Page 172 of The Single Dad

For a moment, we hold each other, swaying slightly in the light of the room. I close my eyes, too, basking in the warmth from the sun and the fact that this is finally real. We’re back together.

We’re doing this.

“Thank you,” he says eventually, breaking the serene silence. “Thank you for giving me a second chance.”

“I couldn’t have done anything else,” I confess. “All this time, I never really stopped loving you.”

I open my eyes, and see the small smile cross Cole’s face. “I’ll probably never deserve you, angel. But I want to spend the rest of my life trying to.”

Epilogue

Riley

“Go easy on the cotton candy,” I chide Archie, whose lips are sticky and purple from the confection. “That stuff is gonna make you feel sick.”

“But it’s my birthday!”

“I know,” I say, “but you don’t want to be sick on your birthday, do you? After all, you haven’t ridden the roller coaster yet.”

He frowns, considering this, his gaze straying to the kiddie roller coaster across the fairway. Then he shrugs, conceding the point. “Okay,” he says. “Everyone else can share the rest of mine.”

He hands the remaining candy floss over to one of his friends, Jazz, who eagerly tears off a chunk and passes it to the next child.

I smile, stepping back to stand beside Cole. Archie wanted to invite his entire class back to the amusement park for his birthday—a huge fling that would’ve been immensely difficult if it weren’t for the presence of some of the other parents, extra watchful eyes on the kids.

“We should go on the roller coaster next,” Archie says, trying to cajole his friends. “What do you guys think?”

“It’s your birthday,” says one of the kids.

“I’m too scared,” announces another, shaking her head. “It’s too high up.”

“Don’t worry,” Archie says confidently. “It’s really safe, and even if it’s scary, it won’t take very long. You can sit next to me.”

I glance up at Cole, giving him a playful nudge. “Chip off the old block, isn’t he?”

“You should’ve met Rebecca,” Cole replies easily. “It’s genetic, I’m telling you.”

Smiling, I let my gaze travel over our surroundings. The park is loud, and the smell of fried food hangs in the air. My eyes land on the cluster of parents, mostly mothers, who accompanied their children to Archie’s party. Among them are the mothers I heard talking about Cole at Archie’s concert months ago.

They glare back at me, their faces sour. I wonder idly if they’ll ever get over it.

Next to me, Cole chuckles lightly.

Then he pulls me into his arms, leaning down to kiss me in front of them all. I’m so swept up in the moment that I don’t even look for their reactions. This isn’t scandalous anymore, and I no longer feel ashamed, even if they’re clutching their pearls.

We break apart, and he murmurs in my ear, “I’ll keep things family-friendly here, but just you wait for this evening. I have some plans.”

“Plans for what?” I breathe in reply.

His hand runs along my back, one fingertip tracing my spine. “Some absolutely filthy things I want to do to you,” he says, his voice low and hungry. “Some things that are not exactly G-rated.”

A shiver goes down my spine, and I grin. “You’re on.”

Archie and the rest of the kids, in the meantime, have continued their discussion about whether or not to ride the roller coaster. Cole beckons to Archie.

“Why don’t we ride the Ferris wheel right now?” he suggests. “Then you guys can hit the roller coaster later. Give everyone some time to decide whether they’re comfortable with it. Does that sound good?”

Archie perks up. “Yeah!”

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