Page 45 of Gabriel & Skye

Trav

Thinking of having beers at Moose’s this Friday if you want to catch up?

Me

Sounds good. I missed you at the Bake’ n’ Shake.

Trav

All good. I’ll see you at Moose’s, if not before

Me

Better you than me. See you then

I rest my phone down and get back to work. Or try to. There’s a certain peony-smelling redhead that my mind keeps rolling over. I’m very glad I’ve found someone before Geraldine officially finishes up in another week. But more so I’m happy that there was a good feeling between us. If one thing is true about all the crap Georgia spouts; it’s the fact that you have to have the vibe. You have to be feeling it.

And the vibe was good with Skye. She seems sweet, very smart, and the fact she has a nursing background is a bonus… I don’t want to count my chickens yet, but if only she were staying here for longer, it’d be a perfect scenario.

I spend the rest of the morning going over end of month figures with Beau before he gets everything off to the accountant. We had our weekly family meeting earlier, before Skye’s interview. Then I have to catch up with Grayson in the afternoon to see how the export deals are going. He’s been liaising with new suppliers and, while that’s good, it also makes me nervous. It means more pressure on Brooklyn and the team in production, but if we want to grow our exports and ship internationally, this is the way things have to be. I know he’s been in contact with companies in Australia as well as the United Kingdom. It’s the next level for our business and I’m here for it.

I’m also looking forward to catching up with Trav properly as we haven’t had a drink since his arrival. He stopped by the distillery when he rolled into town to say hello the day he got here, but we’ve both been so busy. I’m sure we’ll fall into our old camaraderie like we always do.

All in all, it’s been a successful Monday. I’m very much looking forward to Skye starting on Wednesday. I hope that she’s as good as she seems, and that Trinity continues to like her as her caregiver. My kid would melt the coldest of hearts, and she’s not a brat, but I have to see the two of them together, so I can be sure.

When I get home, I make my little princess mac n cheese with a side salad.

She’s learned to love her greens, though it’s taken a bit of time. We grow some produce in our garden, and Trinity loves helping me pick things when they’re ready. What we don’t have we go over to Brooklyn’s and help ourselves as he has a fully-fledged self-sufficient hobby farm over at his place. He grows all his own herbs and vegetables and even started experimenting with fruit trees.

Brook is also a good brother to have when I’ve needed childcare at the drop of a hat. He’s helped me out so many times when I’ve needed someone to watch Trinity. Because he can pick his own hours in production — as he’s not on the main floor — it works well when he’s also needed to be home before and after school for Blake. He’s on a week on/week off arrangement with Eden. I’ve done the same for him too; when he’s needed me to watch Blake, he drops her off at our place. I’m lucky Blake is a good kid and adores Trinity.

I know my mom is vying for more grandkids. She would absolutely love it. I have often wondered what it would be like to have more kids one day. But I always come back to the same thing; my heart is guarded. The divorce hurt me and I don’t know how I’d break down the barriers in order for me to let someone in again. I can’t judge every woman on what Tiffany did, but it sure puts the scales up on the trust radar. It’s been extremely hard — if not impossible — for me to let my guard down fully. I never have.

I know it’s a problem, and I have to work on it sooner or later, otherwise I’m going to end up alone.

Trinity sits at the kitchen counter coloring in her Paw Patrol book while I work. No longer the CEO at home, I make dinner in my sweats after using the home gym and running on the treadmill for half an hour.

I have to work off all that bourbon tasting somehow. I’m also cooking barefoot and I feel, for once, like I have no cares in the world.

Maybe it’s because I’m not stressing about childcare anymore and the welfare of my daughter when I’m not here. It’s taken the load off for the moment.

“You alright there, darlin’?” I ask as I work around the expansive kitchen. I made the island bench top double the size when I renovated and completely moved the kitchen around. My parents thought I’d gone completely insane until they saw the finished product. I love nothing more than to cook while I can see my daughter playing or coloring.

“I’m good, Daddy.”

I smile. “What did you do today at school?”

“We painted, and sang songs, and played games and made sounds.”

“Wow, you did all that?”

“Yup.” She nods.

“What sounds did you make? Moo like a cow?”

She giggles. “No, Daddy! No moos!”

“What then? Woof woof like a dog?”

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