Chapter Thirty Dare
W hen we got outside on the porch, I texted Thomas to bring the SUV over. As he pulled into the driveway, Piper peered curiously up at me. “Doncha know how to drive?”
Chuckling, I replied, “Aye, I do. But I like to have someone do it for me.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm a businessman, and sometimes I have to work while someone drives the car.”
“Is you wowkin’ now?”
“No.”
“Then why’s you not drivin’?”
Ava covered her mouth to hide her laughter. I could tell she was enjoying Piper interrogating the hell out of me. “I want Thomas to drive so I can talk to you.”
“But Mommy talks to me when she dwives.”
“Well, that’s because your mommy is a superstar, and I’m not.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “Very funny. It might be better if we take my SUV.”
“Why?”
“I don’t suppose you have a car seat in there, do you?”
“But she’s three,” I protested.
“She still needs a car seat.”
“Fuck,” I muttered.
“Mommy, he says bad wods,” Piper whispered not so quietly.
Ava grinned. “I know, honey. Dare can be a bad boy.”
With a grunt, I stared past her to Thomas. “Change of plans. You’ll drive Ava’s SUV.”
“But I’m not used to it,” Thomas argued.
“So?”
He eyed Piper before speaking. “I’ll be at a disadvantage if there’s a security threat.”
“I doubt anyone is lying in wait at the Bowlerama to execute a hit on me.”
“We can never be too careful.”
“It’s fine.”
Although he still wasn’t convinced, Thomas nodded. Ava went inside for her keys and then she opened the garage door. As Thomas approached her SUV, he eyed it curiously like he was trying to take in all the details. Ava tossed him the keys, and then he got in the front.
After helping Piper into her carseat, she didn’t take a seat in the back. Instead, she moved past me to hop in the passenger seat.
Thomas whirled around to stare at her in surprise. “Is this seat not available for security reasons?” Ava asked.
“No, ma’am. It’s just I expected you to sit with Mr. Kavanaugh.”
“I’m fine here.” She gave him a bright smile. “We have a lot of catching up to do, don’t we?”
He threw a somewhat panicked glance at me in the rearview mirror. I nodded at him to give my permission for him to continue talking to her. “Yes, Ms. Carras. I suppose we do.”
“Ava can give you directions to Bowlerama.”
I snorted at the expression on his face. I’m sure he wondered what the fuck I was doing going to some establishment that involved bowling. Truth be told, I’d always been a fan of it myself. It’s just that my schedule didn’t allow much time for those kinds of pursuits.
“Should I do a sweep upon arrival, sir?” Thomas asked.
“I think we’ll be good.”
As we continued down the road, I tried desperately to think of something to talk to Piper about. I don’t why conversation came so easily between Julianna and me, but I was drawing a fucking blank with my own daughter. Finally, a question hit me.
“Are you in preschool?”
As Piper nodded, Ava turned in her seat. “She goes to the same one I did as a child.”
“That’s nice. Is it academically challenging?”
Ava snorted. “Yes, Dare it is.”
“I just meant–”
“I can imagine what you meant. And no, there’s not a waitlist to get in, nor does it put her on the pipeline to an Ivy League college.” She gave me a pointed look. “That’s not the path I want for her.”
I held my hands up. “I was just curious.” Glancing back at Piper, I said, “Do you like school?”
“Uh-uh,” she replied.
“What’s your favorite part?”
“Art.”
“Really? That’s your cou–” I snapped my lip shut when I realized I was about to call Julianna Piper’s cousin. “I mean, it’s my niece’s favorite part too.”
“Does she dwaw?”
“Yeah, she does. With a laugh, I replied, “At least when her baby brothers don’t get in her way.”
Ava’s brows shot up curiously. “Caterina and Callum have more children?”
I nodded. “Eighteen-month-old twin boys.”
“Oh my. They have their hands full.”
Chuckling, I replied, “Yeah, that’s why Callum just had a vasectomy.”
“What a vaseseame?” Piper asked.
“Oh fuck,” I muttered to which Ava busted out laughing.
“Um, it’s…” Christ on a cross. How was I going to get out of this one? When I threw a panicked glance at Ava, she shook her head like I was all on my own.
“We’re here!” Thomas pronounced a little more forcefully than he needed to.
I’d never been more thankful to see an oversized bowling shoe sign in all my life. Piper forgot all about what a vasectomy was at the sight of the Bowelrama. Bouncing in her seat, she squealed as she glanced around the packed parking lot.
Once we were parked, I reached over to unbuckle Piper from the car seat contraption, but I found I couldn’t make it. Ava opened my door. “Here I’ll get it.”
“Okay.”
After hopping out of my seat, Ava took my place. Of course, she managed to get Piper undone with one hand. “Show off,” I teased.
She laughed. “It just takes practice.
While we started into Bowlerama, Thomas kept his hand in his coat and his eyes bouncing around. The moment we stepped inside, I knew why Ava hadn’t been excited with the prospect. It was a sensory overload of loud music, flashing lights, and screeching kids. “Jaysus, Mary, and Joseph,” I muttered.
“I tried to tell you.”
“As much as I hate it, I’d do it for her,” I replied, pointing to Piper who was already dancing to the music.
“What kind of pizza do you want?” I yelled.
“I want supreme, but Piper only likes cheese.”
“Go ahead and get a table, and I’ll take care of the food.”
