Chapter 20
Booker had experienced three formative,life-altering moments in his life.
One was his accident and losing his ability to play hockey.
The second was finding the adoption papers.
And the third was discovering Marcus had preyed on his weakness, stepping into the role of father figure to win his allegiance.
Tonight, he’d added a fourth.
I’m a father.
That kid with the green eyes? The one who’d climbed a bookshelf to get a stuffed moose, who’d sat on his lap as he’d guided her little fingers around a puzzle piece?
That little girl is my child.
It didn’t compute. Refused to sink in.
The concept of a daughter didn’t apply to him. It wasn’t even in the realm of possibility.
Thankfully, he’d mastered the art of concealment. It wasn’t like he could show his emotions to his clients. So, no matter what was going on in his life, he stayed perfectly neutral. Ginty didn’t know how difficult it’d been to walk away from Elite. He didn’t know Marcus had threatened to ruin him.
So, he knew he was convincing as Margot talked about draping flowers, the placement of tables, and renting a dance floor. He knew his tone didn’t betray a hint of his inner turmoil as he pitched the idea of holding the ceremony on the terrace at twilight with the mountains as a backdrop.
No one could see the hive of bees buzzing under his skin. Or the way he fisted his hands and curled his toes to suppress the urge to run.
There was no snow to shovel here. No excuse he could give to go for a run.
Besides, even if he had a reason, he couldn’t leave.
Because Stevie was hopping like a frog. The light from the bonfire glowed orange on her skin, and she seemed perfectly content to be in her own little world.
He couldn’t stop watching her. Even as he threw out suggestions for the joint bachelorette and bachelor party, he was aware of the way she’d squat low to the ground, then leap. She did it again and again, oblivious to her cousin who was stacking rocks on the ground and then knocking them down with karate kicks.
She was talking to herself. Sometimes, she’d roll her eyes like she couldn’t believe her imaginary frog friend had said something so ridiculous. And as much as he wanted to run, he was tethered by this awareness of her. No, it was more than that.
It was affection.
Maybe because she’d insisted on sitting on his lap. Or maybe because he’d saved her before she hit the ground. Or the way her little fists had clutched his shirt, and she’d planted her face against his chest.
She had this wild energy and imagination, and she was his daughter.
“Okay, so I think we should conquer and divide.” Hellcat pointed to the bride and groom. “You guys do the cake tastings?—”
“Why do I get stuck with the boring stuff?” Noa asked with a happy gleam in her eyes.
“I know.” Hellcat feigned pity. “Sucks to be you.” She pointed to the groom. “You’re good to line up a tux and do airport pickups?”
“Yep.”
“Awesome. I’ll write up lists for the rest of us, and then…let’s have ourselves a wedding!” Hellcat stood, and while the others said goodnight and hugged, Booker escaped to his room.
The entire way there, he felt wired and anxious. He’d crafted a life that worked well for himself. He had everything under control.
And now this? Talk about throwing a wrench into his plans.
Closing the door behind him, he looked at his duffel bag and his laptop and knew he couldn’t do anything. Not even get ready for bed.
Fuck.There was only one thing he wanted to do. After all these years, he still had the impulse to call his dad. But since he couldn’t do that, what about his mom? He needed to let her know she had a grandchild. But she’d want to fly out immediately and bond with Stevie.
Especially since she thought she’d never have any grandkids. He’d made that clear.
He didn’t know who to call, and yet, there was only one person he trusted. So, he pulled out his phone and hit connect.
“Hey,” George said. “How’s it going?”
For all the plans he’d just finalized, all the business he should’ve been discussing, he blurted, “I’m a father.”
In the moment of silence that followed his announcement, his skin went cold, and he broke out in a sickening sweat. It was so…permanent. It required time. Time he didn’t have.
“I don’t think you’re joking.”
He stalked out onto the balcony, filling his lungs with the crisp mountain air. “No.”
“Wow. Okay. Then, I’m going to need a little more information.” His colleague’s tone was low, dire.
Booker scratched the back of his neck, watching the moon peek out of swiftly moving clouds. “Remember when Marcus threatened to fire me, and I took off for a few days?” He didn’t wait for a response. “I went to Calamity. I have a cabin out here.” He held on to the balcony railing to ground himself. “There was a woman in it.”
“Jesus Christ. Only you.” George chuckled. “Was she hot?”
