“Sure thing, Doctor.” I salute him, easing us back into a lighter atmosphere.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
preston
The ceiling daresme to vacate my bed and face the day. And although I hate to admit it, there was some logic buried under the stationery explosion Mia unleashed on me last night.
I’ve been working out nonstop just to stay sane, getting those serotonin and oxytocin levels up the old-fashioned way. I’m well aware I need a structured routine with Lily if I want to go back to work. Having quality time with her while going back to being the Dr. Preston everyone is waiting for is the only way forward.
Ha. The nanny turned out to be an impressive PA. But she sure came in like a wrecking ball.
And if I’m going to live up to the challenge, I’m starting with the hardest part, the one that matters the most.
I head for Lily’s room, planning to wake her up myself, but their voices drift up from the kitchen and pull me off course. I follow the sound down the stairs.
“You’re up early, Lily.” She’s bright-eyed and buzzing at 7 a.m., pouring herself some orange juice with Mia’s help.
“Hi, Dad. Come, we’re making breakfast.”
“Good morning, Miss Thorne.”
“No proper tea in this house, and you’reMiss Thorn-ingme again. There will be no ‘good morning’ for you, sir.”
I pull one of my credit cards from my wallet, the black one, because apparently, I’m measuring dicks with myself now. “Take this.” I slide it across the counter. “Do some shopping. Fill the cupboards with whatever will make you happy.” I don’t know when she became someone I trust to restock my house, but here we are.
“Choooocolate.” She brings her face close to Lily, and my kid breaks into a fit of giggles.God, how I love that sound. I wish I hadn’t caught the reference, but I was force-fedFrozentoo many times to miss it.
“Search a British shop. Find the food of your people. There’s only room for one grump in this house, and that throne has long been claimed.”
“A company card? Nice.”
“Hate to disappoint, but this one is not limitless like Liam’s.”
“Sir, I see where you live, what you drive, don’t cry poor to me,” she says, putting the card into her back pocket, then doing that money rubbing thing, running one open palm over the other like she’s warming up to throw some serious cash around.My cash.
“Sunshine, while Mia is shopping, I thought the two of us could go out for breakfast.”
“But Dad, Mia will want to come too. She’ll go hungry.”
Mia and I exchange a look, and I swear she can read my pain and intentions for this morning.
“Actually, Lils. I already ate, so I was just going to cook for you two. Go with Dad, I’ll go tea shopping, and I promise I’ll have something super British for you when you come back, okay?”
“What is it?”
“It’s a—oh, you almost fooled me! No way, Missy. It’s a surprise.”
Mia laughs and tickles Lily. My kitchen changes its key, and something kicks in my chest. Is that my heart beating again?
* * *
I choose a café we’ve never been to before, afraid to taint a favorite place of hers.
“Lil, I’m really sorry I took this long to sit down with you, but this… isn’t easy for me either.” She’s giving me her full attention while inhaling the strawberry milkshake I allowed instead of the standard fresh juice for breakfast. This morning will be bitter enough. “It’s about your mom.”
She’s still listening, but now her gaze falls to the paper placemats they set for her. The ones for coloring. The pot of crayons sits untouched between us.
“Dad, I know she’s not on vacation.”
