Read Online Road to Absolution by Piper Davenport - Free Book Online

Bros,” Maverick whined.
    “But we do,”
Payton interjected. “You can come over anytime and play.”
    “Can I, Mom?” he
begged.
    Cassidy nodded.
“I will set something up with Mrs. James, okay?”
    Maverick let out
a fist pump and grinned. “Awesome!”
    “Did you leave
anything in the playroom?” Cassidy asked.
    “Oh, my DS,” he
said.
    “I’ll help you
find it,” Lily offered, and the two made a run for the playroom.
    Ace watched them
go and then smiled down at Cassidy. “Brings back a few memories, huh?”
    She nodded and
turned away, but not before he caught the sheen of tears in her eyes. He slid
his hand to her neck and gave her a gentle squeeze, kissing her temple.
    “I guess we
should exchange phone numbers,” she murmured, and pulled her phone from her
pocket, effectively pulling away from him.
    Ace took her
phone, entered his info, then texted himself. He was handing her phone back
just as Maverick and Lily returned, portable gaming console in hand.
    “Found it,”
Maverick declared.
    “Good job.”
Cassidy took a few minutes to say her goodbyes and then Ace walked them to
Cassidy’s car.
    “Get yourself
buckled, Mav,” she instructed. “I’m going to talk to Carter for a minute.”
    “Okay, Mom,” he
said, and climbed into the car.
    “What’s your
week like?” Ace asked.
    “I work full
time, so I’m usually home by six after I pick Mav up from daycare.”
    “You don’t work
tomorrow, right?” He was having a difficult time not touching her, but he
understood her need to go slow with Maverick around.
    She smiled. “No,
I make it a point not to work on Sundays.”
    “We’re gonna do
something, then.”
    “We are, are
we?”
    He nodded. “And
Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday… getting the picture?”
    Cassidy giggled.
“Yes, I’m getting the picture, but I have a busy week, so I can’t promise we’ll
see each other every day.”
    “Yeah, you can.”
    “Carter, I can’t
just drop everything in my life because you decree we will spend every waking
moment together. I dance on Mondays, Mav has karate on Tuesday nights, then
swimming on Thursday nights. Not to mention, by the time I’ve worked a full
day, picked him up from daycare, cooked dinner, bathed, and put him to bed, I’m
usually collapsing into bed myself. Maybe we can just plan the weekend after
next.”
    “Hell, no. I’m
not waiting that long, Cass.”
    “Well, I’m
driving down to my parents on Friday night, so I don’t know when else we’ll
manage it.”
    “Fuck!” Ace
snapped.
    Cassidy growled
in frustration. “Five-year-old kid right there, buddy.”
    He squeezed the
bridge of his nose.
    “I should go,” she
said.
    “Baby, wait.”
Ace slid his hand to her neck. “Tomorrow, we’ll sit down and figure it all
out.”
    “What if I have
plans tomorrow?”
    “Then you need
to change them.”
    “Ohmigod,
Carter, you are an idiot.”
    He grinned,
leaning down to kiss her. She pushed at his chest, but he wouldn’t budge. They
were close enough to the car that even if Maverick cared about anything other
than his video game, he’d only see Ace’s side. He broke the kiss and stroked
her cheek. “I’m bringin’ you breakfast.”
    “You don’t even
know where I live.”
    He chuckled.
“What does Mav like to eat?”
    “He’s a
five-year-old boy. What did you like to eat when you were five?”
    “Anything with
sugar.”
    “Well, there you
go. Nothing’s changed.”
    “I’ll be at your
place at seven,” he said.
    “If you are, I will
maim you.”
    “Nine, then.”
    Cassidy threw
her hands in the air. “Fine. Come at nine, but as soon as you get there, you
can watch Maverick while I go back to bed.”
    Ace dropped his
head back and laughed. “Okay, baby. Whatever you want.”
    “I really should
go, Carter. I hate driving this late.”
    “Want me to
drive you?”
    “No, it’s okay.”
She smiled up at him. “I need a little time to process.”
    Ace stroked her
cheek and kissed her