sexy smirk when he was being charming and playful.
Which was pretty much always.
I was halfway through a royal holiday romance when the doorbell rang, pulling me from the gold-plated fantasy of Christmas with a prince. I glanced at the time on my phone and frowned, because nearly everyone who would stop by unannounced was snuggled up with their significant others. Drew was probably at the hospital, doing a horrible job at ignoring the highly competent and endlessly energetic Zola. And Gavin was somewhere on the east coast, promoting his number-one album.