Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87601 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87601 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Sydney rolls her eyes. “Ugh, the toxic positivity in his new friend group drives me crazy. Sometimes the vibes are bad. That’s just reality. Bad vibes are part of life! And that’s okay. Negative experiences help us grow and appreciate good things more than we did before.”
My lips curve. “Well, at least we’re on the same page.”
Her shoulders slump. “I’m sorry. I was hoping this would be a fresh start for you two. But I probably should have known better. I think Adrian needs more help than even the most supportive father could provide.”
“I’ve offered to pay for therapy at least a dozen times. I even offered to go with him if he thought that would be helpful, but he wasn’t interested. His mom thinks therapy is a waste of time and ‘destructive to the artistic soul,’ so…”
Sydney hums judgmentally beneath her breath.
“Agreed.” I lean back on the bench, until my shoulder brushes hers. “But I tried, that’s all I can do. At least I managed to convince him to put off proposing until he has proof the baby is his.”
“Really?” Her eyes widen. “How did you do that? I thought you said he stopped listening after the paternity test suggestion?”
“He did. But he listened long enough to hear that my continued financial assistance is dependent upon him remaining single until he and Gigi get the results of a DNA test.”
Sydney exhales a breathy laugh. “Wow. No wonder he’s pissed.”
“You think I went too hard on him?”
She shakes her head. “No, but…I know Adrian. He likes to be in control. Nothing makes him angrier than feeling like someone else is calling the shots for him.”
I grunt. “Yeah, I can see that.”
She rests a gentle hand on my knee. “But he’s not a kid anymore. You aren’t obligated to help him financially. If he wants control that much, he should be paying his own bills.” She wrinkles her nose before adding, “But maybe that’s entitled of me to say. I’ve never had to worry about finances. Even if my father cut me off, I have a trust fund from my mother and another from my maternal grandmother that I’ll have access to when I’m twenty-five. I’ll never have to worry about money so…I should probably keep my opinions about things like that to myself.”
I shift on the bench, studying her face for a beat. “You’re an extraordinary person, Sydney Perry-Watson.”
She blushes. “I don’t know about that, but I did just tell my father that my audit of the company structure was going to take longer than expected. I clawed myself out of the workaholic hole. From now on, I won’t be working straight through the weekend anymore.”
I arch a brow. “So, if a guy relocated to the city for a while, he’d get to see you at least once a week?”
She beams, sending another rush of warmth through my chest. “At least. Probably more than once. I’m determined to leave the office by six-thirty at the latest. I’m going to try some of that work-life balance people talk about.”
“You continue to be wise beyond your years.”
“And you continue to be really sexy,” she says, making me laugh. “No, seriously. I can’t stop thinking about being naked with you, even when we’re having serious discussions. Is that normal?”
I lean in until my lips are inches from hers. “Who cares about normal?”
“You’re really going to move here for a while?” she whispers. “For me?”
“Well, my son lives here now, too. And maybe, someday soon, my grandchild, but…”
She pulls back. “Ugh.”
I arch a brow. “Grampa talk kill the mood?”
“A little, but it’s for the best.” She glances around the park, her gaze skimming over the various singletons and couples roaming past. “We shouldn’t be making out in public. At least not in Central Park. I grew up not too far from here. Half the old ladies walking their dogs know my dad and all of them like to gossip. If we want to control the message, we should be careful.”
I shift a few inches away from her on the bench. “You’re right. And we shouldn’t come out to Adrian until he has some clarity on his current situation. Call me crazy, but I don’t think he’d be open-minded about his ex dating his father right now.”
Sydney winces. “You’re not crazy. Not at all. I’d prefer to put off that conversation with my dad, too.”
“Until we see if this is worth a big family blow up?”
“There won’t be a blow up,” she says with more confidence than I’m expecting. But maybe Silas has changed since I knew him, softened, become less overbearing with age. “But Dad and I are still finding our footing in our working relationship. I think it’s best if we give that time to settle before I introduce another big change.”
I exhale. “I’d certainly be a big change.”