Page 44 of My Five Daddies

“That’s okay. I think they had a good life, ya know? At least after I movedout.”

“Why after you moved out?” sheasks.

“Well, I don’t think my old man was much of a father. He didn’t love it, didn’t take to it. My mother, she was always warm and kind, but my father was more interested in hishobbies.”

“I get that,” she says softly. “My dad was the sameway.”

“Really? Are they stillaround?”

I nod. “Still alive andkicking.”

“Good. Are youclose?”

“With my mom, but not really with my dad. We just don’t have anything incommon.”

I don’t say anything for a second, debating if I want to say anything or not. In the end, I decide I should. “I know this isn’t my place, but can I give you someadvice?”

“Sure.” She looks at me, her big, beautiful eyes wide andunguarded.

“Find something in common with your dad. You’ll be happy youdid.”

She nods a little. “You’re probablyright.”

I grin at her. “I’m definitely right.” I pull her against me and kiss hergently.

We start moving again and I can’t stop smiling. I know it’s stupid, but I haven’t opened up about my parents to someone in a long time. We start talking about our pasts: she tells me about growing up in the Midwest, I tell her about growing up south of thecity.

“Back then, we’d travel in little packs and fight other boys,” Isay.

She laughs. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. I was tough when I was akid.”

“How old are wetalking?”

“Oh, man, like eleven? Tenmaybe?”

“That’s horrifying. Packs of ten-year-old boys ravaging thelandscape.”

I laugh and nudge her. “Sounds like the start of a good YAnovel.”

“Ugh, not another one.” She rolls her eyes and I laughagain.

We finally end up at a restaurant I picked, a little contemporary Italian place. We’re seated right away, and we dive into the meal, talkingeasily.

I haven’t gone on a proper date like this in a long, long time. I don’t know if it’s against the rules, taking her out alone like this, but I don’t really care. I don’t even know if there are any rules. We haven’t exactly discussed it. Mostly we’re all just going with whatever this is, letting it take us wherever it’sgoing.

But it feels good, laughing with her, getting to know her, and letting her get to know me. I feel a serious bond starting to build between us, and when we’re done with the meal, the check paid, we go for anotherwalk.

We end up in a nearby park. The sun’s sinking down the horizon and we’re totally alone. We sit down on a bench, and it’s like we’re the only ones in theworld.

“This is nice,” she says. “I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get one of you guysalone.”

I shrug a little. “Yeah, well, I don’t know. We haven’t exactly talked about how this isworking.”

She leans her head against my shoulder. “I thought this would be exhausting, youknow?”

“What, dating five guys atonce?”

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