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  “Let’s go, ladies,” Dane says.

  Mia offers me her free hand.

  I take it.

  “And then a cab pulls up to the curb, right? I’m thinking my luck has finally changed, and I start running down the sidewalk, waving my arms like a lunatic.” I demonstrate, with a little exaggeration, my arms flailing around in the air.

  Mia giggles before taking a bite of her burger.

  “I almost get there. I’m this close,” I say. “And my heel gets caught in one of New York’s famous sidewalk cracks, and I go face-first into a pile of snow.”

  “I bet that was cold,” Mia notes. “How’d you get up?”

  “Luckily, this man was walking by and helped me up. That’s not common in the city. Most people would just watch you walk out into the middle of traffic and not blink an eye.” I take a drink of my vanilla milkshake and shrug. “The man hailed me a cab, and I got back to my apartment. It was a heck of a day.”

  Dane sits next to me, not saying a word. We’re early for dinner at Mucker’s and are the only people in the actual dining area. There are a few groups on the patio.

  “I need to go to the bathroom,” Mia says, wiggling in her chair. “May I be excused?”

  “Go ahead,” Dane tells her.

  She skips off, her spirits seemingly better than they were when we got here. I watch her ponytail disappear into the bathroom before I turn my attention back to her father.

  “What do you think was wrong with her?” I ask.

  “I don’t know.”

  “It came out of nowhere. She was hugging me and happy as a lark, and then she wasn’t.” I take another drink. “She’s too young for hormones. Or is she? What age do girls start their periods these days?”

  Dane goes pale. “I have no idea. Surely not at her age.”

  “I wouldn’t think so. It seems so young.”

  The waitress comes up to the table and clears away our empty plates and the giant bowl of ranch dressing we shared for our fries. Dane requests the check and a box for the rest of Mia’s burger.

  He leans to the side to retrieve his wallet from his back pocket, and I catch him grinning at me.

  “What?” I ask.

  “Just thinking you smell better than the last time I saw you.”

  “You should’ve seen my mom.” I groan. “She picked out a piece of hay right away and was like, ‘This looks like a good sign.’”

  Dane laughs, handing his credit card to the waitress as she reappears.

  “I’ll be right back,” she says.

  My jaw drops. “You didn’t even look at the bill.”

  “So?”

  “So? She could charge you for ten burgers, Dane,” I say, flabbergasted. “You always check the bill before you pay.”

  “I’ll get to see it again before I sign the receipt. And come on, Neely. It’s Mucker’s. If they overcharged me, I’d get free food for life.”

  I twirl my straw around my glass. “I forget things like that are different here. You don’t check in New York and your bill goes up one hundred percent.”

  The corner of his lip curls. I hold my breath as he moves his hand. He lays it on the inner corner of my thigh, his fingers pressing roughly against my skin. “I can tell you something else that goes up one hundred percent,” he says. “At least it does when you’re around.”

  I slip my hand on top of his and bring it higher until our entwined fingers sit between my legs. “Are you talking about the temperature around here?” I tease.

  “Well, it is awfully hot.” He nudges his hand against me. “But I was talking more about how erect certain things get.”

  “What’s ‘erect’ mean?” Mia hops into her seat and grabs her milkshake. She looks from me to Dane. “Is ‘erect’ like a barrette? For my hair?”

  “Yup.” Dane swallows. He jerks his hand from me like it is on fire. “Just like that.”

  “That’s not true.” I roll my eyes. “‘Erect’ means something is stiff or straight. Like when you’re in a pyramid. Your legs should be erect because it’s easier for your bases to hold you. Get it?”

  “Erect. I like that word.” She slurps the final drink from her glass.

  “Really?” Dane mutters under his breath.

  “Do you want her to have a bad vocabulary?” I ask just as softly.

  He leans toward me, his lips glancing my ear. “I’d like her to have a censored vocabulary, if you don’t mind.”

