Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
I grinned. “I am.” And I would tell him all about it soon.
“Daddy, I’m sleepy,” Lily whined.
“I know, baby, but you can fall asleep again in Daddies’ bed as soon as we’re done singing to him.” I inspected the breakfast trays while she glued herself to my leg. Okay, let’s see. Avocado toast, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, toast with preserves, some blueberry muffins, fresh coffee, strawberries—the toaster waffles popped up right then and there, so Dylan placed them on the tray with the most space available. Apple wedges, some cheese, Lily’s grapes, which were her latest obsession, milk, OJ, and whipped cream. “I think we’re ready.”
Lily yawned. “I’ve never seen Daddy sleep.”
Oh, she had, but it’d been quite a while.
“Everyone, grab your gifts.” I handed over one tray to Hallie and one to Dylan. Then I picked up the biggest one, and we walked out of the kitchen. Well, Lily tagged along, planted firmly on my right foot. I exchanged a quick look with Hallie and Micah in the hallway before I started singing. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…”
The kids filed in, with Micah singing louder than everyone.
Ash was stirring and rolling over.
“Happy birthday, dear Dad…happy birthday to you!”
Lily bolted for the pullout and jumped up on it. “Wake up, Daddy. It’s your birthday! I wanna sleep!”
He rumbled a drowsy chuckle and yanked the girl to him. “You’re gonna sleep on my birthday? Huh?”
“Yes!”
“Let’s make room for breakfast and gifts, everyone.” Unless we wanted breakfast trays to go flying, I had to be strict here. So while the children wished Ash a happy birthday, I directed where they could sit and where the trays went.
Ash dragged himself up to lean back against the cushions, Lily ended up next to him, I took my spot on my side, where I could keep two trays, and Dylan, Micah, and Hallie shared the lower half.
“Ain’t this a sight for sore eyes,” Ash murmured.
“How old are you now, Daddy?” Lily asked.
“He’s forty-six!” Micah answered.
Lily nodded once. “Four and six. That’s not a lot. I’m a five.”
“Your math is flawless.” Ash kissed the top of her head.
I chuckled and handed him his coffee.
“Don’t we need plates?” Hallie asked.
“I’m doing laundry after this birthday madness, so go nuts,” I answered. I had my first patient at nine, and I intended to get a whole list of crap done before then.
“We’re starting with my gift,” Dylan said. “Hallie’s just gonna outshine us anyway. Happy birthday, Dad.”
“No one’s outshinin’ anyone in this family,” Ash replied. He accepted the box and gave it the mandatory shake. “Well, it ain’t china.”
Micah snorted. “You can’t fit a country in there.”
I grinned and took a sip of my own coffee. “Go on—get something to eat, kids.”
Lily dove for the bowl of grapes.
Dylan bit into a waffle, providing the bed with its first round of crumbs. “I know you don’t really go for the golf brands, so I figured this was safe.”
Ash unboxed a new ball cap and smiled widely. Yeah, the Eagles sure worked.
“Fan-fucking-tastic.” He put it on backward, which was just sexy as hell on him. My bad boy. “Thank you, son. This means a lot. Theo’s been givin’ me shit about my old one.”
Ah, the famous Sweat Brim.
“My turn!” Micah declared around a mouthful of scrambled eggs.
That seemed to inspire Ash, who snatched up a strip of bacon. “It’s perfect.”
I smiled and leaned in quick for a kiss, because I fucking could.
He smiled back.
Dylan smirked, too cool to show that he was happy. But Ash and I had seen it last night. He was relieved.
We hadn’t had the opportunity to sit down with him and Hallie properly yet, so we’d decided that I was gonna talk to Hallie after school, and Ash was going to talk to Dylan since he was stopping by Ash’s work later. That way, we could tell everyone about the house tonight at dinner.
“Happy birthday, Dad.” Micah handed over his gift.
The gift was admittedly hilarious, and he’d thought of it all on his own. I’d been impressed by his creativity.
Ash opened the box to find six golf balls that Micah had doodled on. Aside from critters and trees and shining suns, each one had some funny words.
He cracked up when he read my two favorites. “‘Ouch, that hurts,’” he laughed. “‘Please don’t hit me!’”
Micah beamed.
“You’re too funny, sweetheart. Thank you. Who’s next? Gimme all the gifts.”
Lily snickered and extended hers. “I made it.”
We loved the homemade gifts, even if they came with a fuck-ton of glitter. Like hers usually did. She’d decorated a picture frame, and I’d helped her pick out a photo of her and Ash.
He knew the drill too. He opened the wrapping carefully and didn’t tilt it so the glitter wouldn’t drop in his lap. It wasn’t his first rodeo.
“Would you look at that.” He smiled at the photo of the two of them. I’d taken it when we’d been on one of our road trips. Lily was on Ash’s back and pretending to be an airplane while Ash ran around. “It’s us, princess.”