One Look (The Sullivan Family, #1)

by Lena Hendrix

“You said it’s not nice to call people weird.” It was annoying as fuck when your child threw your parenting back in your face. I

“I call you Pickle because sometimes you’re sweet and sometimes you’re sour.”

I still hadn’t come close to mastering a french braid. That shit was pure witchcraft.

His masculine, protective vibe was sexy—there was no denying that—but I’d been given a job, and I doubted banging the brooding grump just to see if he’d crack a smile was part of the performance. But seriously, who doesn’t love a grumpy DILF?

Outtatowner, Michigan—where strangers become friends.

When you’re bare-ass naked and you hear a shriek that sounds like it came from the depths of hell, I dare you to not piss yourself.

After only a few minutes, it became apparent that the Bluebird Book Club was a facade for the women of Outtatowner to come together in secret to gossip, solve problems, and maybe even just be themselves. I immediately fell in love.

“Do you feel it?” Lark whispered. When I only looked at her, she continued. “Alone? Sometimes I think I have a knack for that . . . feeling alone even in a crowded room, right next to someone.”

“You’re about to get a face full of something. There is no graceful way to maneuver this so . . . boobs or butt?” This time he was grinning right at me. “Well, I am kind of an ass man.”

Something like that took time to cultivate. It meant staying in one place long enough to set down roots. Permanence. Something I’d learned, city after city and team after team, was never going to happen for me.

You mean that time you said we were dating and then I immediately bolted? Definitely not related. Wyatt Well that’s a relief. Have fun at book club.

Wyatt Oh, and on the off chance you are Words of Affirmation—you make our lives better. I care about you. Would have been nice to say that to your face before you ran out the door in a panic. My heart clunked and I couldn’t breathe. Wyatt had listened to my ramblings about love languages? Holy shit. I care about you too. Next time I’ll try not to run. Wyatt It’s okay if you do. I’ll chase you down.

“Why not?” he finally ground out when I still hadn’t answered. Because I’m in love with you and your daughter and I don’t know that I have the guts to leave.

I’d picked up my phone to call Lark a thousand times and tell her: This is a mistake. You didn’t need to leave. This is real and I love you and we’ll make this work.