Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 94903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Just as I’m about to ask if she has anything to add—for no reason other than to include her in the conversation—the door to the mudroom flings open.
“Hey, Mr. Marshall. Miss me?” Neve says, her curly red hair bouncing against her shoulders.
“Terribly.”
She laughs as she prances around the room until she’s standing behind Kennedy. “You must be the babysitter.”
Megan laughs. “It’s nice to meet you, Neve.”
I groan. “Not you with the babysitter crap too.”
“Well, I’m the best friend,” Neve says, pleased with herself for irritating me. “I would say I’m Mr. Marshall’s favorite non-relative, but”—she makes a point of looking at Megan before returning her gaze to me—“I think that’s probably not true these days.”
Kennedy pushes her head back against Neve’s stomach.
“Neve,” I say, ignoring Megan’s stare, “pretend you have manners, okay?”
“Sure thing, boss. Moving on, I bet you’re wondering why I’m here.”
“You know—I’m not, really.” I just wish you’d leave.
Neve sighs. “I’ll cut to the chase. No pun intended.” She giggles at her joke. “Can Kennedy please, please, please come over today?’
“Please, Dad?”
“Mom said she’ll bring her home tonight—whenever you want,” Neve promises. “And we’ll be on time because I know you got a little upset when we were, like, five minutes late last time.”
I snort. “Five minutes, Neve? Are we just lying outright now, or what?”
“Fine. Thirty-five or whatever it was.”
“It was forty-five, and none of you, including your mother, answered your phones.”
Megan grimaces.
“Do you have any fun facts about tardiness?” I ask her.
She shakes her head. “Don’t pull me into this one. You’re handling it fine on your own.”
“Oh, come on,” Kennedy says. “Where’s the girl bond now?”
“Are you girl bonding with someone besides me?” Neve asks, gasping. “I’m shocked.”
Megan laughs. “I just knew that math killed someone once. I’m not here to steal your best friend, Neve. Relax.”
She stands tall. “I would hope not. We’ve been through it together.”
“Been through it? Through what?” I ask. “You’re fourteen.”
“Can we not point out how old I am for the fourteen hundredth time this week?” Kennedy fake cries. “Will this stop when I’m fifteen, or will you just change the language?”
Megan lifts a finger. “Okay, I’m going to chime in here. She has a point, Chase.”
“Whose side are you on?” I ask, dropping my jaw.
Her smile could defuse a bomb. “No sides. I’m on a balcony over here as an unbiased third party.”
I intend on flipping my attention back on the girls. There’s still a battle to be fought, after all. But the rosiness in Megan’s cheeks, the sparkle in her eyes—the hint of debauchery hidden in her sweet grin—distracts me.
Focus, Chase. Don’t go there.
I clear my throat.
Megan turns away. “What are you two wanting to do this afternoon? What do teenagers do for fun in Peachwood Falls?”
“Nothing,” Neve says, wrinkling her nose. “There’s nothing to do in Peachwood Falls.”
“We’ll probably just hang out. We won’t be making videos,” Kennedy says, side-eyeing me. “We might … do our nails. Who knows?”
I fire Kennedy a warning glare to remind her I wasn’t playing. If she makes any more half-clothed videos for social media, she’ll not have a phone until she moves out of this house.
A horn beeps in the distance.
“Fine,” I say, giving in. “Go. Be home before six.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Kennedy hops up and kisses me on the cheek. “You’re the best.”
“Six. Not six oh one.”
“Got it.” Kennedy follows Neve to the door, sticking tight to her heels. “See you later, Megan.”
“It was nice to meet you, Megan,” Neve calls out.
“Bye, girls.”
The door closes swiftly as if they’re afraid I’ll change my mind.
As soon as we’re alone, the air shifts. Shadows dance across the tabletop. Megan’s jasmine perfume scents the air, and my body temperature rises.
I struggle to remember our conversation yesterday. I remind myself that my child—the same one that occupied the seat next to me a minute ago—is my priority. Over and over, I replay all the reasons I can’t afford to get off track.
Why I can’t touch Megan Kramer.
My muscles tighten in my stomach and across the back of my neck as I lift my gaze from the tabletop to her.
She grins. It’s simple, but when coupled with the heat in her eyes, nothing about it is sweet. “That was fun.”
I hold her gaze, unable to look away.
This is the first day, Chase. Twenty-nine more to go. Don’t blow it already.
I smirk and push away from the table.
I need to put some distance between us before things get really fun.
Chapter Thirteen
Megan
“Coffee?”
Chase’s chair screeches against the floor as he pushes away from the table. He doesn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he heads to the coffee pot like a man on a mission.
His question throws me. Do I want coffee? It’s almost noon.
“I guess …” I shrug when he looks over his shoulder. “I mean, it’s lunchtime, but I won’t turn down coffee.”