The way her skin feels like silk under your fingertips, or how perfect her laugh is when she throws her head back, stretching out the length of her neck that begs you to sink your teeth in?
Fuck.
I bring my fist to my mouth and bite my finger out of frustration.
“You’re torturing yourself, Harrison. Why don’t you come with me?—”
There’s a knock on my office door, interrupting Matteo, and by how soft it is, I know it’s Claud. “Come in,” I call.
“Daddy, can I sit in on your meeting?”
I roll my lips to suppress a laugh. She once heard me ask Lauren to sit in on a meeting to take notes, and now she asks every time she’s here.
“Sure. Would you like to be my assistant?” She holds up her notebook and nods her head eagerly. This kid is too much. “Come here,” I pat my leg.
“Assistants don’t sit on the boss’s lap, Daddy,” she states seriously. Then, after giving him a high-five hello, she climbs into the chair beside Matteo and crosses her legs.
“Some do,” Matteo mumbles under his breath, and I stifle a laugh.
“They better not be in my company.”
After five minutes of talking about nonsense since our meeting was over before Claud came in, and there was nothing else we needed to discuss—besides Juliette—we say our goodbyes to Matteo and Lauren for the day and head to Claudina’s baking class.
“There it is!” Claudina points to the bakery excitedly. “Wait until you see what I can do. Today, we’re making sugar cookies and decorating them with icing and sprinkles. I can’t wait to show you.” She says, swinging my hand exaggeratedly.
“We’re early, Claudina. Let’s wait outside,” I say, but she’s already trying to open the door.
“No way, we need a good seat,” she explains, so I help her open the door to Le Petit Boulanger, and in an instant, Claud drops my hand to run across the shop into the arms of the one person who’s been keeping me up at night…Juliette.
What the actual fuck?
Juliette
The bakery’s front door opens while I’m crouched down, putting away supplies. Even without the view of the door, I can already tell by her enthusiastic footsteps and giggles it’s my favorite girl.
I shouldn’t have a favorite in class, except there’s no denying it. Plus, I’ve known her longer than all the others. “Hey, sugar plum,” I laugh, using Claudina’s nickname as she piles into mybody with a huge hug. “Where’s Willa?” I look around her and freeze in place.
What’s going on?
I stand and whisper, “Harrison?”
His furious eyes bore into mine, “What the fuck is going on here?”
“Daddy!”
“Come here right this instant, Claudina,” Harrison demands, holding his arm out.
Daddy.
I look between Claudina and Harrison, bewildered, and then it hits me. “Claud, is your daughter?”
“Claudina Rosa Davenport,” he snaps, “I said come here right now.”
She lets go of me with confused eyes, glancing between Harrison and me, then runs over to his side, looking up at him with worry. “Why are you yelling?”
Without taking his eyes off me, he puts a protective arm around his daughter, “What are you doing here?”
I narrow my eyes but stay absolutely silent. I think I’m in complete and utter shock.
