Gus always said that homework was my job since I had custody. I didn't understand why he didn't want to be her dad and do the things that dads did.
We finished her work, placing it in her folder for the next day, and went outside to meet Hudson. He was just putting the carpet in the bed of the truck.
He nodded toward the diner. "Let's head over. I already locked the back door."
"Wouldn't want anyone walking in on something," I said lightly as Ayla ran ahead of us, excited to eat out.
Hudson leaned close, lowering his voice. "Did you forget that I had one?"
"Yes. I’ll let you know the next time we’re doing a photo shoot."
He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I can't say I have any regrets."
CHAPTER 7
HUDSON
Her startled gaze lifted to me.
Why had I admitted that I liked seeing her in sexy lingerie?
Thankfully, we'd already reached the doors to the diner, and Ayla was waiting to go inside. I pulled open the door, and they preceded me inside.
Ginger pulled out two menus, then raised her brows when she saw me standing behind Angela. "Do you have a guest?"
"Make that three, Ginger." I flashed her a smile, and she grabbed another menu. "Right this way."
I placed a hand on Angela's lower back, feeling the tension in her muscles. She was worried about what people would think, but I didn't care.
Ginger set the menus on a booth by the window, and Angela slid in next to Ayla.
I sat across from them.
"I'll be right back to get your order," Ginger said before flouncing off to help a family who'd just entered the diner and were waiting at the hostess stand.
Angela gave me a look which I took to mean I shouldn't stand so close to her and I was not under any circumstances to be touching her in public.
For some reason, her anxiety about the situation had my shoulders lowering and my lips pulling into a teasing smile. "What do you ladies want tonight? It's my treat."
I figured I'd get that out of the way.
Angela's lips pressed into a straight line. "We can pay for our meal."
I leaned my elbows on the table, moving closer to Angela. "Then it wouldn't be a treat, would it?"
Her eyes narrowed on me.
If she was wondering if I was flirting with her, I most definitely was. There was something about seeing her in that outfit earlier that made me forget all the reasons why we weren't a good idea.
"I want pancakes," Ayla said, closing her menu and crossing her arms on the table, clearly oblivious to the tension between me and her mother.
"I love pancakes."
She pointed at the picture on the glossy menu. "You have to get the ones with chocolate chips. Not the ones with fruit."
"Mmm. That does sound good." I closed my menu, content to get exactly what Ayla wanted.
"Maybe we can order a bowl of fruit for the table then?" Angela murmured.