“This has to be between us, do you understand?” He could confide in his colleague. Maybe the only person in the world he could fully trust. His mom had lost that distinction.
“I do. Go on.”
“It was Lorelei Calloway.”
“Either you’re on an acid trip right now, or you’re the luckiest man in the world. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know who she was. We didn’t exchange personal information. We had nicknames for each other.” He leaned over, looking at the terrace below. “I never thought I’d see her again.”
“Okay, hang on. You’re not fucking with me, right? No one knows about my Lorelei Calloway obsession better than you.”
“I’m serious. And of course, I know. Impossible not to.”
“Then tell me how the hell the world’s biggest pop star wound up in your cabin?”
“It was a mistake.” It wasn’t fair, but he didn’t want to retell the story. He needed to talk, so he gave the short version. “Her friend rented her a cabin, and she wound up in the wrong one. I’m rarely out there, so I didn’t notice.”
“Until you did.”
“Until I showed up that Christmas.”
“I have so many questions but go on.”
“We had a good time. I was even starting to think maybe we could stay in touch, see if it might go somewhere?—”
“Booker,” George nearly shouted. “You fell for someone? This is huge.”
It was, but he ignored it. “And then, she got a text message from some guy who wanted her to come home for Christmas, and I thought it was her ex trying to reconcile with her.” He couldn’t believe it was her father. “The guy hurt her pretty badly?—”
“I remember that. Her boyfriend and her best friend were screwing around behind her back. Imagine that. You’re on a tour bus, and these two are smiling at you, eating burritos with you, all while knowing they’re going to pound town in the bathroom while you’re sleeping.”
George could say it cavalierly because it was a story in the press, but for Booker—it was Lorelei’s experience. It tweaked his heart and made him want to hunt the cheaters down. “Exactly. And at the same time, I realized I couldn’t work for Marcus anymore. I saw the impact of betrayal up close. It wasn’t the right time for either of us to be in a relationship, so I left.”
“When you say you left, you don’t mean you ghosted her, do you? Because that’s not like you.”
“I left a note with my number, but she didn’t see it.”
“How could she not see it?”
“We’d made a mess. But, also, she left not long after me.”
“Okay, but you own the place. If she found out she was pregnant, she could’ve tracked you down.”
“Nope. The cabin’s owned by an LLC, and if you look it up, you’ll only see my attorney’s name.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah. So, here I am, the best man, planning a wedding for my client, and she’s the maid of honor, and…it’s her.”
“The woman from the cabin.”
“And she’s got a daughter who’s two years old.” His pulse accelerated. He looked around, but he had nowhere to go.
“Shit.”
His mind raced. “I don’t know what to do. Do I sign away my rights? Do I have any rights? I doubt I’m on the birth certificate, and I’d probably have to take a DNA test. But what would be the point? I’m not father material. I don’t…I mean, what the fuck, George?”
“You can do anything you want.” As always, George had an even, calm tone. “You can walk away and never see either of them again.”
His heart rate quadrupled.
“But that won’t erase her. You can fly back to the city and drown yourself in work, but you’re always going to have a child in this world who knows her father doesn’t want anything to do with her.” George paused. “And that’s just not who you are.”
It all came crashing down around him. The panic left his body. “No. It’s not.”
“You’re freaking out, and I don’t blame you. And you can take some time to wrap your head around it. But you can’t pretend she doesn’t exist.”
He stuttered out a laugh. “I know. But man, I want to run. I want this to not be real.”
“Which is kind of funny, because your dad had the exact opposite reaction.”
A cold sting flushed through his body.
Shit.
Fuck.
George is right.
“It’s not the same thing,” George said. “But he found out his girlfriend was pregnant with another man’s child, and he jumped right in. He didn’t think about how it would impact his career. He loved your mom, and he decided to love her son, too.”
I’m an asshole.
Here I am trying to be the man my father was, and I’m talking about signing away my rights?
That’s fucked up.
He sat down in the chair. “That’s probably the smartest thing you could’ve said to me.”
“Well, I’ve known you since freshman year. Couldn’t scrape you off no matter how hard I tried.” George chuckled. “And because I know you, I know you wouldn’t walk away. You’re just freaking out.”
“I am.”
