Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” I asked.
Kelsey quickly said, “Oh, I don’t think there’s enough lasagna if we want to have leftovers for tomorrow, Mason.”
Holy shit…could she be any ruder or more obvious?
Palmer clearly forced herself to smile. “I already ate anyway, but thank you.” She bent down, hugging Charlie, and grinned widely. “How have you been, buddy?”
“Good!”
“Been drawing?”
He nodded. “Ms. Kelsey has been helping me draw a horse.”
“That’s wonderful!” Palmer said as she ruffled Charlie’s hair. “I can’t wait to see it.” She stood and cleared her throat. “I better let you get back to dinner.”
I stepped forward. “Let me at least drive you back to your car, Palmer.”
She let out an unamused chuckle and suddenly looked exhausted. “Nonsense. I’m fine.”
Kelsey smirked at her. “I don’t know how you manage to do that little job of yours and scoop up dog poop in this kind of weather.”
I shot Kelsey another look of disbelief. Why in the world would she attempt to degrade Palmer like that?
Palmer ignored her and glanced down at Charlie. “I’ll see you around, buddy.”
“See ya ’round!” Charlie said as he moved to my side and grabbed my leg.
Palmer looked at me. “Again, sorry to have bothered you.”
“It wasn’t a bother at all, Palmer.”
Turning to Kelsey, she said, “Good seeing you, Kelsey.”
Kelsey practically purred like a kitten as she replied, “You too, Palmer.”
I opened the door and watched Palmer flip up the hood of her jacket and head down the steps. She practically ran down the street, away from the house.
“Mason!” Kelsey called out. “It’s freezing. Shut the door before you let all the heat out.”
I gritted my teeth and stepped inside. Kelsey had already made her way back to the dining room. It was time to nip this in the bud.
“Sorry, Charlie, but looks like you’re heading to work with me again.”
He looked up at me, and it felt like he knew the exact reason why.
Kelsey had made herself at home after dinner, helping me clean up the dishes and the kitchen. Then she’d suggested a movie before Charlie needed to get ready for bed. I’d nixed the idea and sent Charlie up to his room to read one of the books my mother had sent last week.
When I came back downstairs, Kelsey was on my sofa, her feet tucked up under her legs with her laptop open.
“Kelsey, I’ve got a lot of notes I need to organize on my patients, so I’m going to have to call it a night.”
She looked up and flashed me a flirtatious smile. “I don’t mind if you want to work. I’ve got some work to do as well. We can work side by side.”
I cleared my throat and rubbed at the back of my neck. “I think you’ve misunderstood the situation here.”
With a slight tilt of her head, she asked, “What do you mean?”
Moving toward her, I said, “I really appreciate all the help you’ve been with watching Charlie after school, and even making us dinner. I hope you know that. Although, I never asked you to dismiss Lori Anne.”
“I know, and again, I’m sorry for overstepping. But as far as helping and making dinner goes, I don’t mind it at all.”
I nodded. “Right. Um, I think you’ve gotten the wrong impression about me though.”
She pulled her legs out from under her and shut her laptop. “Wrong impression?”
“Kelsey, I think you’re a nice person and, like I said, I appreciate you offering to help with Charlie. But I’m not interested in anything else.”
“Anything else?”
Christ. Why is she making this more difficult than it needs to be?
“I’m getting the impression you might think there’s something more between us than friendship.”
She blinked a few times. “Well, yes, I thought we were getting along fabulously.”
“I like you, but only as a friend. I’m not interested in anything romantic with you.”
Her eyes went wide while her mouth formed a perfect O shape. It took her a few moments to speak. “I see. I feel silly now.”
“I’m so sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, because that was never my intention. It’s been about Charlie the entire time.”
She nodded and stared down at her bag before she started to pack up her laptop. “Do you need me to watch Charlie after school tomorrow?”
“Um, no, I’ll pick him up from school.”
Forcing a smile, she slipped her shoes back on and went to get her coat. She put her bag and purse over her shoulder and headed to the front door. “Well, I think I’m going to go ahead and leave.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry, Kelsey.”
“We got our wires crossed is all, Mason. Not a big deal.”
After walking over to the front door, I reached out and opened it. Before Kelsey stepped outside, she stopped and turned to face me.
“What about Palmer?”
I drew my head back as I looked at her. “What do you mean?”