Page 66 of The Right Kind of Wrong

Blake’s stomach still hurt from how hard she’d been wheezing, the image of her ex-husband’s surprised face playing over and over again in her mind.

But she wasn’t thinking about Noah right now. She was thinking about Monroe and how the explosions above them lit up her face, accentuating the contours of her lips and cheeks and straight nose.

Monroe was beautiful, inside and out.

But the fact that smacked Blake like a hit to the head, making her feel a little dizzy, was how much she liked having Monroe’s attention on her.

She’d felt it earlier today, too, and she hadn’t known what to do with it then.

Sure, it made her feel a little anxious, but that was only because she felt hyperaware whenever it happened.

Case in point: Butterflies exploded in Blake’s stomach when Monroe turned toward her, a content smile on her face.

Monroe didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. She just stared at Blake, like she was memorizing her features to have for a rainy day.

Like it was the simplest thing in the world, to bask in Blake’s presence. It made her feel like someone to be enjoyed. Appreciated. Savored.

Maybe Blake didn’t know what to call whatever was happening, given that she’d never experienced it before, but as another firework lit up the night sky, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was going to change everything.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Monroe Lockhart - 10:48 a.m.

I am so sorry to do this, but we need to cancel for the drive-in tonight. Maisie has been running a fever since she got home from daycare yesterday.

Monroe frowned down at her phone, genuinely disappointed that she had to send that text.

All week, she’d been looking forward to seeing Blake again. The three of them had plans to head to the Cypress Falls Drive-In for the double feature.

Instead, she would be spending her Saturday night washing a load of sweaty bedding while Maisie languished on the sofa, watching cartoons.

Obviously, things happened in life. Maisie couldn’t help that she was sick, but it really, really sucked that the first time she’d get to see Blake all week had just been cut off at the knees.

She hadn’t even gone to Slider’s and then made her requisite stop at Gumby’s.

All week!

In her mind, she should have gotten an award for her restraint, but instead, she felt like she was being punished.

And yeah, she knew that was a crazy thing to think. She didn’t really believe it.

But that didn’t stop the disappointment as it washed through her at the idea of not seeing Blake tonight.

Blake’s response came through, which Monroe knew would be understanding, as Blake tended to be.

Blake Bettencourt - 10:50 a.m.

Oh no! Is everything okay??? All good on the drive-in, it’s not going anywhere.

Yeah, no surprise there.

It had seemed like such a good idea to send Maisie back to daycare five days a week. Monroe could have the whole day to focus solely on her work, uninterrupted.

To her credit, she’d made progress this week.

Clearly, it had all been working out a little too well.

As a newly minted parental figure, she was learning that the road to hell was paved with good intentions.