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THE SINGLE DAD 18
I nodded. “My absolute fave.” There was a smudge of chocolate on her cheek, telling me Hannah had probably given her a cookie before bed. “You know what else is my fave?” I held up my free hand. “Hannah’s cookies.”“Cookies for breakfast!” she shouted.I laughed, pulling back both hands. “That’s what I had for breakfast, but it sounds like you’re going to have pancakes, and that’s just as yummy.”“You like pancakes too?”“Of course.” I winked. “Who doesn’t love pancakes? They’re the best when they have loads of chocolate chips.”“Daddy, you have to make some pancakes for Syd. She likes them like I do.” She glanced at me again. “Did you get pretty to have pancakes with us?”I realized she was talking about my dress and heels—an outfit that felt outrageous at the moment.When I didn’t respond, she gasped and said, “Daddy, we need to have a pancake party. I need to go put on my pink dress!”“No party, baby.” Ford held the side of Everly’s face and kissed her. “Sydney only came over for c
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“He’s so good with her. He has been since the very beginning.”I wanted so desperately to pick her brain, but I knew how inappropriate that was, so I said, “It sounds like they’re lucky to have each other.”She was silent for a few moments while listening to the app give the next instruction and then asked, “Now that you’re starting school, will you be working as well or just focusing on classes?”“Oh, no. I need a job.” I traced my fingers against the glass, staring at the palm trees that lined the street. “I haven’t begun looking for one, but it’s on the agenda along with getting a bed and furniture—I have nothing.” We connected eyes as she slowed for the stop sign. “I have so much to do. I’m what I call a hot mess.”“I can take one thing off your plate. I have the perfect job for you. You could be Eve’s nanny.”My hand immediately went to my chest. “Me?”“If you helped homeschool three children and you’re going to UCLA to become a teacher, there isn’t a person more suited than you.
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“What do you want to do today, baby?”“Hmm.” She rubbed my prickly beard, her fingers getting lost in my whiskers.“We can do anything you want.”She sat up, resting one of her legs across me, her eyes wide and lit. “Anythiiing?”“Well, within reason.” I pushed her curls out of her face. “I know, given the opportunity, you’d pick Disney, which wouldn’t be practical today, or to go to Uncle Jenner’s house in Utah—also not an option.”“I want to have pancakes with the girls.”“What girls, baby?” The braid I’d put in her hair last night had fallen so loose, and her hair was a wild nest. I pulled the elastic out of the bottom and tried to form it all into a ponytail, tying it together.“Hannah and Syd.”I chuckled, trying to think of a way around this.“Daddy, I’m going to help you make a big batch of chocolate chip pancakes. And wear my sparkly pink dress. And they can come over and eat them. Okaaay?”“Eve, I don’t think Hannah is available today—”“Just call her. Pleeease.”I glanced at
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Of the night we’d spent together.I couldn’t get her out of my head.And even though I had her number, I hadn’t reached out.I needed more time to think this through.I needed distance to do that.And I probably needed to stay far, far away from her.Because that woman was fucking dangerous.I’d felt that the second I touched her.But my hands were aching to run up and down her body. My lips yearning to kiss her. My cock fucking throbbing to be inside her.What the hell is happening to me?Texting would start a dialogue; it would open something that surely needed to stay closed. And despite telling her that I wanted to see her again, I wasn’t sure if that was really the best idea.Not when things with Eve were in such a good rhythm.But as my heart pounded away, my fingers found Sydney’s name in my Contacts, and I pulled up a message. My thumbs pressed the letters, typing a text, and I hit Send before I could stop myself.Me: Everly asked if you were coming to breakfast this morning.
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“What’s the problem?” I mocked. “Have you lost your fucking mind?” I didn’t wait for him to respond before I continued, “If anything, I’ll take her out on a date, but our second time together isn’t going to be a family gathering with my daughter.”“You’re wasting time, Ford.” He glanced at Everly and then back to me. “When I suggested inviting that girl over, it wasn’t just for your benefit, but for Eve’s too. I’m looking out for the both of you.”“And the best thing for us is Sydney?” I tested.He finished his Bloody Mary just as Craig brought us another round, and he took a bite of the celery, swallowing before he said, “What are you afraid of? Things not working out?”My hands began to shake as my memory brought me back to a day I didn’t like to revisit. “What would I tell her then? Another woman had left her life?” I took a long drink. “Do you think that’s easy for me?”“You can’t compare the two situations.”“But I can.” I took a deep breath. “And I will.”Anger pulsed through my
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More.My dick fucking hardened at the thought of that, and my hands clenched. I licked across my lips, wishing it were her skin I was kissing.What the fuck is happening to me?Was there a reason to avoid having dinner with her? To take this slow? So slow that a crawl would feel like a sprint?Still staring at my phone, I returned to our last message and began to type.Me: What do you have going on tomorrow night?Sydney: Why? Do you have something in mind?Me: I’d like to see you. Dinner?Sydney: I think I can make that happen.Me: Does 7 work for you? We can start with drinks.Sydney: Yes, and I’m already looking forward to it.Me: Send me your address. I’ll pick you up.As I was shoving my phone into my pocket, I turned around, and Jenner was walking toward me.“You fucking texted her, didn’t you?” He laughed, shaking his head. “That’s why you have that grin on your face.”“Asshole.”“But I’m right, aren’t I?”I said nothing as I passed him.“I’m fucking right,” he added as I made
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I wanted to laugh but couldn’t. Things were far too tight in there. “What’s that?”“Make it a night he’ll never forget.”“Jesus,” Ford said as I climbed into his car, his stare covering the whole length of me. Each inch he rose, starting at my feet, caused tingles to burst in my chest. “You look stunning, Sydney.”“You’re sweet.”The intensity in his eyes, the hungriness in his lips told me Gabby had chosen the right outfit.Even after I put on my seat belt, he stayed double-parked along the curb.Unmoving.Except for his eyes, still traveling, still taking me in like I was a feast.“Damn it,” he said, shaking his head, a slight moan coming from his throat before he leaned across the middle of the car. Rather than go for my lips, he went for my cheek. He kissed it softly, keeping his lips there, breathing me in.I didn’t mind.I was doing the same to him.Refreshing my memory with the scent of his cologne. The citrus tones I remembered from the morning after the bar, the way it had li
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I saw the relief and felt it when his hand moved on top of mine, squeezing my fingers. I could feel the sweat forming on my palm.“Something tells me you’re going to work your ass off and get that degree much faster than you think.”“I hope so.” I didn’t want to continue dwelling on me in case we ventured further into the topic of employment—something I certainly didn’t want to lie about if it came up. So, I said, “What about you? Hannah told me you’re a lawyer. I’m assuming the guys you were with at the bar were friends? Colleagues?”“Yes, but more importantly, they’re family.” He turned at the light, taking his hand back to shift. “I have two older brothers—Jenner and Dominick—who were there that night, and we more or less run the law firm even though my parents are technically in charge.”“And Hannah will be working for you?”“With us, yes.”“How nice that your family works together and that you all wanted to be lawyers.”“Where your brain revolted against numbers, the dinner table
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