Page 37 of Forever Player

Skylar:Well, maybe you need to reconsider that. Like I told you, every pot has a lid and we clearly know Brett’s lid fits your pot.

Me:You’re terrible.

Skylar:No, I’m a friend who wants to see you happy, and you need a good railing, Willow. A vibrator is fun but it doesn’t compare to the real thing.

Me:I have to be careful with Brett.

Skylar:You can be careful and still get to know your baby daddy.

I do need to get to know Brett better for Maylee’s sake, but that shouldn’t include orgasms. I’m scared of what all this means. I don’t know about happy ever afters. They don’t exist in my world. I can’t even allow myself to go there.

Skylar:I know it can be scary. I was terrified when Liam showed up out of nowhere and shook up my world, but he tore down my walls in the best way and I would never go back.

Me:I don’t think my story has that kind of ending.

Skylar:You’re the author of your own life. You get to choose.

Me:Thanks for talking, babe. My head is spinning. I don’t know what I want.

Skylar:Keep me posted and take some risks.

I mull over her words and then fall asleep, hoping not to dream about the burly hockey player in my family room, but that isn’t what happens.

CHAPTERSEVEN

Brett

After dinner with Willow, Jacob, Lev, and their mom, I head upstairs to shower for my night out with Willow while Jacob watches my daughter play in her floor gym. I can’t figure out her family dynamics yet. She seems close with her brothers but in different ways. Jacob seems to be the one who worries about the family and carries that load on his shoulders, kind of like I do with mine. Lev keeps more to himself, but I can see that he feels protective of Willow and Maylee. It almost feels like he doesn’t trust me. Not that I blame him. They clearly thought it was me who wrote Willow that awful text message. Then there is her mother. She seems to love Willow and Maylee and she is all hearts in her eyes when she is close to my daughter, but she doesn’t seem to be very helpful with much. She’s more focused on her own life. It gives me the feeling Willow and Maylee may have spent long boring days in this house on their own, and I don’t like it. Back home in New York there are all kinds of things for new moms to do with their babies, and there is also the possibility Willow wants to return to her job. I’ll need to find all those things out at some point. I want tonight to be about fun and letting lose, but with limited time on my hands, I need answers.

After my shower, I get dressed in Maylee’s nursery since she is downstairs. Not sure what to wear to a small-town bar, I go for a pair of jeans and a black thermal shirt I had packed since the clothes Maddie sent haven’t arrived yet. I use some hair gunk to slick my hair back. It probably won’t stay slick for long as my hair dries and my curls fight the serum. I also dab on some cologne in the crook of my neck.

When I leave the room to head downstairs, I bump into Willow’s mom. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” She smiles, watching me appreciatively.

“Thank you, ma’am,” I say, a little uncomfortable from the attention she is dishing out.

“Don’t ma’am me. I’m not that old.” She laughs.

“I’m going to check on Willow.” I spin around feeling uncomfortable and walk over to Willow’s door. No wonder Willow has trust issues. Her mother just hit on me and I’m the father of her daughter’s child. I wince.

I knock on Willow’s bedroom door. “Hey, you almost ready?”

“Yeah,” she calls back. “Give me a few.”

“’Kay,” I say.

I head downstairs and wait for her there. While I’m waiting, I take a glass of water and gulp it down since my hot shower left me feeling dehydrated.

“Jacob, you’re sure about this?” I hear Willow ask so I spin around.

My jaw drops.

Willow’s gaze connects with mine. She’s wearing a tight black sweater dress that hits her mid-thigh. It has a V-neck that plunges a little, showing off her full breasts. She is wearing skin-colored stockings and black cowboy boots.

“Brett?” she asks, and I realize I am frozen.

“Y-you look beautiful,” I stammer.

I side glance at Jacob, who is laughing at me from his perch on the floor beside Maylee.

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