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Nora’s nose scrunches up as she asks, “Aren’t there sick people in Florida?”
Well, shit.
“There are, but we have Popa B and Gram here. They’d miss us very much, and we’d miss them too.”
“Aren’t you gonna miss us very much too?” That question slays me.
“Of course I will.” I look at Whit, showing her I’m drowning, and she looks amused. Fuck it. “We can?—”
“You two, we’re going to ease our way into this, starting now, okay?” She leans down and peppers Nora’s little face with kisses before sitting back and smiling at her. “We’re married now, and that’s a pretty big change. It means when John Paul’s home, we’ll be spending time with him.”
I step in. “Lots of time. We’ll wake up and see each other in the morning, and nights, we’ll be together, like right now. We’ll make a calendar, so you’ll know where I am, and we’ll mark the days I’ll be back here with you both.”
Nora nods as she yawns … Whit yawns … and of course, I yawn.
“When you have school breaks and Mommy has time off from work, you can fly to see me and?—”
Nora sits straight up. “We can fly?”
Whit closes her eyes and slowly shakes her head. “You’ve done it now.”
“Yeah, little slugger. And when you have a school break and Mom has some time off, I’d love for you two to come watch a game and?—”
“Watch a game?!”
“Absolutely. I can’t wait to know my girls are in the stands, cheering me on.”
She sighs dramatically and flops back. “This is the best day ever.”
“We’re going to figure it all out, but not in one night. You need to get to sleep, and so do I.”
“What about my new daddy?” Nora asks squeezing one of her stuffies tight.
“Can you call me that too?” I whisper to Whit and get an elbow to the stomach before addressing Nora. “Tomorrow night, you’re gonna be with me until Mom gets out of work. We’ll get started working on that calendar.”
Whit stays in with Nora until she falls asleep while I check all the doors and windows, making sure they’re locked, and I get busy changing the sheets on our bed—mine and hers—in Mom’s room, which is ours for now.
“You good?” Whit asks from behind me.
I look over my shoulder and toss the pillow on the bed. “Yeah, better now that you’re here.”
“I’m gonna use the bathroom and …” She nods to the next door over.
“I’m not going anywhere, Whit.”
17
Sunday
After a very quick shower, I scrub all the makeup from my face with the environmentally friendly makeup removal washcloth that was in the gift basket of things Chloe and York gave me today, which they included Nora’s name on. Chloe’s a true artist with makeup and hair, and she looks like she walked out of a magazine, even on her bad days. But I just can’t imagine keeping up with that every single day. It took her an hour to do what she called the no-makeup makeup look and even longer to “soften” my natural waves. Don’t get me wrong; it looked amazing, but I just don’t see the point in it every day.
Manis and pedis once a month and waxing a few times a year? Count me in. Hair treatments once every couple months so that I can easily manage all this hair and therefore keep it long? I’ll never stop. But full-glam makeup? Not possible.
I hold up the white silk nightie and choke back a laugh because this was from Gram, and so was the matching robe.
I walk into the bedroom with all the confidence I can muster while wearing this ridiculous thing.
He’s lying on the bed, shirtless, his plump pecs and smooth skin covering all those muscles and valleys on full display. And that delicious V that disappears under the waistband of his black sweats, all right there. Even though they’re not fitted, they cannot hide Pope’s manhood. Quite simply, he’s stunning and hung.
