Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
He gives me a lopsided grin. “I never pass up a chance to see my daughter looking adorable.”
I motion for him to follow me to the living room, and I point to Peyton, tucked under a blanket, her bunny cuddled against her cheek. We gave him some light surgery before story time so the stuffing stays inside instead of peeking out of his bum.
Chad’s easy smile drops as his gaze lands on Gavin and then shifts to me, before returning to Gavin. I glance between the two of them, wearing matching displeased expressions.
Chad’s cheeks puff out, and he drops his phone on the couch and pushes to a stand. He, too, is wearing a dress shirt and dress pants, although his are a lot more wrinkled at this point in the day, and the dress shirt has a pizza stain on the left side of his chest. He stands, his shoulders rolling back. “Hey, you must be Peyton’s dad. I’m Chad. Harley’s boyfriend.” He crosses the room and holds out his hand.
Gavin looks at it, and for a moment I’m unsure what’s going to happen. As it is, there’s tension in the room that makes me uncomfortable.
“Gavin.” He takes Chad’s hand and gives it a firm shake. “Harley and I go way back.”
“Yeah. I heard. Harley was Peyton’s nanny when she was a baby. It’s really good of her to help you out with babysitting until you find someone else.”
I fight a cringe at how awful that sounds coming from Chad, despite it being true.
“Peyton adores Harley,” Gavin says.
“She and I have that in common, then.” Chad smiles stiffly.
Gavin clears his throat. “Yeah. Of course.”
They shake hands for what seems like several seconds too long before Gavin drops Chad’s hand and turns to me. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
I glance from Chad, who looks highly unimpressed, to Gavin, who ironically is wearing a similar expression. “Uh, sure?” It comes out sounding like a question.
“Probably in the kitchen so we don’t wake Peyton.” He looks from Chad to Peyton to me, as if he’s not 100 percent sure about leaving his daughter alone with Chad. Which makes me bristle. Chad might not have experience with kids, but he’d never do anything to hurt anyone, let alone a child.
“We’ll be right back,” I tell Chad as Gavin follows me to the kitchen.
I don’t have a chance to address the awkwardness before he does. He props a hand on his hip and glances over his shoulder, then turns back to me and drops his voice to a whisper. “Why are you bringing strange men around my daughter?”
“Excuse me?” I feel like I’m actually the babysitter getting scolded for inviting a boy over. Which is insulting and ridiculous since this is my house and I’m a grown-ass woman.
“I don’t know that guy.” He points in the direction of the living room. “I had no idea he was going to be here.”
I hold up a hand to stop him. “Back the bus up, Gavin. I’m watching Peyton as a favor. Chad isn’t a strange man. He’s my boyfriend.”
“Does he live here? With you?”
“No. Not yet, anyway.” I don’t get what this has to do with anything, or why he’s suddenly grilling me like he has a right.
“Yet?” Gavin’s brows lift.
“What is this about? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that my boyfriend was going to be here, but since I’m the one doing you a favor, I don’t really think you have much of a right to get upset about that. Next time maybe you should ask more questions.” The only time I’ve seen this side of Gavin was back when Peyton was a baby and I’d invited one of the nannies from the park over for lunch without clearing it with him first. I realized my error after the fact. It was his house; he didn’t know them. But this isn’t remotely the same.
This time Gavin holds up his hands, both of them, in submission. “I’m sorry. It just … took me by surprise. That’s all. You’re right, I should have asked more questions. I didn’t expect there to be anyone else here.”
I cross my arms. “Don’t you trust my judgment? Chad’s harmless.”
“I’m sure he is. I don’t typically leave my daughter with people I don’t know and haven’t met before.”
“You left her with me, and unless I’m wrong, you trust me with her. Shouldn’t my judgment of character count for something?” I’m frustrated about this. What do they say about no good deed?
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “I know you’re a good judge of character. You should have said something if I was interfering with your date night.”
“I wasn’t going to let Peyton down like that, and I wanted to see her.” And I hadn’t thought it would interfere much with date night. But I don’t say that out loud.