Page 138 of Sloane

“I’m still going to the carnival with Jeff. That hasn’t changed.”

The fuck it hasn’t.

But I didn’t say that.

Instead, I nodded. “Like I said, I know I need to prove myself.”

“It’s not that easy, Sloane. We can’t just pick up where we left off. Too much has happened.”

And I had only myself to blame for that.

She was gracious enough to leave that part unsaid, but it hung in the air.

Millie let out a little cry, then started to wiggle in the sling.

“I need to feed her.”

“Yeah, of course,” I said as I took a step back.

I waited until she was upstairs with the door closed before I sat down on the steps, pulled my phone out of my pocket, and fired off a text to Ryan.

Me: Do you and Grace want to go to the WWP carnival tonight?

Chapter Fifty-One

Sloane

I got in the shower and gave serious consideration to rubbing one out. It wouldn’t take long, considering my poor dick had been lying dormant for ten months, but I opted to wait. I think I was secretly holding out hope for the real thing. There was no denying she’d returned my kiss, and I was arrogant enough to think that had our baby girl not been between us, the heat would have been turned up.

Crash and Stu were at the kitchen island looking at something when I came out of my room.

“What are you guys doing?”

“Deciding what to get for takeout. You have any preferences?”

“Nope. I’m hanging out with Ryan and his girlfriend tonight, so don’t worry about me.” I looked toward Ashley’s door. “Did Ash already leave?”

“Not yet. She was going to help us make dinner, but we told her we’d get something delivered so she could get ready for her date.”

How fucking thoughtful.

I wasn’t sure, but I got the feeling they were waiting for me to react. I don’t think they were aware that I already knew she had a date.

“So,” I glanced at the menus in their hands. “Pizza or Chinese?”

“Pizza,” Stu said at the same time Crash said, “Chinese.”

I chuckled when Stu grumbled, “You were supposed to be the tiebreaker.”

“I woulda picked In-n-Out, so I wouldn’t have been any help.”

“Oh, damn. I hadn’t thought about In-n-Out.” He looked at Crash. “What about burgers?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Hey, I have a question,” I began. “What did you guys use once you no longer needed a walker?”

“A cane,” Stu said.