“Well, sure you are. Who wouldn’t be? You never wanted kids. Worse, you avoid relationships and only focus on things you can control. Like your career. So, it might be ironic. It might be karma. But you just got tossed a curveball, and nothing will ever be in your control again. You have a kid.”
“A daughter.”
“You’ve got a daughter, and you have to step up.”
“Step up how?” He braced his feet on the banister. “What does that mean? I live two thousand miles away. I work eighty-hour weeks. I don’t have time to be a dad. Not to mention, I like what I do. And I don’t want to give it up to move out here… And do what? Get a job at the local outfitters? You want me to run fly-fishing expeditions?”
“Yes. Let’s look at job listings. And while we’re at it, let’s buy her a prom dress, too. Maybe tomorrow you can go into town and visit a few car dealerships? Because at sixteen, she’s going to need a car.” George laughed. “Dude, you just found out. She’s two. Slow down and take it one step at a time. The only thing you have to do right now is spend time with her.”
“I’m leaving on Sunday.”
“Great. For the next two days, sit on the floor and build shit with her. Color with her. Whatever this kid does, just do it with her. That’s the only thing you have to do right now. Did you tell your mom yet?”
“No. She’ll want to come out here. I need a minute to wrap my head around this.”
“Look, you’re not used to asking for help. You’re the one who gives it. But your mom’s there. I’m here. Plenty of other people would be there, too, if you let them.”
“Yeah.”
“You know, asking for help doesn’t make you a weak man. Anyone would be freaking out in your shoes, so give them a chance to help you. Try it. You might be surprised at the result.”
“Are you done lecturing me?” he asked, grinning.
“Do you feel better?”
“I do. Thank you.”
“Good, now leave me alone. I’m having dinner with Kowalsky.”
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry.” He sat up, planting his feet on the ground. The quarterback was one of the biggest gets in the business. “You should’ve told me.”
“See, now, that’s the thing you don’t get. Friends take each other’s calls. That’s how it’s done.”
“You’re not my friend. You’re my partner.”
George laughed. “You keep telling yourself that. Talk later.”
“Later.” Now that he was alone, he grew restless again, edged out.
Because he knew, right down the hallway, there was a little girl with green eyes and wild blond curls who didn’t know she had a dad.
He needed to see her. Just a peek.
Pocketing his phone, he headed out into the hallway. Standing in her doorway, he listened to her steady breathing. The room smelled like clean sheets and baby shampoo. Maybe he could just go in for a second. He’d be quiet. He wouldn’t wake her up.
But as he approached the bed, he could see her watching him.
“Mister wead to me?”
He supposed he could do that. But should he text Lorelei? Ask if it was okay?
The little girl sat up. The nightlight was bright enough that she could sort through the books on her nightstand and choose the one she wanted. “Dis one.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?”
“Mister wead to me, I fall asweep.” She spoke with a sweet sincerity, her eyes wide and eager.
How could he refuse? “Okay, then. If it’ll help you get to sleep.”
She patted the bed. “Wead.”
And so, he stretched out beside the little girl, opened the book, and began reading.
Stevie snuggled up against him, the moose in her clutch.
Her little body was hot, and she fit perfectly in the crook of his arm. A knot formed in his throat, but he forced himself to continue.
Before long, her eyelids fluttered closed.
He should go.
But he found himself unable to budge.
So, he lay there and let it sink in all the way.
This is my daughter.
He touched her silky hair, ran the backs of his fingers over her plump, rosy cheek.
I’m a dad.
Breakfast was mayhem. Hellcat’s family laughed a lot. They ate a lot. And they never ran out of conversation. Ginty threw himself right in, which was nice since he didn’t have family anymore, and Noa shared her wildest stories from the road.
Booker sat quietly, watching Stevie. Her grandmother had set down a bowl of oatmeal with sliced strawberries sticking out of it. Apparently, the toddler liked being a dinosaur and growling while she munched on the berries.
He’d had a fitful sleep. His mind wouldn’t settle.
Should I take a paternity test?He’d already messaged his attorney, asking for the next steps.
He’d accepted that he had a daughter. But what did he do about it? He couldn’t live here, and there was no way Hellcat would move to New York.
Do I want her to?
No. Absolutely not. Some nights, he didn’t get home till three in the morning. Most weeks, he was on the road so often his apartment felt more like a hotel room.
That’s no life for a kid.
And yet…how would he get to know her if she wasn’t around?
