Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
I hoped Octavia would stick around for a while, but I would not have blamed her if she went to the guesthouse. I wanted to know more about that ignorant ex of hers and see what more I could do to help.
“Daddy?” Aleesa raised the butterfly clip in the air, observing it in the night-light.
“Sí, princesa?”
“I like Tava.”
The center of my chest warmed. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. She my friend.”
I lifted my head to study her profile. Her eyelids were drooping, but she held on to the butterfly clip, twirling it in the air so the yellow wings could sparkle in the light.
“Is she Mommy?”
That caused my heartbeat to stutter. “No, amor. I told you who Mommy is. She is right over there.” I pointed at the photo tacked to the wall across the room. It was an image of Eloise while she was pregnant. I had taken it a week prior to her giving birth to Aleesa. Eloise had seemed perfectly fine then.
“Oh yeah.” Aleesa giggled. And the next thing she said shocked me a bit. “I wan’ Tava to be Mommy too.”
I swallowed thickly, trying to fight the emotion burning in my throat. I did not know what to even say to that, so I remained quiet.
Eventually Aleesa yawned, lowering her arms and turning over to snuggle in mine. I held her even tighter, staring at the image of Eloise while tears threatened to fall.
Twenty-Three
Octavia
I’d never been more thankful for having access to a hot tub than at this moment.
The water bubbled around me, creating a soothing roar that eased my racing thoughts and anxieties. I was still frazzled about Luther.
I couldn’t believe he’d found me. When I’d driven toward Javier’s house and seen him through the window, I’d thought I was going crazy. My whole body went into flight mode, and every alarm rang loudly in my brain.
I drove past the house, just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things, but when I circled around, I saw it was definitely him. He didn’t get a good look at me, so I don’t think he realized who I was. I also didn’t have the same car I’d had when we were together. How dare that asshole just show up like that? How did he even find me?
Seeing him triggered me in so many ways. I felt cut open and raw, as if Luther had taken a knife, sliced into my core, and allowed all my organs to spill. For a split second, I’d felt a panic attack coming on, but one glance in the visor mirror at Aleesa and I’d pulled it together as best I could and then called Javier.
Sighing, I picked up my sparkling water and took a sip. At least my hands had stopped shaking. I would’ve loved a nice, cold glass of wine, but I had plans for a four-hour drive the next day with a toddler. Plus, one glass of wine would’ve led to two, three, and so on—all so I could erase my darker thoughts.
I took a sweep of my surroundings, trying to center myself and be present in this moment. Focus on the things that catch your eye. That’s what my therapist often said.
If there was one thing I could say about Javier and his type A tendencies, it was that he had impeccable taste. His modern Spanish-style home was beautiful, but the pool and spa area were next level.
The hot tub was separated from the pool, of course, but not too far away was a seating area with plush black outdoor furniture and a propane firepit with glass panels and decorative silvery rocks.
A massive flat-screen was built into the wall across from the seating, and off to the left was a kitchen equipped with a gas stove, a grill, and an oven. My favorite, though, was the waterfall wall built into one end of the pool. His space was perfectly luxurious, and I soaked up every second of it to clear my mind.
I tipped my head back to look at the stars in the velvet, dark-blue sky. A thump sounded in the distance, and my breath hitched when a door clicked shut. A tall, solidly built silhouette appeared.
Javier walked toward the hot tub, wearing basketball shorts and a solid-white T-shirt. His hair looked like it had just dried and was a dark, beautiful mess atop his head.
When he stopped, he slipped his hands into his front pockets and gave me a thorough look.
“How are you?” he asked.
I twisted around in the water so I could anchor my forearms on the edge and allow my legs to float. “I’m okay. Thanks for asking.”
He was quiet for a moment, eyes drifting from my face to the curve of my ass poking out of the water. I’d gone to the guesthouse to change into a black bikini before hitting the hot tub. He clearly liked what he was seeing.