Page 72 of Mr. Almost

After taking a drink from the water, she hands it back to Livvy before running off to play again.

“What was that all about?” Livvy asks as I pull her into my arms.

“She told me she loved me for the first time,” I rasp.

Livvy wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head on my chest. “It feels amazing, doesn’t it? Being loved so innocently.”

“It does.”

And it really fucking does.

Chapter

Fourteen

OLIVIA

“How’s day care,Littles? Spill the tea on the gossip,” Chloe says.

Ari giggles. “Why do you want me to spill tea?”

“It’s a figure of speech, baby,” I tell her.

“Got it,” she says as if she understands as she paints Chloe’s nails. “Tommy bit Clara.”

Both Chloe and I frown.

“You have a cannibal in your class?” Chloe asks her.

Ari tilts her head to the side. “A what?”

“Never mind that, baby. Why did he bite Clara?” I ask.

“Oh, because he’s a vampire.”

“What kind of fucking day care is this?” Chloe mutters under her breath.

“He hasn’t bit you, though, right?” I press.

Ari shakes her head. “No, he said I’m too sweet.”

“Lucky you,” Chloe says before looking at me. “Did you know that you have a Stefan Salvatore at your kid’s day care?”

I shake my head. “No, nothing has been mentioned.”

“What else is happening there, kid?” Chloe asks.

Ari puckers her lips as she swipes nail polish on the last nail. “Spirit ran naked through the hall.”

“I’m afraid to ask who Spirit is…” Chloe sighs.

“Spirit is a girl in the class above mine,” Ari tells her.

“And why did Spirit streak?” I question.

“She said she wanted to be free.”

“With a name like Spirit, are we really surprised?” Chloe quips.

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