But it wasn’t a possibility. Hellcat’s entire support system was here. Not to mention the time and energy she’d put into this property she loved so much.
Which left one thing: he’d visit every now and then.
That’s good. It didn’t stop his stomach from churning, but it was doable. He could visit.
A familiar name flashed on the screen of his phone, giving him a jolt.
Jaime: Heard about the new wedding plans. Looks like a good time. What do you think of a day for the kids on my ranch? Ice skating in my indoor rink, a trail ride. My mom and sister are down to host an ice cream sundae party. Parents are welcome, of course, but we’ve got childcare covered if your guests want some adult time. Let me know.
“What’s that?” Hellcat asked quietly.
He glanced up. “What?”
She sat in the chair next to him, her blue eyes filled with concern. “All morning, you’ve been handling work like a boss, but something just threw you off your game.”
How did this woman read him so well? It was uncanny.
Or maybe it was just that she paid attention.
The very idea warmed his body. He held up his phone. “One of Ginty’s teammates just offered to host the kids for a day.”
“Oh, that’s nice,” Noa said. “That’s actually a good idea.”
“Who?” Ginty asked.
“It’s Jaime. He’s offering a day at his ranch for the kids. Ice skating, trail ride. Parents can come, but he’s covering childcare.”
Noa reached for her groom’s hand. “That would be perfect for the bachelor and bachelorette day.”
“It would.” Ginty gave him a chin nod. “Take him up on it.”
Hellcat gave Noa a look of surprise. “I’m not built like that.”
Noa laughed. “Me neither.”
“What do you mean?” Ginty asked.
“I’d be like, Are you sure?” Noa said. “You don’t mind? And you guys are all, Yes,”—she slapped the table—“do that favor for me.”
“He wouldn’t have offered if he didn’t mean it,” Ginty said. “And it makes sense for this event.”
“You know what?” Hellcat asked. “I’ve got a summer babysitter, and she’s amazing. Why don’t I hire her for the whole five days? That way we don’t have to worry about the kids running off or winding up in the pool without supervision.”
“Perfect,” Noa said. “I’m so excited. Okay, so do we have a final plan for the week?”
He and Hellcat never had that meeting, so he let her take the lead. He’d go along with whatever she wanted.
“Well, since this place was an actual camp, we can take advantage of all the activities. Skeet shooting, fly fishing, archery…all that kind of stuff. But also, I’ve got that massive kitchen. What do you think of doing a cooking competition?”
“Like Chopped?” Ginty asked. “I’m not sure we have any chefs here.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Hellcat smiled. “Booker’s a pretty good one.”
“How do you know that?” Ginty asked.
Gazes ricocheted around the table. Beau to Hellcat, Hellcat to Margot, Margot to Booker. It was almost comical.
“Okay, what am I missing?” Noa asked.
“You guys,” Hellcat said. “Relax. We met once before, many years ago.”
“You did?” Ginty shot him a look.
“Yes. Briefly. Anyhow.” Booker changed the conversation. “The couple who star in that Food Channel cooking show—Gridiron Grillers—live here. Xander and Lulu.”
“Xander Wilder, the quarterback?” Ginty asked. “I thought he lives in Dallas?”
“That’s where he plays, but they have a house here, too,” Booker said. “I can reach out, see if they’d be down to run it for us?”
“That sounds fun,” Margot said.
“And, of course, a spa day,” Hellcat said.
“Yes. Oh, this is so awesome.” Noa turned to her groom with a wistful expression. “I’m so bummed about the robes and slippers.” She turned back to the others. “We had them monogrammed for all the guests.”
“Maybe I can pull something off here. Let me look into it.” Hellcat added it to her list. “Okay, what else? I have a theater room, so we can do a movie night.” She looked at Booker.
“Popcorn, sodas, and candy?” he asked
“Yes. So fun.” Her blue eyes sparkled. “And adult onesies.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“I would totally wear that,” Noa said. “And we’ll need blankets and pillows.”
“You should see her man cave.” Ginty turned his attention to Booker. “It’s got a pool table, bar, darts, card tables.”
“Ooh, a man cave.” Noa rolled her eyes. “Better stay away from there. Might chip a nail playing pool.”
“And you know my girlish aim,” Hellcat said. “I might throw a dart right at a man’s package.”
“How about we call it a game room?” Booker asked, smiling.
