Page 17 of The Infiniteness of Yesterday
“I felt bad. It was the least I could do. Am I still dead to you?”
She rolls her shoulders up and down. “More like a zombie now. Or maybe a vampire. Not dead but not quite alive. It’ll take more than cookies to get back to living status.”
I wet my lips with my tongue, trying not to grin. Damn, I like bantering with this girl. “I’ll take it, it’s better than complete death, but if I suddenly start trying to eat your brains or suck your blood, remember you’re responsible for this.”
“Of course.” She rests the plastic container on top of the Oreos and uses her free hand to tuck hair behind her ear. I somehow missed them before, but there’s a smattering of freckles across her nose.
I think I really like freckles.
“I’ll see you in class tomorrow?” I don’t know why it comes out as a question.
“Mhm,” she hums. “I better get going.”
“Right, me too.”
When did I get so awkward?
I turn to leave and only get a couple feet when I hear, “Hey, Spencer?”
I whip back around a little too eagerly. Normally I have more composure when it comes to girls, but apparently Harlow makes me uneasy—and I mean that in a good way.
“Yeah?”
“Why did you really do this?”
I answer honestly. “I’m not sure yet.”
She gives a nod and a small smile as she turns and walks away.
I keep my eyes on her until she’s gone from my sight.
CHAPTER 6
HARLOW
“Imissed you so much!” I drop to my knees and grab my daughter’s face between my hands, placing a kiss on each and every freckle on her nose and cheeks.
“Ew, Mom, get off of me. I was only gone like two days.”
Two days and it felt like forever. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the chance to decompress when she’s gone, and spend adult time with Jameson, but Monroe is always on my mind. I worry when she’s not with me. I know it’s dumb, she’s safe with Spencer and he takes as good of care of her as I do, but she’s my baby.
“I.” Kiss. “Just.” Kiss. “Missed.” Kiss. “You.”
“You’re drenching me with your saliva. It’s gross.” Monroe wipes at her face and with a laugh, I finally let her inside, standing up to meet Spencer’s amused gaze.
“Was your weekend too quiet?”
My cheeks heat as memories of Jameson’s hands on my body and my cries of pleasure fill my mind. “No, but it’s strange when she’s gone. Did you guys have a good weekend?”
“Daddy took me to the pier. I got cotton candy, and he won me a stuffed animal, it’s in my bag, and then we rode the FerrisWheel and I put my hands up like this!” Roe puts her bag down and throws her hands up in the air to demonstrate.
Spencer and I exchange amused glances at the fact that she answered for him.
“I hope your dad didn’t get you too hopped up on sugar all weekend.”
He mock gasps, placing a tanned hand against his chest. “I would never.”
“Yeah, Daddy would never,” Monroe echoes, spinning in a circle.
