Page 28 of Love Me Like It's Real
Hayworth, on a bed covered in chocolate? Sign me the fuck up.
Plus, the girls look so happy with this arrangement they’ve even forgotten about their quarrel. I could do with some peace at home even if my insides are at war with my very own being.
NINE
HAYWORTH
Well, that happened!
Somehow I have a date with the man of my fantasies. And yeah, while I may have pushed his fantasy aside in lieu of my sanity, you can bet his sweet ass he’s come right back front and center in my mind as soon as I walked out of the café with Wells.
And despite his ribbing, Felix is the only thing I can think about for the rest of the day, especially after Elsa texts me from her dad’s phone to tell me to pick him up tonight at eight.
I accept before I even check my schedule, but screw it. Work can wait if I can be deep inside Felix by the end of the night, can’t it?
“If you want my opinion—” Wells says later when we’ve both stopped at Mom’s for coffee and a decent cake because Special Blend’s cakes were…anexperience!
“I don’t,” I say.
“Well, I’m gonna give it to you anyway.”
“That’s what he said,” I mutter when I catch my mom sighing and rolling her eyes in the kitchen.
“I think you should ditch,” Wells says.
“What? No. Why? I thought you’d be the first to tell me to go get me some.”
He presses his lips together and shakes his head. “Yeah, but he’s a dad. You don’t want that kind of complication.”
“‘Complication’? We’re just having sex,” I say.
Wells shrugs. “I don’t know, man. He’s a dad. Kids complicate everything. And he probably is more interested in finding another dad for the girls than getting some.”
“You two are driving me nuts.” Mom approaches with the tray of coffee and three servings of key lime pie to pass around, making my mouth water before I’ve even taken a good whiff of the black gold. “When will you two grow up and start talking like adults?”
“We are adults, Mrs. H,” Wells answers.
“No. You’re teenagers. And act like it too.”
“Him more than me.” I point at Wells, laughing.
But Mom isn’t amused. “That’s exactly what I mean. You can’t be serious for two seconds. Sometimes I wonder how you tie your shoelaces.”
“Hey!” Both Wells and I exclaim.
Mom puts her hands up and chuckles. “Then of course I remember neither of you can make a decent cup of coffee so we’re back to square one.”
“You’re in a mood today,” I tell her and she grimaces at me before she runs her hand through her short hair, which is a soft shade of blue this week, although if I know her, she’s got plans this weekend for another refresh.
“I’m only in a mood around you!” she says and purses her lips together in a sneaky grin.
“Aren’t I lucky then?” I take the cup of coffee and warm my hands while inhaling the aroma of hazelnut and dreams before I take a careful sip.
“So who’s the unlucky chap?” she asks.
“Felix. He’s got two girls,” I say and then I blink as if I’ve just woken up. “Hey, you probably know them. They’re elementary school age.”
Mom raises her eyebrow and pouts.
