Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
The only thing missing from the collection were pictures that included Parker. That would have made them perfect.
Me: She’s adorable.
Me: Would it be okay if I used the sleeping picture as the background for my phone?
Parker: LOL. Yes, of course it would be okay.
Parker: Shit. Gotta go pick up Little Miss. TTYL.
Me: Miss You. [No. No. Delete that.] I love you and miss you both so much that I can’t sleep at night. [No. Delete. Delete. Delete.] Please come home. The house is a silent prison without you. [No. Now I’m becoming dramatic. This is what I get for talking to Rome. Delete. Delete.] Be careful.
Parker: [Sent picture of Joy and Parker]
The selfie appeared as if he’d taken it at the daycare. Joy was grinning big enough to reveal that she now had two bottom teeth.
Okay, now that one was my lock screen on my phone and the other bedtime photo was the background on the home screen for my phone.
Later that night…
Me: Would you be able to go over the potato recipe for Chef Donovan?
Parker: Huh? What potato recipe?
Me: Those potatoes you made that night you cooked for us. Chef Donovan made them tonight for dinner. They were not as good as yours.
Parker: [Long string of laughing emojis] 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Parker: You’re ridiculous.
Me: I’m very serious. Your potatoes are better. Can you message or email him?
Parker: Absolutely not. He’s a professional chef. I’m a hack. If I try to give him cooking advice, he’ll have a fit. He’ll quit.
Me: Your potatoes are still better.
Parker: Go to bed. It’s late and you need sleep.
I almost typed that I also slept better when he was in my bed, but I was afraid I was pushing my luck.
Next day…
Me: Could you help me with something?
Parker: What’s up?
Every time Parker answered within a couple of minutes of my text, my hopes inched up another notch. If I could keep him talking to me, reminding him of how good we were together, he might give me another shot.
Me: I need help selecting a tie.
Parker: Why aren’t you at work? It’s after nine. Your minions have got to be freaking out. Mrs. Turner can’t hold them back for long.
Me: I’m at work already.
I sent him two selfies I’d taken earlier that morning. These were the best of the three dozen pictures I’d taken. In one, I was wearing a silver-and-blue striped tie. The other was black with hints of burgundy and gold. I knew he liked both because he’d commented on them when I’d only been seeing him for sex.
Parker: Oooooh…my favorites. Big meeting today?
Me: Board meeting.
Parker. Ah. Wear the blue one. You’re too sexy in the red one. The Board wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Me: Does that mean I can wear the red one only for you?
I held my breath. Had I gone too far? Pushed too much?
Parker: Flirt. Behave.
Parker: Have fun with your meeting. I’ve got a full diaper and a messy face waiting for me.
I’d never thought it possible, but right then, I would have traded all future board meetings for one more of Joy’s stinky diapers.
The next day I texted him asking for lunch suggestions.
The day after that, we discussed if I should try a new hairstyle. Parker was vehemently against it, so I got my usual haircut.
And the day after that, Parker sent me an adorable picture of Joy. But the text message was even better.
Parker: Would you be free to go out on a date with me on Saturday?
26
PARKER CAIN
When I picked Declan up for our date, I wasn’t sure which of us was more nervous. Yeah, we’d fucked countless times and we’d lived together, but something in my head shouted that this was my last chance to put us on the right foot. We’d done everything out of order and backward from the very beginning. If we were going to make this work, I needed us to do things properly just one time. After today, we could return to our usual chaos.
Declan answered the door instead of Franks. God, the man looked so fucking good. I’d texted him that he should dress casually. I was still a little stunned as he stepped outside in a pair of dark jeans and a white button-down shirt. The air had taken on a chill in the evenings, with more rain showers popping up. Summer was over, and fall was crawling into Cincinnati.
“Damn,” I whispered.
“What?”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to say that out loud. But really, baby, I think you got sexier, and that’s not fair.”
One corner of Declan’s mouth lifted in a near smirk. “Same for you. Did you lose some of the baby weight?”
A loud bark of laughter escaped me, and I stumbled a couple of steps. I hadn’t expected him to make such a great quip. “Yes! I had to fend for myself for a while. No more delicious Donovan food and endless snacks. I lost some of my dad bod.” I patted my mostly flat stomach, relieved that my clothes were fitting less snugly again.