“While you were on the road? God, she’s not, like, some cleat bunny, is she?”
“Kyra,” I growl softly. “Cut it out.”
“Well?” she asks. Clearly, my daughter is a bit protective of her dear old dad. I find it adorable.
“No, she’s not. She’s a grown woman close to my age. We, uh, met at a hotel bar.”
Kyra laughs. “A hotel bar?”
I laugh softly. “It’s not what you think. She was traveling for work. She’s the CEO of her own startup company.”
“Did she, like, come onto you or something? Does she even know who you are?”
I scratch my head. “She didn’t at first.”
“Oh, that’s funny. Did you tell her?”
“She knows.”
“And where does she live?”
“Right here in Chicago.”
“No way!”
“Yep.”
“Can we meet her?”
“Of course,” I say, draining the pasta.
Kyra seems satisfied, for now. But that’s a good question. When is the right time? Or is there a right time? I definitely need to ask Layla. And talk with Steph, too. Before Kyra or Deacon tell her. I don’t want there to be any drama.
Finishing up, I combine the pasta and sauce. “Dinner’s ready!” I announce. Both kids come into the kitchen and pile up the pasta. I follow suit and head to the table, where they’ve already claimed their seats.
“Catch me up,” I say to both of them. “What’s new with school?”
We chat while we eat. We talk about how school is going and even about their mom’s new boyfriend. The kids are thriving. All is well. Until Deacon drops a bomb on me.
“Tell dad about your new boyfriend, K,” he says casually, a smug look on his face.
Kyra glares at him. Judging from her reaction, she didn’t want to tell me. Which is ironic since she basically asked me twenty questions about Layla. But this is different. Layla and I are adults. Kyra is in high school. The kid dating my daughter better not mess up, or else he’ll feel my wrath.
“A boyfriend, huh? Tell me all about him.”
Her cheeks turn pink just a little bit. “Uh, he’s a grade above me. His name is Cooper.”
“Does Cooper have a last name?”
“Moore.” Deacon answers before Kyra can, never looking up from his phone.
“How serious is it?”
Kyra laughs. “Dad, come on. I just met him a couple of weeks ago.”
That’s a relief. “I’d like to meet him sometime.”
She snorts. “Same with Layla.”