“I didn’t mean for you to pay.”
“It’s okay. I want to.”
“I mean, you could get Piper’s, but I can get mine.”
Chuckling, I replied, “I think I owe you a shite-ton of child support, so let me get some cheap pizza and drinks.”
“Well, if you put it that way, then it’s okay,” she replied with a smile.
After taking Piper’s hand, she led them over to where the tables and booths were. It had been a long time since I’d ordered my own food. I made sure to get a few slices for Thomas as well, even though I knew he would refuse to eat with us. Instead, he’d been skulking about dark corners keeping an eye on things.
Once our food was ready, I grabbed the tray and started craning my neck to try and find Ava and Piper. When I found them, I eased my way through the crowd to sit down. Ava had picked a booth, and she and Piper were on one side together.
I don’t know why it bothered me. It wasn’t like I would’ve wanted Piper sitting by herself. But I wouldn’t have minded being given the chance to sit with Ava. Although I suppose I should’ve wanted to sit next to Piper.
After distributing the food and drinks, we dug in. I was hungrier than I thought, and surprisingly, the pizza was actually good. I mean, I’m sure Caterina and her brothers would have thought it was absolute shite considering their heritage but it was good enough.
At the thought of my sister-in-law, I couldn’t help thinking of her past as a novice nun. So, I asked Piper, “Do you go to church?”
Ava’s hand froze in bringing her pizza to her mouth. “You’re not seriously asking her that, are you?”
“What’s wrong with it?”
Narrowing her eyes at me, Ava challenged, “It’s just an interesting question from a man like you.”
“Easy with the claws in front of the child,” I shot back with a shark-like smile.
“I’m serious.”
“I’m at mass every week.”
“Good for you,” she snapped.
“Was she at least baptized?”
“Yes, she was in the Greek Orthodox Church.”
I shrugged. “Church is church. I’m glad to know she’s been baptized.” Grinning at Piper, I said, “I bet your cousin Nick is your godfather.”
She grinned back at me through a mouth of pizza. “Uh-huh.”
“And Lexie or Dani is your godmother?”
As Ava handed Piper a napkin, she said, “They’re both her godmothers.”
“Excellent choices.”
“You knows Nicky and Dani and Lexie?” Piper questioned.
“I do.”
“Nicky has a doggie named Athena.”
“Is she a big dog or a little dog?”
“Wittle.” Piper giggled. “He wets me put on her sweaters.”
“Are they pink?”
Piper nodded. “And sparkwy.”
“That’s awesome.”
“Mommy said I can has a kitten.”
“Is that right?”
“Mm, hmm. We’s gonna pick it out tomorrow.” Piper turned to Ava. “Wight, Mommy?”
“We’ll have to see.”
Piper jabbed her tiny index finger at Ava. “You pwomised.”
Ava sighed as she rubbed her forehead. “I know I did. It’s just there’s been a lot going on.”
I realized what I was about to do was playing extremely dirty, but Ava hadn’t left me much choice when it came to being with my daughter. “Why don’t we let Mommy have a break, and you and I can go to the shelter right when it opens and get your kitten?”
If looks could kill, the one Ava shot me would’ve had me writhing on the floor. On the other hand, Piper clapped her hands gleefully. “Yes, yes, yes!” she screeched.
Turning to Piper, Ava said, “Why don’t you go pick out the first game you want to play?”
“But I’s not finished and you says I has to finish,” Piper protested.
“It’s okay. Just this once.”
Although I could easily see why Ava was sending Piper off, I wasn’t about to let her out of my sight, even if Thomas would have an eye on her. When I started to get out of the booth, Ava grabbed my arm. “I want to talk to you.”
“Well, there’s no way in hell I’m letting my daughter go around this place without supervision.”
Once again, Ava shot me a positively lethal look. “Are you insinuating I don’t watch my child?”
“Not at all. You’re used to this. It’s all new and frightening as hell to me to think of what could happen to her if I don’t stay at her side.”
“Fine. Go play. But I’m not finished with you.”
“Lucky me,” I mused, to which Ava positively hissed with fury.
Taking Piper by the hand, we started weaving our way through the crowd. After buying a ridiculous amount of tickets, we then went in search of fun. It wasn’t long before Piper spotted something.
“I wants that!” she called pointing to a kid sized helicopter that went up to the ceiling and spun around.
“Okay,” I replied.
Once the tickets were sucked into the machine, I eased her inside and belted her. “Have fun!”
She giggled and bounced excitedly. As I watched her take off, Thomas came up to me. “Are you sure the two of you should be out in the open like this?”
I rolled my eyes. “Go get a beer.”
“I would never do that on the job, sir,” he countered with a horrified expression.
Smacking his back, I said, “You’re a good man, Thomas.”
After Piper’s helicopter came back down, she cried, “Again!”
Chuckling, I replied, “Okay.”
Of course, my amusement was short-lived when I caught Ava’s glare across the restaurant. “I’m in big trouble, Thomas.”
He grimaced. “I’d say so, sir.”
“Any advice?”
“In this case, I’d highly recommend groveling.”
With a grunt, I questioned, “Seriously?”
“If you want to have a place in your daughter’s life, then you’re going to have to play nice with Ms. Carras.”
“Even if she’s being a shrew?”
The corners of his lips quirked. “Even then.”
“Once again, you’re a good man, Thomas.”
“Thank you, sir.”