Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79800 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
I take a minute to think about his words, but I don’t need to. There is only one thing that’s changed in my life, and that’s Eden. I look forward to the days she’s at my place, and we’ve been adding a joint weekly visit to the children’s home. Everything with Eden is just… easy.
We’re friends, and it’s new for me—having a female friend. Is she gorgeous? Hell, yes, she is, but she’s also someone I know that I can talk to. Someone who understands my background, and I hers. It’s comforting in a way I never knew I needed.
Pulling out of my thoughts, I stand and make my way to the kitchen in time to see Reid place Coral in her highchair. Camden rushes to her and smiles big as Bellamy places the smash cake in front of her. I didn’t know what that was until Camden was born, but it makes sense. Let the birthday girl have her own cake and keep little digits out of the one that everyone will be eating.
Unless you can’t keep Camden out of it, or Landry, for that matter. I guess it’s not just for little digits. I chuckle to myself. My eyes quickly roam around the room, and everyone is watching me, even Coral, I’m guessing because everyone else is.
“What?” I shrug.
Corie, who doesn’t even look like she had a baby just mere weeks ago, comes bouncing over and wraps an arm around my waist. She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t have to. She sees it—they all see it—but I can’t tell them. My time with Eden is mine—well, unless we’re at the children’s home. I’m not ready for outside influence to interrupt.
Bellamy starts us off, and we all sing to Coral. She smiles, hamming up the attention, and by the time we’re done, she’s already poking her little fingers into her cake and shoving them into her mouth.
My chest tightens. I love these little humans, and their parents. We all call each other family, but they don’t know what that means to me when I say it. Eden’s voice is in my head, urging me to tell them about my past, and I think that one day, I will. Just not today. Today is baby Coral’s birthday, and Reid and Bellamy are celebrating their anniversary in a few days. I won’t take that from them, but soon. I need to tell them soon.
I feel so much lighter, not hiding that part of myself with Eden. Is it possible to have complete freedom from the chains of my past? Fuck, I don’t even know what that would feel like, but with each day that passes, I want it more and more. I crave it.
“How long has it been since we’ve done this?” Reid asks.
“Honestly, I think it was the day I found out about Cam,” Baker says.
We’re at Landry’s place, playing poker, and they’re right—it’s been far too long since we got together, just the five of us. All the ladies and kids are at Knox and Corie’s house. It’s been nice to chill with the guys. I love their families, but guy time, as we used to call it, is nice, as well.
“You’re right.” Knox nods. “It’s been too damn long.”
“We need to get back into this, at least in the offseason,” Landry says. “I know my wife was all too happy to have a girls’ night.”
“Mine, too,” Reid adds. “But I think we should take the kids some, too, you know,” he says, shrugging. “Give them a break, as well.”
“And then a night with babysitters, so when they decide to go to the bar, we can follow them and keep a lookout,” Baker adds.
“They’re big girls,” I remind them. “They’re all capable of taking care of themselves.” I feel like the ladies need to be represented here. On the flip side of that, if it were my woman, I’d be there, too, but I don’t have a woman, so I’m the voice for the ladies in the family.
“How much are they paying you to say that?” Landry asks. “It was my wife, wasn’t it?”
I toss my head back in laughter. “No, but I can see her saying those exact words. Honestly, though, I don’t blame you. I’d want to watch over my wife, as well.” The words slip out as I chuckle, but the room goes quiet.
Ah, hell.
“You never talk about her, your ex,” Baker says, his voice low.
“It was a long time ago.”
“What was her name?” Landry asks.
I hesitate, then decide why the hell not. These guys are my family. Rowan also has a similar background to Eden and to me, and they welcomed her with open arms. I know deep down, they’d never turn me away, but rejection and me, we’re not friends. Not after living a lifetime of it.