“Call it what you want, but we’ll be making good use of it,” Ginty said.
Margot got up. “I’m making coffee. Who wants some?” Hands went up, and she counted. “Got it.”
“All right, moving on,” Booker said. “For the joint bachelor and bachelorette party, what about a paintball competition?”
“Yes.” Noa clapped her hands. “Girls against boys.”
“You remember my teammates will be here, right?” Ginty asked.
“You remember that Lor and I went from absolute nobodies to powerhouses in the music industry, right?” Noa asked.
Ginty sighed. “So, you guys won’t be wearing skimpy halter tops and booty shorts?”
“Ginty!” Laughing, Noa whacked him.
“He’s not wrong,” Hellcat said. “I once had a snowball fight with a hockey player, and he destroyed me. He had no mercy.” She gave Booker a secret grin, and fireworks went off in his chest.
He remembered that fight. He remembered what happened after.
He remembered everything.
A little hand patted his thigh. “Mister?”
He looked down to find Stevie handing him a small red kid cup. “Yes?”
“Coffee, pease. Wif mashmallow.”
He looked around the table and found everyone watching him with amused expressions.
“Stevie likes to drink coffee with us,” Hellcat said. “Hers comes in the powder form in a little packet.”
Ah. Hot chocolate. “You want me to make your coffee?”
The little girl nodded, her abundant curls bouncing.
“How about you finish your breakfast first?” Hellcat asked.
“I not hungry.”
“If you’re not hungry, then you don’t have room in your tummy for coffee.”
The little girl looked from her mom to Booker, clearly hoping he’d side with her.
He took her little spoon, cut a wedge of strawberry, and scooped some oatmeal. “Let’s compromise. How about you take three bites?” He held it out to her.
She chewed like it was her job. Like she had an engine in her jaw.
“Good?” Booker asked.
She made a circular motion around her stomach. “Das good in my belly.”
For one moment, they held each other’s gazes, both smiling, and the connection cracked something open in him. Affection poured out.
He tried doing triage to stop the flood, but then the little girl giggled.
She fucking giggled. Her nose crinkled, her chiclet teeth were on full display, and it all just gushed out of him.
The hushed conversation broke through, and he turned to find them all watching.
“Okay, what is going on here?” Noa’s finger wagged between Booker and Stevie. And then, her eyes went wide, and her gaze snapped over to Hellcat. “Are they?—”
Hellcat shook her head firmly. She clearly didn’t want to have this conversation in front of the kid.
“Two more bites,” Booker said. “And I’ll make your coffee.”
Conversation resumed, and Stevie finished her oatmeal. When he got up to get the cocoa, Hellcat said, “The packets are in the pantry.”
“I think you know I don’t do packets.”
“Hey, Mister. Wait.” The little girl jumped to the floor and jogged over.
He was crouched over, searching for a pan, when she reached him. The position brought them eye to eye, and he took in her features—those eyes the same green as his, the red bow lips, and the little button nose. He stilled, just staring at her as it dawned on him that she was half him. Literally half of his DNA was in her. His mom, his grandparents, aunts, uncles…this child was his.
It gutted him that the man who’d raised him wasn’t in her genetic makeup.
But that’s not true, is it? That man—my dad—is in me. It might not be biological, but he left his imprint in my DNA. My dad lives on through me, and—if you’re in her life—now her.
And then, that sweet little girl broke into a smile. “You gone make me coffee?”
“I sure am.”
She reached out to touch his jaw. “Where fuzzy?”
“Fuzzy?” He didn’t know what she meant.
She cupped his cheeks with both her hands. “You soft.”
Her grandfather, her uncle, even Ginty had facial scruff. “Oh, that’s because I shave.”
“You shave?”
“Yeah, I don’t like beards. They’re itchy, and they get food in them.”
She nodded like she totally agreed. “I gon shave too.”
“One day, you might. But probably not your face.”
She rubbed her cheek against his. “I soft, too.”
He knew she just wanted to show him they both had smooth cheeks, but he had the impulse to hug her. He wrapped an arm around her tiny waist and held her loosely, lightly.
She might have a strong spirit and a feisty nature, but in reality, she was so helpless, so fragile. She needed people to look out for her, care for her. His protective instincts surged. And he understood it was so much more than survival.
Kids would be mean to her.
Boys would ghost her.
