“Naomi goes nuts every time I take her there. Of course, she’s bouncing off walls after she’s had three pieces of candy.”
“I can just imagine,” I say. “You have a great relationship with your daughter.”
“I do. We’re a good little duo. I guess a trio with Luna,” he chuckles.
“It was great meeting her.”
“I think it’s mutual.”
I turn my body slightly against the seat so I can better see his gorgeous face. “Really?”
“You made Naomi’s day yesterday. She couldn’t stop telling Luna, Daddy’s new friend, Everly, is going to make you some doggy treats. She repeated it so many times it became a mantra.”
I laugh. “That’s so sweet.”
“She’s team Everly.”
“Yay! Go, team! Go!” I cheer.
“You know you’re on the hook now.”
“Am I?”
“You are, Miss I Can Make Anything.”
I laugh harder.
“There’s a two-year-old Staffie expecting doggy donuts from you. You can’t let her down.”
“You’re right. That would be wrong.”
“Damn right it would. What are you going to do about it?” he challenges.
I place my left hand against my heart and raise my right one. “I’ll deliver on my promise,” I say in a solemn tone. “I’ll do some Google searches and I’ll prepare Luna her own batch of treats. I’ll text you when they’re ready so you can come and pick them up.”
He turns to face me, sliding his right leg up on the seat. He drops the paper bag he’s holding on the dashboard and focuses his attention entirely on me.
“I’ve got a better idea.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Instead of texting me, why don’t you come over for dinner and bring them yourself.”
“Oh.”
I’m completely taken aback by his proposal.
“Was that a yes?”
“Um… yes. I’d love to come over.”
“Good,” he smiles wide. “It’s a little tricky for me on school nights. Tuesday, I’m off to New York, returning Friday afternoon. Why don’t we say next Saturday night? Does that work for you?”
“Perfect!”
Wow. A second date and I get to spend time with his daughter.
“I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait to get to know Naomi better. She’s as sharp as a whip and she’s too adorable for words.”
“I know I’m biased, but she really is.”
“Is her—” I shake my head. “Never mind.”
Don’t go there.
“You were saying?”
“It’s okay.”
He frowns. “What’s on your mind, precious?” he presses.
I clear my throat. “How long have you been—” I pause.
“I’m listening,” he says.
I take a deep breath in and muster up the courage to ask the question burning my tongue.
“How long have you been a single dad?”
Although we’re in a secluded area, it’s still well lit. In a fraction of a second, Holt’s face transforms from easy-going to a mask. He’s unrecognizable. There’s such harshness in his eyes, I jerk back.
“It’s none of my business. I shouldn’t have asked,” I blurt out, trying to make up for my faux pas.
The seconds tick away as my uneasiness grows.
Fuck, I royally screwed up.
“In many ways, I’ve been a single dad since the day my daughter was born.” The words come out strained.
I don’t understand.
“Was Naomi’s mom a surrogate? I thought it was the blonde heiress.”
“Ah. Google.”
I avert my gaze. “She’s gorgeous and so glamorous.” And richer than God.
“Don’t believe everything you read,” he sneers. “She’s a shadow of the woman she used to be.”
“I can understand. There’s so much tragedy surrounding her. I can’t believe what happened to her. It’s horrible. What are the odds?”
“Most people have a better chance of getting hit by lightning.”
“It’s so sad,” I sympathize.
“Yeah, it is.” Holt lets out a pained sigh before rubbing his hands over my face. “That was out of her control, but well before the catastrophe, she excelled at messing up her life on her own,” he says.
Suddenly, I regret asking the question.
“Sorry to hear that,” I say.
“To answer your question, yes, she’s Naomi’s mom, but it would’ve been easier had I hired a surrogate to bring my daughter into this world.”
Whoa.
“Holt, I’m—”
“Naomi wasn’t planned,” he interrupts. “I was seeing this girl and she got pregnant. The classic story of two people who weren’t careful enough. I wasn’t ready to be a father. And I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea for her to keep the baby.”
“Wow.”
“I know,” he says, averting his gaze. “Those are some pretty loaded words. The thing is, what I shared with Naomi’s mom was a fling at best. It’s not quite how I ever expected to bring my first child into the world. Long story short, she wanted to keep the baby. I felt trapped. When I opened up to my father, he served me with a dosage of reality check. I told him I wasn’t in love and I barely knew the woman—I’d been seeing her on and off for four months. I also shared my reservations about the baby. He gave me a verbal lynching that forced me to man up. Mom came after me as well when she found out, telling me I was an unexpected baby as well, but I turned out great. I asked Naomi’s mom to move in with me so we could do this together.” He lets out a long sigh. His frustration is palpable. “Turns out pregnancy isn’t like it is in the movies. For some women, it’s brutal. Naomi’s mom was one of them. I did everything I could to make it easier on her. My mom pitched in with her wisdom since both her pregnancies were brutal on her. It was to no avail. By the time Naomi was born, I think her mom resented her for what she had done to her body and what she had to endure during childbirth.” He pauses.
I swallow hard.
We sit there in silence for a long stretch before he speaks again.
