Page 36 of Demo

“If Richard does come back, I get to punch him first.”

Demo barked out a laugh and pulled her tighter against him. His warm breath caressed her hair and forehead. “Deal.”

Demo: I didn’t like not seeing you today.

Paige: I know what you mean. This week has been crazy busy. You’ll never convince me the club didn’t have a hand in all my additional appointments. I am extremely grateful, but it also means less time with you and the boys.

Demo: How about I pick up the boys from Cindy’s tomorrow and we join you for lunch at the clinic? What time do you have free?

Paige: Really? You would do that? Oh, it’s so tempting, Demo! It’s not that I don’t trust you with them, but they don’t really know you. I’m not sure how they would handle being in the car with you like that.

Demo: I do mean to change that soon. I want the boys to get to know me. But you’re right. They don’t know me like they do Lucky. So how about LUCKY picks them up from Cindy’s and brings them to the clinic to have lunch with us? If you and they are fine with it after the meal, I’ll take them back to Cindy’s or we have Lucky come back to pick them up.

Paige: That sounds amazing, Demo, but I don’t want to put Lucky out. He has his own job and responsibilities.

Demo: I’m sure he won’t have an issue with it. If you want, I can text him or you can.

Paige: Let me think about it. I love the idea, but I think maybe we should put a pin in it until after the boys get to know you better.

Demo: How about we take them out this weekend? There’s plenty to do around town or we can take them out of town and get a hotel room for the night. Don’t worry—I promise not to ravage their mother. If you’re not comfortable sharing a hotel room, I’ll get an adjoining room to you guys.

Paige: [heart emoji] I love that idea. Why don’t we stay here this weekend and plan for an overnight trip in the future?

Demo: Sounds like a plan! Anything specific you want to do? I think Mabel is offering cookie decorating this weekend. That would be fun to do with the boys. If I remember correctly, it’s $10/cookie kit. We could do dinner afterwards.

Demo: It’s either this weekend or next. I need to double check.

Demo: I overheard some of the others wanting to take the club kids to it.

Demo: Paige?

Paige: I’m here. It sounds really fun, Demo, but I’m not sure I can do that right now. It might not sound like much to you but $30 is a lot for me right now. No doubt the boys are going to want drinks too. Plus dinner afterwards? Maybe if we did just one of those.

Demo: Slow down, beautiful. I asked you and the boys out. I’ll be paying. You never have to question about who is going to be paying the bill with me. I told you this. When you’re with me, you’re covered.

Paige: I wasn’t sure if that included the boys. It really shouldn’t. They’re my responsibility.

Paige: I appreciate the offer. I just don’t think it’s feasible right now.

Demo: What’s going on? Tell me what changed in the last 10 minutes to have you questioning who would be paying on our date?

Paige: Nothing. I just don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of you.

Demo: Can’t take advantage of what’s freely given, Paige.

Demo: You and the boys are a package deal. I get that. I support that. I WANT that. I would never pay for you and not the boys or vice versa. When we’re out, all 4 of us or just the 2 of us, I’m paying. End of story.

Paige: You shouldn’t have to. I should be able to pay for my own kids.

Demo: I don’t view it as HAVING to. I view it as GETTING to.

Demo: Talk to me, beautiful. What’s going through that pretty head of yours?

Paige: Pretty sure I’d be curled up in a fetal position with a tub of Rocky Road and a bottle of gin if I broke open that dam.

Paige: Sorry. That was a weird thing to say.

Paige: Demo?

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