  “Let me clue you in on something, big boy,” I whisper. Glancing at Mia, I ensure she’s preoccupied with the television hanging near the bathroom door. “When a guy comes on to her one day, and he will whether you like it or not, you don’t want her shocked at words he throws around. Understanding things like the word ‘erect’ will give her confidence. Trust me.”

  He throws his hands up in the air and settles back in his seat.

  “Look at me, sitting erect,” Mia says with a hint of pride.

  “That’s it.” Dane scoots his chair back and stands. “I’ll pay and then be in the truck.”

  I can’t help but giggle as he walks to the cash register and asks for the receipt to sign. He doesn’t check the price, just scribbles his name, takes the card, and walks out.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Mia asks.

  “Oh, he’s just being a baby today. You ready to go?”

  “Yes.” She hops off her chair and follows me to the door.

  We mosey through the parking lot side by side, neither of us saying a word. Once we get to the truck, I hold the door open while Mia climbs into the back, and then I get settled in the front beside Dane.

  “Everyone ready?” he asks. “Buckle up back there, rascal.”

  The sound of the buckle clicking into the clasp rings through the air. “Don’t worry. I’m buckled in and sitting erect.”

  I snort so hard I almost choke.

  “You owe me for this one, Kimber,” Dane says.

  I glance over my shoulder to see a wickedly sexy smile gracing his lips. My legs pull together.

  “I look forward to it.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  NEELY

  The couch in Dane’s living room is perfectly worn. Each cushion is broken down to the point where you sink in like you’re in a soft cloud as soon as your behind touches it.

  Curled up in the corner, I listen to Dane and Mia laugh upstairs. Every now and then, he makes a weird voice, and she bursts out laughing.

  The inside of their house isn’t at all what I expected. Everything has a place, and everyone has a job. It’s a mishmash of styles and decorations that seem to work together somehow. There’s even a cookie jar on the center of the island in the kitchen filled with peanut butter cookies.

  You can feel the joy when you walk in, sense the loyalty in the walls as you stroll down the hallway decorated with pictures of Mia at different stages of her life. I’ve never felt so comfortable in someone else’s house before.

  My phone vibrates on my lap. A text from Grace pops up on the screen. I look at it like it might bite me—not because of the text, but because of the email that needs responding to.

  I’ve reread Mr. Snow’s offer a few times. It isn’t groundbreaking, but it isn’t bad. It’s certainly better than nothing. I should take it. I know I should. But every time I have my finger on the “Reply” button, I chicken out.

  I tell myself it’s because I know I’m worth more. I made almost double that at my old job and had half again more leave time. But something wrestles inside my chest, and I know it isn’t all about leave time. It’s about leaving them.

  Dane’s footsteps echo down the hall, and it isn’t long before he comes around the corner. He’s changed into a white T-shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants, and all I want to do is bury my face in the soft cloth and have him hold me.

  “You’re being beckoned,” he says. A hand on his hip, he sighs. “Apparently she needs to talk to you now. I wouldn’t let her get out of bed because if she does that, we’ll ne
ver get her back in there.”

  Unfolding my legs, I stand. “What’s she want?”

  He shrugs. “I already read her bedtime story, which is ridiculous at her age, but I can’t tell her no.”

  “I think it’s adorable.” I start by him, but he pulls me toward him.

  “I think you’re adorable.”

  “You do, huh?”

  “I do.” He plants a loud, wet kiss on my lips. “Now go figure out what she wants so we can move on with our night.”

  I take the stairs two at a time. “I like the sound of that.”

  Dane’s footsteps fall behind me. “It’s the door with the glitter. Make it snappy.” He pats me on the behind as I enter Mia’s room.

  “Hey, you,” I say. “Ready for bed?”

  She’s snuggled under the covers. “Yeah.”

  “What’s going on?” I ask, sitting on the edge.

  “Well . . .” She looks at Dane standing at the door. “There’s this Manicure Day at the gym.”

  “I saw the flyer. It looks like fun.” I brush her hair out of her face with my hand. “Are you excited about it?”