“The second the nurse placed Naomi in my arms…” His words trail. He lets out a low laugh and shakes his head. “I like to say Naomi smiled up at me in that moment,” he says. “I’m pretty sure it was a grimace all newborns make. Still, I fell in love. Hard. I became a father and I vowed to protect her no matter what and at all cost.”
“You’ve done a phenomenal job taking care of her,” I tell him, placing my hands over his.
He squeezes them hard before bringing them up to his lips. He drops a flurry of soft kisses on the back of my hands. When our gaze meets again, there’s so much sadness veiling his eyes.
“Thanks for saying that, precious.”
There’s another long pause between us.
“Turns out not every woman is cut out for motherhood. Naomi’s mom walked out on her when she was only three months old—”
“Wh—what?”
I’m dumbfounded.
“Yeah,” he nods.
That poor sweet child.
“You haven’t heard from her ever since?”
He shakes his head. “She left and never looked back.”
Oof.
What kind of woman walks away from her child?
CHAPTER 26
Holt
Other than Sydney’s daily complaints about more anonymous congratulatory notes showing up mysteriously at our gate before Angela comes in, the week in New York goes by without a hitch. The parcels all have the same MO––black box, black tissue paper, black ribbon and a white note with just a few words. Same erratic handwriting. Both Angela and Sydney have gone on a witch hunt, determined to catch the delivery guy in the act. Our security cameras have been useless. Cadoc is clever. His guy wears a leather jacket, jeans, military boots with studs and a ski mask. All in black. Of course, we don’t have enough to
get the police involved. There are no infractions. I promised Sydney I’d take care of the idiot when I got back. He just doesn’t know when to quit.
New York is always nonstop. For once, I was grateful for the relentless peace. My demanding workload kept me busy enough to forget I opened up about Naomi’s mom. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t regret telling Everly. Revisiting the past always makes me angry at how easy it’s been for my daughter’s mother to completely forget she ever gave birth to a precious child.
“Dah-deeeeee!” Naomi’s voice shakes me out of my momentary foul mood.
She comes running into the kitchen with our Staffie in tow. Everly is half an hour away. While I’ve been making the finishing touches, ready for our evening, Naomi has been stressing out over the perfect outfit for our dog. I guess she’s solved that enigma.
“Yes, sweet pea.”
“Do you like Luna’s dress?”
I chuckle.
This is outfit number four.
“What was wrong with the last one?”
She gives me that face, the one that says, Seriously, Daddy?
“I like it. She looks perfect,” I say.
“Are you sure?”
“Luna always looks good––with or without clothing.”
She giggles.
“I want Everly to like her.”
I walk up to Naomi and squat so we’re at eye level. “What’s there not to like?” I tap the tip of her nose.
She giggles again.
“You look pretty perfect too,” I say.
I gave her three dress options. She went with the cute one that’s made to look like a two-piece. It has a floral skirt and white top. She refused her Chucks and opted for her a pair of new dressy black shoes and white socks. Her hairstyle was a production. She had specific demands today. She kills me.
“I hope Everly likes me too,” she worries her bottom lip.
“She does, Noni. You already met her.”
She nods.
But for some reason, she doesn’t seem convinced.
“What’s going on in your little pretty head?”
She responds with a one-shoulder shrug before averting her gaze.
“Talk to me, sweet pea. What’s wrong?”
“You never had a lady friend before.”
“True. Is it okay?”
She gives me another one-shoulder shrug.
“Tell me what’s bothering you,” I coax.
“In my other school.” She means the one she left in London. “Julie’s mummy had a friend and then he was her daddy. And Chelsea’s daddy had a friend—she even dropped her off at school. And then she was Chelsea’s mummy. Is Everly going to be my mummy?”
Whoa.
I didn’t see that one coming.
I swear, my heart stammers over a beat or ten.
My poor baby girl.
It’s been a while since she’s brought up the mommy thing.
“Is that why you want Everly to like you and Luna so much?” I ask.
She nods.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with Everly.” She frowns. “We’re just friends for now.”
“So I won’t have a mummy still?”
“Not yet, sweet pea.”
Her eyes water and soon tears well there.
Shit.
She blinks furiously at me, her lower lip jutting out.
God, it hurts to see her this way.
When tears hurdle over her lids and careen down her sweet cheeks, I want to fucking die.
I embrace her and hug the hell out of my child. We stay like this for a while until I pull away from her.
“I know you don’t have a mommy,” I say, wiping her tears away, “but you’ll always have me, and Luna is your best friend.”
Her disappointment deepens.
We’re both about to navigate uncharted territory. As always, my number one job is to protect her. I’d gladly crawl over broken glass before I allow anyone to ever hurt her again.
“There is something I can tell you,” I say.
“What?”
“Whomever I choose to be with has to like you and Luna. There are no two ways about it. We come as a packaged deal—it’s me and my girls.”
She offers a small smile.
“And when the right woman comes along, she’ll be the perfect mommy for you,” I add.
That does the trick.
The frown of worry disappears and it’s replaced with a radiant smile. For now.
