AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Eight
Alex
After I’d left Lexi staring after me, I’d returned to my apartment and taken a shower. I’d fallen asleep wondering if she was thinking about me, or was Ralph on her mind? I sure hoped it was the memory ofmykiss that she dwelled on.
Thursday had been a busy day, and I’d been down at the office helping with the last of the training materials for the upcoming class. I ended up meeting up with Jump again for dinner and got home around ten that night.
Friday arrived and I was once again at the main office and then left from there to get Veronica. Annie opened the door when I arrived, and even though my chest ached a little as I took in the sight of her beautiful face, it didn’t hurt as much as it usually did. Maybe I was finally getting over her after ten years of being divorced.
“Hey, Dad!” Nica threw herself into my arms.
I kissed her head, inhaling the scent of her fresh shampoo. “Hey, kiddo. You ready for a fun weekend?”
“I am,” she said as she stepped back, grinning. “Are we still going to the aquarium tomorrow?”
“Yep, it looks like the snow is going to hold off until Saturday evening. Did you pack boots? If we get as much snow as they call for Saturday night, we might have enough to build a snowman on Sunday.” I paused, my forehead lining. “Or are you too old to make snowmen?”
Nica laughed, her gray eyes twinkling. “I’ll never be too old to build a snowman, Dad. Let me go grab them.” Nica took off, and Annie and I stared at one another.
“Thanks for watching her this weekend,” Annie said softly.
“Annie, I told you I’d take her anytime. She’s my daughter. I’d like to start seeing her more often.”
“It’s not as easy as you think, Alex. You live forty-five minutes away, and she has tumbling and cheerleading practice every night.”
“But she’s missing it this weekend.”
“Yes, because we are going away. This is competition season, and she can’t miss any more practices for a couple of months. As it is, her coach gave me all kinds of grief for missing this weekend, but Patrick and I have had this wedding on our calendar for months.”
“I can’t believe her coach gave you a hard time. That seems a little overbearing, Annie. Are you sure this is good for her, and it’s not causing too much stress on her?”
“Trust me, Alex, she thrives on the busy schedule. She reminds me a lot of you. She hates to sit around and not do anything. She’s much happier running from one thing to the next. And she loves to compete.”
“When does she compete next?”
“Why?” she asked leerily.
“Because I’d like to watch her. Or is that so hard for you to believe?”
She shook her head. “No, I just didn’t think you’d be interested.”
“Annie, I know I wasn’t around before, but I’m here now, and other than traveling once in a while for a couple weeks at a time, I’m going to be here. I’d like to know what’s going on in her life so I can be a part of that.”
“Alright, then I’ll send you her schedule.”
Nica returned, boots and snow pants in hand. “I’m ready.” She kissed her mom goodbye, and I nodded to Annie as we walked out the door.
“I’m so excited to go to the aquarium,” she said as she climbed in the front seat and got belted. “I’ve been wanting to see the new shark tunnel.”
“I heard it’s pretty nice.”
For most of the ride, I listened to Nica talk about the aquarium. We were getting closer to my apartment when she turned the conversation around to me. “Do you like your new job?”
“I do. It’s a lot of work, but it’s doing stuff I enjoy.”
“Yeah, and not in a war zone.”
“True.”