She wouldn’t get chosen for a team or a play.
Until this moment, he’d never really thought about what it’d been like for his parents to raise him, the constant fear they’d lived with over his survival.
He didn’t know what to do, how he could be there for her. He just didn’t know. “Let’s get you that coffee.” He let go of her to stand up, but Stevie clung to him, so he settled her on his hip. Together, they headed inside the pantry to gather the ingredients.
When they came back out, he found Hellcat at the stove with the milk and measuring cups. “Why did this little girl know where the cocoa was?” he teased.
“I told you. I make everything myself now.” She tipped her head to the dining room. “Except when I’ve got a house full of guests.”
“Does that happen often?” He poured the milk into the pan.
“Nope.” She measured the cocoa powder and tipped it in while stirring with a whisk. “I’m not sure anyone wants to drive out this far—especially in winter—so, we have holidays at my dad’s. That’s why I bought a place in town. I figured when she’s in school, it’ll be easier for playdates and after-school activities.”
“That’s smart.”
“Yeah. So…” She glanced over her shoulder. “Noa might’ve figured it out.”
“I guess it’s inevitable.”
“It might be better to tell people in advance. I don’t want anyone blurting it out and confusing her.” She tipped her chin toward their daughter. “Especially if you’re only here through Sunday.”
“I’m staying.” Once the idea popped out of his mouth, he knew it was the right thing to do.
“You mean for all five days?”
He nodded. “I can’t get news like this and then just leave.” At the thought of postponing the trip to Ontario, a jagged blade of fear cut through him—every second he wasn’t in touch with the Marchaud family, another agent gained the advantage.
But what choice did he have? Stevie had jumped to the top of his list of priorities.
He felt the weight of the child in his arms, the clutch of her fist in his shirt. “But also, I’m staying in her life. I don’t know what that looks like yet, but I’m not going anywhere.”
The tug-of-war between hope and fear played across Hellcat’s pretty features.
He wanted to reassure her, but he wouldn’t make promises he couldn’t keep.
Stevie patted his cheek to get his attention. “Mashmallows?”
“I’ll get them, sweetheart.” And with that, Hellcat walked away.
It was only her absence that made him understand the wholeness he’d felt when it was the three of them. He didn’t understand any of this. How—out of nowhere, the landscape of a man’s life could change so completely.
Hellcat came back with the open bag and dropped one marshmallow into the red cup. “Here you go.”
“Fank you, Mommy.”
“You’re welcome, baby girl.”
“I wish I could give you a better answer,” he began.
But she shook her head. “You did. You gave me the best I could ask for. I was afraid you’d leave and never look back.” She brushed her hand across her daughter’s cheek. “She’s precious, this girl. I don’t want her hurt. It’s like we’re born with these perfect souls, and then, every chip and crack changes us.”
“Makes us stronger.”
“Ideally. But look at us.” She glanced at the table with an affectionate smile. “We’re all hot messes.”
“And we found each other, so we’re a house of hot messes.”
“A team.” She grinned. “Team Hot Mess.”
“Let’s get my Scottish ancestry in there. Clan McHot Mess.”
She laughed, and the connection snapped and sparked between them—just like it had in the cabin.
“My coffee weady, Mister?”
Hellcat laughed. “Yeah, Mister. What’s the hold up?”
“Well, for starters…” He snatched the bag of marshmallows out of her hand. “We need more than one measly marshmallow.”
“Go for it.” She headed across the kitchen to a large whiteboard hanging on the wall. “Feel free to keep adding to this list. We’ll make daily supply runs into town.”
She added marshmallows to a list that included:
Phinny’s nice soaps
Coco’s hot chocolate mix
Those disc things for the skeet guns.
“They’re clay pigeons.”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “What?”
“The discs. You’re going to need several cases of clay pigeons. Do you have the shotgun shells?”
“Shotgun?” She sounded appalled.
“What did you think skeet shooting was?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I never thought about it.”
“You shoot pellets at moving targets.”
“Oh. I don’t think…”
Both their gazes went to Stevie. If anything went wrong, if anyone didn’t know gun safety…all it took was a one-second mistake. “I’m definitely hiring my nanny to take care of the kids. Keep them busy and give the adults some playtime.”
“That’s a good idea. You do know archery uses actual bows and arrows, right?”
“Nope. We’re using Nerf arrows.”
