The Hot New Single Dad Next Door (Welcome to Kiss County #2)

Chapter 1

1

LOTTIE

T oday is a good day in Kiss County.

Spring in Small Town isn’t usually anything to sneeze at. Stuck between the rush of Valentine’s and the buzz of wedding season, love isn’t always in the air. But today. Oh, today!

Today is a good day.

Because today is the day I meet the man of my dreams.

I can feel it in my bones. There’s a certain sparkle in the air and a lightness to my step, like I’m wearing invisible cupid wings or something.

Today is the day. I can feel it.

“You’re in a good mood, Lottie,” Tish says as she rounds the counter on her way to the coffeepot.

I grin, not even trying to hide it. “As a matter of fact, I am,” I say.

“Does this mean the rumors were true?” she asks. “Did a certain hot new single dad move in across the street today?”

“Yup. Saw the moving truck arrive myself this morning.” I prop my head up on my palms and sigh. “I’m going to fall in love today, Tish.”

Tish’s youthful eyes grow wider. “Did you get a look at him?”

I deflate. “Unfortunately, no. He and his progeny didn’t arrive with the truck.”

“Should have taken a sick day,” she jokes.

“Oh, I would have, but then you’d be stuck here working the lunch rush all by yourself.”

“I’m sure I could find it in my lonely heart to forgive you.”

I throw on an empathetic pout. “Are you lonely?”

“Eh. It’ll pass. I’m still young and hot.”

“Yes, you are.”

“There’s plenty of time for me to meet the one,” she says as she playfully twirls her auburn ponytail. “ In the meantime, I’ll live vicariously through you. So, what if the other ladies on your block get to him first?”

“I’m not worried about that,” I say confidently. “Out of all the women on my street, only two of them aren’t married: me and Pamela Palmdale. And I have something Pam doesn’t.”

“What’s that?”

“Liam! Obviously.”

She smiles. “Your kid is cute.”

“So cute! Everything leans in my favor. I’m a single mom. He’s a single dad. He has way more in common with me than with Pam.”

“Way more baggage, though,” she points out.

I scoff. “Do not call my son baggage.”

“Of course I’m not talking about Liam!” Tish says. “I’m talking about Mark.”

“Oh. Right.” I roll my eyes. “He’s pretty heavy. But… I remain optimistic. The air is different today, Tish. It’s like everything I’ve been waiting for is coming. Everything I’ve been working toward is about to pay off.”

“Still, I wouldn’t risk it. This is Kiss County. The land of love at first sight and all that.”

“Then I’ll just have to walk by him again and again until he falls madly in love with me . In fact, after my shift tonight, I’m going to do just that with a batch of my famous blueberry mini muffins.”

Tish licks her lips. “Your muffins are the best.”

“And soon, the whole county will know how good my muffins are,” I say. “I’m this close to having enough to afford the down payment on the loan for the bakery.”

She gasps. “Really? That’s great!”

“Speaking of which...” I twist toward the register as Bruno himself steps out from his office in the back. “Hey, Bruno.” I feign a gasp, making a show of looking him over, admiring him. “You look so handsome today!”

He doesn’t buy it. “What do you want?”

“No, really! Is that a new flannel? And your beard is looking so… fluffy!”

Bruno blinks twice, his bright blue eyes chill as ice.

I drop it. “Got any extra hours for me this week?”

He chuckles as he slaps a sign on the front of the register that says HELP WANTED. “Yup,” he grunts.

“Help wanted?” Tish asks. “Why?”

“Mika’s quitting.”

“She’s quitting?!” I ask. “Why?”

“Summer’s coming,” Bruno says. “Going full time at the inn.”

Tish snorts. “While making part time with that hot new bachelor of hers, I bet.”

I shudder with envy, but it quickly subsides. “Lucky girl,” I say. “Carter’s delicious.”

“So delicious.”

“Happy for her.”

“So happy.”

“But my hot new single dad is gonna blow him out of the water!” I clap my hands together happily. “Can’t you feel it, Bruno? The love in the air? The sweet?—”

He walks off, escaping into the back without a word.

Tish sighs. “We’ve got to get him laid,” she says. “He’s way too young to be an old hermit.”

“How old is he?” I ask.

“Thirty-five?” she guesses.

“That’s all? He acts fifty.”

“It’s that Tall Mountain elevation, I guess.”

We sigh.

“Anyway,” I say, twisting to face her. “This is it, Tish.”

“This is it!” she says.

“Everything is coming up Lottie!”

The entry bell chimes. Tish and I instinctively twirl around to greet them.

“Hello!” I say with a smile… that instantly drops.

Mark.

My ex.

He walks into the diner very much the same way he walked into my life as a teenager. In ripped jeans and an old leather jacket. With shoulder-length dirt-blond hair in desperate need of a wash. The difference now, of course, is the little four-year-old boy at his side.

“Mommy!” Liam says, yanking free of Mark’s hand and rushing at me.

I drop to my knee. “Hey!” I say, forcing a smile as I glare daggers at Mark. “What are you guys doing here? Getting lunch?”

“Nah, I’m dropping him off,” Mark says. “I gotta run.”

My smile disappears. “What?”

“Hey, Liam,” Tish says, bending down and offering her hand. “How about you come with me? I’ll get you some fries!”

“Yeah, honey,” I say, giving Tish a grateful look, “go with Auntie Tish while I talk to your dad, okay?”

They wander off toward the counter stools.

And I march right up to Mark. “What do you mean you gotta run?” I ask. “You’re supposed to have him all day. I’m working!”

“Yeah, well, work called me and I wasn’t doing anything, so I’m going in.”

“You are doing something. You’re parenting your child!” My chest tightens with rage. “Jeez, Mark!”

He scoffs as he slides his sunglasses on. “Whatever. It’s not a big deal. Just plop him at the bar, give him some crayons. He’ll be fine.”

“Crayons and fries aren’t a replacement for a parent, Mark.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Lot. I can’t babysit today.”

“You’re not a babysitter. You are a father. Act like it.”

He scoffs and drops Liam’s backpack on the floor. “Whatever. I’m out.”

“Are you available to take him tomorrow still?” I ask as he turns around. “I have that double shift.”

“Yeah,” he grunts over his shoulder.

“Mark— urgh!”

I shut my mouth.

Nothing I say will make a difference, anyway.

Mark walks out. I watch him through the windows, shaking my head as he mounts his motorcycle. I’ve told him a thousand times not to ride with Liam, but I doubt a thousand and one times will change a damn thing.

Oh, Mark. What happened to you?

He rides off down the street, turning north toward the highway. Not toward the warehouse in Littleville where he works, obviously. Toward the biker bar up the highway where he goes to get high and do... whatever the hell he does now.

Not my problem anymore.

I take a breath, shaking off the encounter before throwing on a smile and returning to my son. “Hey, baby,” I say, taking the stool next to him. “You hungry?”

He nods.

I sigh. “Yeah, I figured.”

I look at Bruno down the counter and he gives me an approving thumbs up that says: of course, Liam can hang out for the rest of my shift. I mouth a thank you.

Then, I smile. I give my son a kiss on the top of his head.

Today is a good day.

Today is the day that sets me on the path to having the family I’ve always wanted.

I can feel it.