  She throws the blanket over her head.

  “Mia.” I laugh. “What are you doing?” I tug the blanket down so I can look at her. “What’s up?”

  She chews her bottom lip. “I . . . You . . .” She takes a deep breath. “Will you go with me?”

  My heart melts. “Yes, I’ll go with you. Of course. Why would you think I wouldn’t?”

  “It’s for mothers and daughters.” She looks at Dane. “It’s okay if I ask Neely, right?”

  I twist around. He’s propped against the doorjamb, looking at us in disbelief. “Yeah. It’s okay with me.”

  “You’ll go?” Mia shimmies from under the covers. “It’s in the afternoon, and the girls say it’s so much fun. They do their fingernails and toenails, and they bring them little cookies and stuff.”

  “Haven’t you gone before?”

  She shakes her head. “I didn’t have anyone to take me.”

  “Honey, Haley would’ve gone with you,” Dane says, coming into the room. “Or I would’ve gone. I don’t know how good my feet would look all polished up, but maybe I’d like it.”

  Mia laughs. “You can’t go. You’re a boy. And Haley could’ve, but . . . she’s not my mom.”

  “Mia,” I say, resting my hand on her lap. “I’m not your mom either. I’m your friend. Your dad’s friend. You know that, right?”

  “Yeah.” She grins like she’s playing along to some game and curls back up under her blankets. “So you’ll go?”

  “Yes. I’ll go.” I lean forward and press a kiss to her forehead. “Now get some sleep.”

  She yawns, waving at her dad as he turns off the light. “Love you, Dad.”

  “Love you, rascal.”

  I step out of the room when she calls out again. “Love you, Neely.”

  I look up at Dane. He touches my cheek, as if that somehow will tell me what to do. “Good night, Mia.”

  He pulls the door closed. “That wasn’t what I expected,” he whispers.

  “Me either.”

  “Are you okay with all that?” He searches my face. “If not, I’ll work it out.”

  I take a quick inventory of how I feel in this moment. I have no regrets. I don’t wish anything were different. In fact, I’m happy. I reach up and kiss his cheek. “I’m very okay with it.”

  He takes my hand. “Let’s go to my room.”

  “I need to do something first. Go on without me, and I’ll be there in a second, all right?”

  “I don’t want to go without you.” He pouts.

  “Give me five minutes.” I laugh. “I’ll be there. Promise.”

  “You have five minutes and your time starts now.”

  Rolling my eyes, I head across the hall to the bathroom. Once locked inside, I sit on the toilet seat and pull out my phone. My heart beats a little quicker with every second that passes.

  I unlock the screen and pull up my email. Mr. Snow’s offer is at the top. I open the message and hit the “Reply” button.

  Mr. Snow,

  Thank you for the generous offer. However, after much thought and consideration, I don’t feel this position would be a good fit for me. I appreciate your vote of confidence and wish you the best of luck going forward.

  Sincerely,

  Neely Kimber

  As soon as it’s sent, my shoulders completely fall in relief.

  I make my way to Dane’s room and find him lying across his bed. He props up on his elbows when he hears me walk in.

  “I have something to tell you,” I say, shutting the door behind me.

  “What’s that?”

  I walk to the side of the bed near his feet. “I got a job offer yesterday.”

  “In New York?” he asks carefully.

  “Yeah.” Sitting on the edge of the bed, my hand squeezing his thigh, I look back at him. I give myself a moment to panic, to wish I had taken the job. Those things never come. Instead, the longer I sit beside him, the better I feel. “I just turned it down.”

  “You did?”

  “I did.”

  In one swift movement, he sits up and grabs me around the waist. I’m beside him on his white comforter before I know what’s happening. He strokes my cheek with the pad of his thumb and gazes into my eyes.

  “Can I say I’m glad you didn’t take it?” he asks.

  “You can. I’m glad I didn’t take it too.”

  “Can I ask why you didn’t take it?”