He grinned. “Works for me.” He set Stevie down to pour the warm cocoa into her sippy cup. After screwing on the lid, he said, “You want to see if your grandparents want some coffee? I made enough.”
She took off like a rocket.
“What about the rest of the year? You said your nanny’s a teacher, but is she still around if you have meetings or…a date?” The skin at the back of his neck prickled, and he got a sour taste in his mouth. He’d never been jealous in his life, and he couldn’t believe he felt it now. He hardly knew this woman. They hadn’t seen each other in a couple of years.
Stevie came racing back. “Gamma gots coffee.”
“But I’ll take a marshmallow,” Margot called.
The delight in Stevie’s eyes as she waited for him to hand her the bag made him want to paint the sky with pink sparkles just to keep it there forever.
“What do you say, sweetie?” Hellcat called.
Stevie stopped so fast, she nearly toppled forward. “Fank you, Mister.”
“You’re welcome.” He lifted the pan. “Hot chocolate?”
“I’ll pass, but we can save it for tonight. She’ll want it when we have a bonfire.” She reached for a storage container, poured the cocoa into it, and then sealed it. On her way to the fridge, she said, “You can ask me, you know. It’s a fair question given our situation. You’ll want to know who’s around your daughter.”
He didn’t have to ask what she meant. “Fine.” He knew. “Are you seeing someone?”
“No. I have enough on my plate. Dating Lorelei Calloway is a whole thing, and I don’t want to deal with it when I’m raising a two-year-old, you know? If I meet someone organically, maybe. But I’m not doing dating apps or getting set up. Not right now. What about you? Still the eternal bachelor?”
“Yep.” He was about to say, I like it that way, but somehow, looking into her bright blue eyes and at the mouth he’d both tasted and fucked, the words died on his tongue.
He brought the pan to the sink and filled it with water. When she came to rinse her hands, he said, “I hope you know if I’d known about her, I would’ve helped however you needed.”
“I do know that.”
“And we need to sit down and figure out my share of costs. Including back pay.”
She shot him a challenging look.
He held up a hand. “I know you don’t need the money, but I am responsible for half of everything—and will be sharing it going forward.”
She seemed irritated. “Look, thank you for bringing it up—I get that we have to lay it on the table, but I think you know it’s not necessary. I don’t want or need your money. That will never be an issue here, okay? So, let’s put that conversation to rest.” And there it was again, that crease between her eyebrows. “What we need to figure out is so much bigger and more important.”
Her gaze went to Stevie who was trying to chew a whole marshmallow. Her cheeks had puffed out, and she had one end of the big white powdery ball sticking out of her mouth.
They both laughed. “You don’t mind that she’s eating that crap for breakfast?”
“Not at all. I’m not weird about what she eats. For the most part, she’s got a healthy diet, but I’m not going to deny her the fun stuff. Especially when we’re celebrating.”
“All right, let’s do this.” A chair screeched as Noa and Ginty got up from the table. “Thank you for an amazing breakfast.” She turned to Hellcat. “We’re heading into town to try on tuxes and have a private cake tasting, so text me if you need us to pick anything up. And don’t forget my appointment with Knox tonight. She’s closing the boutique for me. You’re coming, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Hellcat said.
“We’ve got our list.” Her dad waved his sheet of paper and got up. “So, we’ll head out, too.”
Margot and Hellcat exchanged a look he couldn’t decipher, but the singer nodded, and Margot cupped the little girl’s head. “Would you like to go swimming at the lake with Colt?”
Stevie clapped her hands together and grinned with pure glee. “I get my simmy.” She raced out of the room, her little butt waggling.
He thought it was about the cutest thing he’d ever seen. “Simmy?” he asked.
“Swimsuit.” Hellcat watched her parents hurry after the little girl. Once everyone had gone, she said, “Now you and I get to do the fun stuff.”
“Why do I think you and I have different definitions of fun?”
“Getting twelve cabins ready for guests isn’t your idea of fun? Come on. My parents left all the supplies outside each door. Today, we’ll be making beds and setting up bathrooms.”
“Yeah, definitely different ideas,” he grumbled.
She reached into a big drawer and pulled out the same Velcro caps and balls they’d played with in his cabin. She tugged hers on and tossed him his. They ran outside tossing balls at each other’s heads.
And for the former hockey player, it was on.