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Sixth Months of Heaven
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Asking for a Friend Tiny Dancer
MARISSALayton also threw himself deeper into his commitment to our family. He started driving Annie to school sometimes or offering to pick her up. He took her fishing a few more times and taught her how to play catch.Our lives together was everything I was ever too afraid to hope for. Watching him watch her recital now, tears burned the backs of my eyes.His eyes still hadn’t left the stage for so much as second and I could see the pride he was feeling, I felt it too. He was so much better of a father to Annie than Brice ever could have been. And he stepped into that role gracefully and seriously.I wondered if he would bolt when he eventually realized she was starting to look at him as her dad, but he’d done the complete opposite. On the contrary, he freaking loved being her ‘dad.’The final notes of the recital ended, the girls all dipping into low bows as the hall exploded in applause. Parents leaped to their feet and Layton and I joined them.“She was fantastic,” he yelled into
Asking for a Friend Epilogue Part 1
LAYTONIn the past two months since Annie’s first ballet recital, there had been three more. Which were four more recitals than I ever thought I would attend. Or actually enjoy.But I did enjoy them. I enjoyed them so much I was even starting to consider myself something of an expert in ballet. I knew was arabesque meant, what pas de deux was, and that attitude referred to a position in classical ballet, and not a little girl shaking her finger in your face.I watched Annie practicing every night, since I had now officially moved in with them. So officially that there was a tenant renting my place and everything. Marissa didn’t know it yet, but I had been looking at houses for us online for the last couple of weeks.Most of my furniture was now in storage since our house wasn’t big enough for all my furniture and all of Marissa’s. I didn’t love the thought of my stuff gathering dust in a storage unit and I wanted us to have a place that was truly ours, not mine or hers.I had to wait
Asking for a Friend Epilogue Part 2
LAYTONIt was still early, the sun wasn’t even fully risen yet. Annie and I had both snuck out of bed early this morning to make this breakfast. Marissa was fast asleep, lying on her side on the bed.Annie set down the tray and the glass and shook Marissa’s shoulders. “Mommy! Wake up Mommy! We have a surprise for you.”Marissa’s eyes blinked open slowly, confusion clouding them until she rubbed it away as she sat up and took in the scene in front of her. “What’s all this?”“We’re celebrating,” I told her. “I spoke to Craig earlier. They’re on their way to the site for the final clean up. The building’s finally done.”Her lips curled into a sleepy smile. “I can’t believe that it’s over. It’s really all done?”“It’s really all done,” I confirmed, picking up the tray and placing her plate on it on her lap. “Eat up, we’ve got a lot of celebrating ahead of us today.”“Shouldn’t I be the one feeding you breakfast in bed for this?” She asked, frowning slightly. Lifting up the duvet, she patt
Asking for a Friend Freezing
LAYTONThe ground was frozen beneath my feet, crunching under the soles of my shoes as I walked onto the construction site. It was freezing out and we had at least another couple of months left before we’d get any respite from the cold.As a Boston boy, born and bred, I was used to the cold. Didn’t mean I had to like it, though. My cheeks burned when a sudden gust of wind blew through the tunneling on the site that would soon be unveiled as the newest museum ready to be added to Boston’s collection.Reaching up, I rearranged the scarf around my neck and tucked my chin into it. Moving to warmer climates sure felt like a great idea right around now.Maybe my dad had a point by spending most of his time down in Texas. A little sunshine never hurt anyone. Dad always said he would’ve gone mad if he had to stay in Boston year round. Dad.Fuck. It was hard to believe he was really gone.Shoving my gloved hands into my pockets, I released a heavy sigh. It was too easy to just believe he was
Asking for a Friend Dear Old Dad
LAYTONFamiliar nausea spread from the pit of my stomach. It couldn’t be. Before I signed off on any of my designs, I double checked every inch of the building.Fuck, not even double checked. I triple checked. And then I checked one last time just in case. The city trusted me to add something permanent to its face. It was a responsibility I took seriously. “You’re kidding. They were perfect.”Craig shook his head glumly. “They’re angled just shy of ninety degrees. Go check them.”I did just that. Hurrying to the corner to my left, the one closest to me, I wished I had some of my own tools with me to check, but I was going to have to trust my own two eyes for now. If I needed to, I could always come back later with the proper equipment.Dropping down into a crouch, I squinted at the corner just as I heard bellowing laughter from Craig. “I’m fucking with you, man. Shit, you should have seen the look on your face. It was epic.”“Epic was that prank we pulled on Dave when we told him abou
Asking for a Friend Morning Routine
MARISSA“Eggs will be ready in five!” I called out, cracking a couple into the sizzling hot pan on the stove in front of me. “And you better have brushed those teeth young lady. I’ll know if you haven’t.”Annie’s giggles echoed down the hallway as she rushed into the bathroom. “I’m doing it now, Mommy! I’ll be ready before the eggs.”For a six-year-old, Annie was surprisingly good about being on time. I counted that as one of my many blessings with my little girl. She was an absolute angel who hardly ever gave me a tough time.True to her word, she came bouncing into the kitchen just as the egg whites started bubbling. She ran right up to my side and gave me a hug around my hips before going to stand in front of the counter next to me.I lifted her up on the counter and as soon as her bum hit the surface, she reached for the salt shaker next to her and handed it over to me. This was our routine every morning, Annie sitting on the counter and helping me cook breakfast.“Did you really
Asking for a Friend Blonde Beauties
MARISSA“Hello my blonde beauties!” Denise’s voice rang out from the hall before she turned the corner into the kitchen.The fuzzy purple hat sitting on top of her fiery red hair was dotted with white snowflakes. She’d pulled off her coat already and was working on her gloves as she flicked on the kettle and plopped down in her seat for breakfast. “Man, is it coming down out there. I’m frozen.”“And apparently you’ve taken a dislike to knocking and doorbells,” I told her, unable to help the smile pulling at my lips. I loved that she felt so at home here she no longer knocked, but I had to give her at least a little grief about it.Rolling her olive green eyes, she piled some egg onto her fork and bypassed my comment. “Why are all men the same?”“They can’t help it. It’s because of their—” I trailed off, suddenly remembering Annie was in the room with us. “Anatomy. It’s because they’re so much bigger.”Denise winked at me, but then she sighed. “Bigger, yeah. Got you. Still, guys suck.”
Asking for a Friend Another Reminder
LAYTONLike most people, I wasn’t particularly fond of lawyers. My father’s lawyer, specifically, was a piece of work. There was a reason the two of them got along so well. They were both stubborn and stoic men who believed the world belonged at their feet.Going to the office of Clayton Reeve was not an errand I was looking forward to, but it had to be done. Dad’s estate had to be wound up and Clayton was the one entrusted with making it happen.But apparently he needed my signature on a couple of things before he could do his job. When his assistant called me to set up the appointment, she told me to get there at ten sharp.Glancing down at my watch, a bulky silver thing that was a gift to myself when I finished my first project, I saw I still had some time before I was expected at Clayton’s office. The financial district was the nerve center of business in downtown Boston, and naturally, it was where the lawyer’s office was located.Given that half the people who worked in the area
Latest chapter
- Asking for a Friend Epilogue Part 2
- Asking for a Friend Epilogue Part 1
- Asking for a Friend Tiny Dancer
- Asking for a Friend Sixth Months of Heaven
- Asking for a Friend Living the Dream
- Asking for a Friend We're a Family
- Asking for a Friend Tasting Him
- Asking for a Friend Raw
- Asking for a Friend Prove It To Her