  “They offered me five sick days.” I snort. “And it’s another six blocks from my apartment.”

  He grins, but it’s not wide or joyful. “Everyone needs more than five sick days.”

  “That’s what I was thinking.” I link my leg over his.

  “Are you still job hunting?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I have bills to pay. I just can’t find anything that checks all the boxes I need checked.”

  He nods. “Until you find something, I hope you’ll let me check some of your boxes, if you catch my drift.”

  Laughing, I scoot closer to him. “I thought you owed me one?”

  “No, you owe me one.”

  He rolls me over onto my back and smothers me with kisses. Thoughts of New York float away as I fall under Dane’s spell.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  DANE

  My usual, please, Claire.” I turn away from the counter and head to a little table by the door. Grabbing a seat next to Haley, I let out a yawn.

  “Tired?” she prods.

  “Yeah.”

  “I heard you had a little slumber party last night. According to my sources, Neely stayed all night.”

  “Your source is nine years old and unreliable,” I say, taking a cup of coffee from Claire. “She left really late, so it wasn’t technically all night.”

  Haley rolls her eyes. “Semantics.”

  “Facts.” I take a sip of the hot beverage, hoping it wakes me up. I haven’t woken up this happy and delirious in a long damn time.

  Claire bends forward. “Neely stayed all night with you?”

  “No, eavesdropper. She came over. She left. If you’re gonna spy on people’s conversations, at least get them right.”

  Claire laughs, shoving a pen back in the apron around her waist. “I’m a waitress. Eavesdropping is part of the job description.”

  “So give us the details,” Haley suggests. “What happened? Is she moving in yet?”

  My finger drags around the brim of my cup. I wish she were. I wish I could tell them she was never leaving me again, but that’s not true. Although after last night, it might be more of a possibility than I’d imagined.

  “She’s not moving in, but she did turn down a job offer,” I say with a hint of smugness.

  “Yes!” Haley fist pumps. “I’m so invested in this.”

  Claire shakes her head. “This is the way things should be. Neely back home, living with you. P
regnant, but I’ll give you some time on that.”

  “Gee, thanks,” I croak.

  Claire laughs and goes back to the front of the restaurant.

  “Forget babies, although I can’t wait to have another little Mia to watch. Wait,” Haley says, holding up a hand. “That needs to be a deal breaker for you.”

  “I’m not following along.”

  “Neely has to agree I can watch your babies. Some women come in and shove out the poor nanny, especially if the nanny was hired before she came around. Let her know I’m not, in any way, shape, or form wanting her job. I just want to watch the babies.”

  I laugh, but secretly my balls are tightening. The thought of having a baby with Neely is foreplay. The idea of her swollen with my child feels so good it aches.

  “I’ll put that in the deal,” I promise. “No cock unless Haley gets to watch the results.”

  “That’s a gross way to put it, but it gets the point across. I think,” she says, clearly confused. “Anyway, how do you feel about things?”

  “You know what? I’m feeling pretty damn good.”

  “I love seeing you in love.” She sighs, cupping her cheeks with her hands. “It’s so beautiful.”

  “I didn’t say I was in love. I just said I was feeling good.” I try to put in words what I feel without getting too cheesy. “She just fits right into my life. Mia loves her. She seems to really love Mia too.” I shrug. “It feels right.”

  “Sounds like my kind of conversation,” Penn says. He drops into a seat by Haley. “So, what feels right? Are we doing a round-robin sort of thing?”

  Haley gives him a blank stare. “You have a one-track mind.”

  “So?”

  “So? Don’t you think it’s time to grow up some, Penn? Maybe focus on investing money or buying a house? Something besides hooking up with the next girl you meet.”

  “Right now I’m focused on hooking up with you.”

  “Forget it,” she says. “Not happening.”

  “Our girl Haley here has vowed not to date anyone for six months.” I look at Penn and smirk. “Looks like you’re out of luck until the new year.”

  Penn furrows his brow. “I don’t see how this affects me at all.”