CHAPTER 27
Holt
Everly texted me to let me know she was close. I sent a car to pick her up. She protested, stating she has her own wheels. I’m sure she looks hot in her Mini Countryman compact SUV, but why drive in LA when you don’t have to?
The baked potatoes wrapped in foil and the ribs are already on the grill. I’ll put the corn a little later. The ribs, steaks––and chicken breasts for Naomi––are marinating in the fridge. Same for the vegetables. The Mediterranean appetizer platter I bought from All This Food is chilling. I have wine and champagne on ice—pineapple juice for Naomi. Five ice cream pints of seasonal flavors from Salt & Straw are tucked in the freezer. The playlist is selected. In other words, I’m ready.
I didn’t even have to convince Naomi not to run around in the backyard with Luna. She’s been sitting pretty watching cartoons. She even has her legs crossed at the ankle like a big girl. She’s been very careful, unwilling to get her dress—or Luna’s—dirty. She’s eager. I suspect her excitement isn't like mine—I’m looking forward to seeing my little donut dominatrix again. We’ve been on WhatsApp pretty much every night, but it’s not the same as seeing her beautiful face.
“Dah-deeeeee!”
My princess runs and throws herself at me. I scoop her into my arms, swirl her in the air.
“Yay!” she giggles like crazy.
I press a kiss to her forehead before setting her down.
“What’s up, sweet pea?”
“Did Everly forget?”
“No, Noni. She’s on her way. Traffic is bad on Saturday nights in the city,” I explain.
“Oh, okay,” she turns on her heel and sets off, a blur of little girl racing out of the kitchen. “She’s coming, Luna. Be patient. Traffic is bad on Saturday nights,” I hear her shout.
I laugh.
My phone chimes in and I quickly stride to the island. When I pick it up, I smile wide.
As I head to the door, the doorbell rings.
“She’s here! She’s here! She’s here!” Naomi chants.
She lets out this excited screech as she runs to the door, Luna is right behind her. She’s just about to reach the lock, when I stop her in her tracks.
“What did I say about opening the door?”
“Err… I’m supposed to let you or an adult open it.”
“That’s right.”
She steps aside. Luna does the same.
When I open the door, Everly is standing there with her trademark dazzling smile, her arms weighed down with boxes. I don’t even have time to greet her as Luna runs up to her, wagging her tail.
“Woof. Woof. Woof.”
“Give her a minute, Luna,” I scold.
“Hi, Luna,” Everly says with a smile. “You can already smell your treats?”
“Woof. Woof. Woof.”
“Luna, move back.”
“Woof. Woof. Woof.”
“Luna, I know you’re excited. Give our guest some room.”
“Come here, Luna,” Naomi calls, slapping her thighs.
Finally, our excited Staffie concedes.
What a production?
“Let me help,” I say, reaching out to lighten Everly’s load.
“Thank you,” she says.
“It’s a little backward, but hello and welcome to my home.”
“Hello to you and thanks for having me over,” she smiles.
“I see you come bearing gifts,” my eyes lower to the boxes I’m holding.
“Remember, I
said my great-great-grandmother was Italian and Mom is from Jersey. This is how we roll.”
“Duly noted and thank you,” I say. “Naomi, you remember Everly?”
“Yes,” she nods. “Hi, Everly,” she says shyly.
“Hi, Naomi.” Everly squats so she’s at eye level with my daughter. A move that surprises me. Many adults don’t get it.
Luna comes charging towards Everly.
“Luna! Stop!” I shout.
The dog whimpers as she comes to a halt.
Everly extends her hand and Luna hesitates. She looks up at me, seeking approval. I give it to her.
“Go, but be nice,” I tell Luna.
This time she approaches Everly slowly.
“Hey, girl. How are you?” my sexy guest says, patting my dog.
Luna is putty in her hands.
Wow.
“You look so pretty, Naomi.” Everly returns her focus to my daughter.
“You like my dress?”
“It’s absolutely adorable. It fits you perfectly,” Everly says.
Naomi beams with pride. “I picked it.”
“You nailed it,” Everly says, giving her a thumbs-up. “I also quite like what Luna is wearing.”
“You do?” Naomi is giddy.
“Yes. Did you pick that as well?”
Naomi nods emphatically.
“You’re good at this,” Everly says.
“Thank you,” Naomi giggles. “I like your dress. It’s pink like my tutu.”
“I haven’t been to a ballet class in so long, but you inspired me the other day. I wanted to look just like you.”
“Oh,” Naomi is lost for words.
Her blue eyes dart up to mine.
I smile back at her.
“Did Daddy do your hair?” Everly asks.
“Yes, but I picked what I wanted.”
“You look like a little princess.”
Naomi is smiling from ear to ear.
Everly just earned herself a lot of brownie points.
“Come on in,” I say.
Everly kicks off her shoes.
“Keep them,” I tell her. “I like them on you.” A lot.
“Me too,” Naomi chimes in.
“Okay,” Everly blushes, sliding back into her heels.
“We’ll head to the kitchen,” I suggest.
Torrid Rush: A Single Dad Romance (Bad Boy Studs Book 3) Page 21