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She is. I just never thought I’d be standing in our family home talking to my kids about a woman other than their mother. I thought I’d be telling them to treat their wives—and soon to be wives—with respect. To be loyal their whole lives.
Not discussing my fucking dating life.
Not confessing that I brought a woman home and fucked her until my cock nearly fell off.
Or tried to.
Also, I amnotmentioning that part.
“You met her?” Knox frowns as Levi steps farther into the room.
I hold up my hands before Atlas can launch into a description of Penelope on my lap wearing my clothes.
“He arrived before she left. Boys, it was just breakfast.”
“Ah, yeah, I don’t think it was just breakfast.” Atlas narrows his eyes at my downright lie, and I want to kick myself. “Unless she goes around wearing men’s trackpants.”
Fuck.
Knox crosses his arms.
Levi does the same thing.
Then Bella walks in. “What am I missing?”
“Dad is dating,” Knox declares.
When my little girl's face drops, I feel my heart break and everything I’ve been trying to protect them from comes crashing down.
CHAPTER NINE
PENELOPE
I HUG MY MOTHER ASshe greets me at the door.
“Why has it been almost two weeks since I saw you?” She rubs my back in the way only a mom can.
I melt into her embrace and close my eyes.
I’ve regretted saying those words to Ward for two long weeks now.
I could fall in love with a man like you.
Pride is kicking my ass.
Not that I didn’t mean it, but I didn’t have to spit it out. The fact he didn’t stop me, call, message... I’m glad. I’m alsonotglad.
I guess it's true that women are complicated and impossible to please. I can’t even figure myself out.
All I’ve done is go to work and then head home to nurse what I guess is a bit of a broken heart.
Which is silly. I slept with Ward twice.
Two nights.
One breakfast.
And one emotionally unavailable man.