Ethan scowled. “How can it not be?”
And why did he have a hunch it was going to ruin his week?
“Right.” Jack held up his hands in surrender. “First thought: the way this is going, it would appear that you are going to need to prove that you are happy and probably paired up with someone, before it’ll go away. Unless you want the attention?”
“Only if it’ll get me back to Nosh,” Ethan said.
He stood, strode to the kitchen to grab his mobile. Jack helped him download the app and login. Oh geez… his social media had blown up.
Ethan felt his jaw drop a bit. “I don’t want to be ambushed by ladies every time I step out of the house.”
“I’ll start drafting a statement.” Jack stood. “In the meantime, don’t talk to anyone about this. And, uh, if you could keep Annie off your socials, that’d be helpful.”
Annie.
Ethan needed to talk to her before he did anything else, then he could deal with the rest.
So Jack left and Ethan knocked on Annie’s door before going inside. She laid on her pillow, staring at the ceiling like it was a really great movie.
But it was just the plaster, nothing special up there.
“I’m not angry,” he said, stepping through the door. “But we need to talk about this.”
Starting with posting photos of a person in their underwear without their permission. Then posting it on social media asking for a wife, and a mum.
But words seemed to stick in Ethan’s throat. He opened his mouth to say something, but he wasn’t sure what.
For the briefest of seconds, he saw the worry in Annie’s eyes. Worry for him or that he’d be angry?
“I love you, Dad. And, well, you need to listen to me.” She sat up and crossed her arms.
He didn’t know what to say. Totally lost with how to parent in this situation. He’d never reckoned she’d have him wrapped so tight around her finger, but there they were, two peas in a pod.
Still, a heavy blanket of disappointment fell in the room.
“I’m very disappointed you didn’t listen to me,” he said.
“Well, I’m disappointed you didn’t listen to me,” she countered.
“I’m disappointed in myself that somehow I made you feel like I’m not happy. You make me happy, love. You do.”
“You really don’t want me to have a mum, huh?” she said, her face crumbling. “I’d really like a mum.”
His entire chest hurt at that. He could be a lot of things for her, but he couldn’t be that.
“You know?” he asked. “We’ll both think more clearly with a full stomach. Wash up and meet me downstairs for dinner.”
This was a right bloody mess and not at all how he’d planned his night to go.
Chapter Six
EMMALINE
Emmaline scanned her Instagram feed.There was the usual mix of kitten videos and friend requests, but Ethan Greene had officially taken over the internet with his search for a wife.
Who would’ve thought he was so set on meeting someone? Her feed filled with women using the #DateMyCelebrityDad hashtag in an attempt to catch his attention.
I’m ready to take on your meatsicle!
