Once she’s all tucked in, I tell her, “Goodnight, baby girl. Sweet dreams.”
Just as I’m about to turn off the light, Autumn asks in her sleepy voice, “Can Dec be my daddy?”
Oh, fucking hell.
I squat back down next to her bed. “No, baby girl. He’s just a new neighbor.”
“But he looks like he could be a daddy. He’s old. And you could marry him.”
I chuckle at the ‘old’ comment. “But he’s a stranger, Autumn. I’m sorry, baby girl.”
“Okay, mommy.” She yawns and then closes her eyes, accepting my answer for what it is.
Just like earlier, I wasn’t prepared for this conversation. Where did she come up with that question? We just met the guy, and she’s asking if he can be her dad?
I rub the bridge of my nose and shut the door behind me as I leave her room. It must be a full moon because the weirdness of today is in full force.
One thing I know for sure, though, I have to tell Declan I know who he is. It would be wrong to keep that knowledge from him. And since he’s going to be my neighbor, honesty is the best policy. This isn’t a romance novel; this is real life. Keeping this from him would only end in disaster.
I throw my hair up in a messy bun and change into a gray, oversized crewneck sweatshirt, light blue sleep shorts, and fluffy gray socks. I take my phone to the couch because now is as good of a time as ever to rip off the Band-Aid.
I’m just not sure if I’m prepared for the fallout of him now knowing who I am.
Chapter 4
Declan
The beautiful blonde has a kid… and she’s my neighbor. Two curveballs I didnotsee coming. I was organizing all my stuff when I heard voices in the hall. I guess I should have looked through the peephole instead of jumping the gun at opening the door because the last person I expected to see was the woman from the coffee shop.
Penny.
A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.
I also didn’t expect her to have a kid, especially one that old. Penny looks young, so she must have hadAutumn when she was still a teenager. I’m not sure. But any interest I had in the beauty next door just went out the window because I steer clear of anyone who has kids or wants them. It’s unfortunate because I wouldn’t have minded having a benefits type of situation with my gorgeous neighbor, but it’s probably for the best. You shouldn’t shit where you eat, I think that’s how the saying goes.
I’ll be cordial to them when we run into each other because it’s bound to happen, but I definitely don’t see myself becoming friends with the two. Acquaintances, maybe, but nothing more.
The kidwaskind of funny, though. Her blatant honesty and quick quips had me laughing when I least expected it. Her face and eyes are all her mom's, but her hair is dark brown, and her skin is more olive-toned. Which begs the question, where’s her dad, and why isn’t he in the picture?
It’s none of my business, and I’m not that curious, but the two are living alone in an old ass building with zero security measures besides a simple lock on the door. It doesn’t exactly scream safe to me.
But like I said, it’s none of my business.
I spend the next little while continuing to organize my stuff, and before I know it, my phone goes off, signaling a text from Pen. We decided it would be fine to exchange numbers a few weeks back, and I put her text signal as a different tone than the rest of my friends. I haven’t heard from her all day,despite messaging her earlier in the afternoon, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to chat with her tonight.
Pen: Hey, serious question…
Me: Oh no, I thought we had an unspoken rule about serious conversations. Meaning we don’t have them. Tisk tisk.
Pen: I’m rolling my eyes at you. Real talk, though… please.
Me: Okay… shoot.
Pen: Is your full name Declan?
Me: It is…
Pen: Walk out your front door.
