Autumn looks up at me expectantly. “I know he’s not my daddy, but he loves me and maybe can pretend for one night.”
Oh, my heart.
I crouch down so I’m on Autumn’s level. “Baby girl, I’m sure Declan would love to go to the father-daughter dance with you.”
Her eyes widen, and she beams at me. “Really?”
I nod my head. “Really.” Because I know he would. Declan and Autumn are like two peas in a pod. She clings to him with so much love, and he doesn’t hesitate to give it back. He treats her like a princess.
When we get in front of Declan's shop, I grab Autumn’s hand. “Let’s go say hi to Declan.”
We’ve stopped by a few times when he’s been working, just to drop off a coffee or food, so I know he won’t be put off by us stopping by right now.
When I pull open the door, Preston is checking out a client at the reception desk, blocking our view of Declan.
“Hey!” he says with a smile. “I’m so happy you’ve come to see me.”
I roll my eyes and smile back.
Much like Becca, Preston doesn’t hesitate to give me shit. He’s slowly become like a brother and is always happy to see Autumn and me when we stop by here, or he stops by the coffee shop. Jude, on the other hand, stays fairly quiet, but he’s always quick to greet me and my daughter and treats us with the utmost kindness.
Autumn races behind the desk, and Preston fist bumps her and then lets her help get his client checked out.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” Becca says a second later, and I wrap my arms around her shoulders for a hug.
“Been busy today?” I ask her.
“Very. Declan has been too. He’s working on some hotshot right now,” she says and wiggles her eyebrows.
“Famous?” I whisper back.
She shakes her head. “His mommy is famous, apparently.”
My eyes go wide, and I wonder who it is. I still don’t have a line of sight to Declan and am itching to get a look at who he’s working on.
“The guy is kind of a prick if you ask me, though,” she adds.
“Why?”
“Won’t shut his mouth. He keeps talking about how much ass he gets. He even said he used to poke holes in his condoms just for the thrill of it.”
My eyes go wide, and I scrunch my face in disgust. “What the fuck. Who just says that out loud?”
“Declan has barely said a word to him. The guy is offering up the information like everyone wants to know.”
“Gross.”
Becca nods in agreement, and finally, Preston’s client moves to leave.
“At least his face is nice to look at. Otherwise, he has no redeeming qualities,” Becca says softly as my heart plummets to the floor.
“Hi, Dec,” my daughter says, waving at him over the pony wall.
Declan pauses what he’s doing and pulls back to smile at Autumn. The man in his chair pauses what he is saying tolook at my daughter, too, and it takes everything in me not to throw up on the spot.
“Are you okay?” Becca asks, and I flinch when she touches my arm.
“Autumn. Let’s go,” I grind out, trying not to sound frantic or desperate.
