Page 58 of Secret Baby for Dr. Grump

“Adam Snyder is a childhood friend and a good friend of mine. He’s having a poolside party, which a lot of people here do, but the good thing about his parties is that he keeps the invitation minimal. None of that oversized crowd.”

Olivia bites her lip. “Don’t you have another childhood friend who’s also a doctor? What if he sees us together?”

“Oh, you mean Kyle? Yeah. But he doesn’t come here anymore. He sold off his property—another way of rebelling against his family.”

She nods, but I can sense her nervousness. When we arrive, I introduce them to Adam immediately and watch in amusement as my friend charms the hell out of Olivia as if she’s the prettiest thing he has ever seen. But he does the same to Riley, sending the kid into a giggling fit before he ushers the two toward the pool area.

When it’s just me and him, however, Adam gives me a speculative look.

“The kid looks like you. And her.”

I raise a brow. “Does she?”

At that, Adam grins.

“Fine. I’m not going to ask. Yet. It’s good to see you, man.”

“Good to see you, too, bud.”

“Unlimited drinks at the bar and plenty of food in the kitchen.” He winks. “But I think you’ve already had your fill with your two lovely companions.”

“Hmm.”

“Is Olivia?—”

“My date.”

My possessive tone comes out of instinct and earns a chuckle from Adam, who was probably trying to bait me all along. He shakes his head and pats my back good-naturedly.

“Gotcha. Perhaps you should let the others know, too.”

I roll my eyes and walk toward the pool area, too, not taking his bait this time. I spot Riley first, already in her swimsuit and playing around in the shallow part of the pool. Then, dealing with others is the last thing on my mind as I see Olivia next…and damn, what a sight she is.

Unlike Riley’s kid-friendly, pink one-piece with ruffles everywhere, Olivia’s wearing a simple green two-piece. It’s not revealing by any means, but the way it shows off her curves and highlights her eyes sends my mouth watering. I can’t look away as she emerges from the water, the bikini bottom clinging to her even more, and my imagination runs wild thinking about what she’ll look like when her hair and top eventually get wet, too.

Shit. I can feel myself hardening, but it’s not enough of a motivation to turn away from the sight. Instead, I amble closer and bend to my knees, partially covering my erection that way.

I smirk at her. “Having fun?”

Her green eyes twinkle. “Yes. The pool’s great. And you’re right. There’s not a lot of people.”

On cue, one of Adam’s female guests engages her in conversation, asking who she is and how she met Adam. I smile briefly as I’m introduced, then step back to sit on a lounge chair and let them have their moment. Within minutes, Olivia and the woman named Nila are laughing together before Riley joins them.

I’ve never been much into the party scene, to be honest, but there’s something relaxing about attending a non-formal one with my daughter and the woman I can’t stop thinking about. It just feels so…wholesome. I suppose it’s because, despite our sexual tension and initial animosity, Olivia and I get along well and have now gotten to talking about anything under the sun and just having fun together.

I like it. Do I want more? Hell, yes, but I’m content with how this is going and am willing to take it slow if it gets me to the end point.

And the end point? I don’t know what yet, but I definitely don’t just want to call her my date.

When I know I’ve been staring for too long, I force myself to stand and wander around until I spot some familiar faces. I get reacquainted with people I’ve already met, then chat with their plus ones that I haven’t met yet. It seems like Adam mostly has guests over from his work environment, which makes me feel more comfortable since meeting families can be stressful—especially when they bring up your career achievements like it’s the only thing that matters about you.

It’s a good thing that while my parents are wealthy, they never really pressured me—maybe because I already pressured myself enough. And they’re off enjoying their retirement somewhere in a tropical destination, which has always been their thing.

When I’m about to return to the pool and ask the two if they want to recharge with food, I hear Adam nearby and assume he’s about to join me. But the familiar voice accompanying him halts me in my tracks and has me whirling to face them.

Adam’s face is tense, though he’s trying his best to hide it and keep a polite smile on. His gaze shifts toward me, but I barely notice as I’m too busy eyeing the woman in front of him. Shock fills my senses at the sight of her, different but the same: dark hair, blue eyes, and a willowy figure that fits well in the beach dress she has on.

Except my ex-wife is tanned now and has a man hanging on her arm—and no, it’s not the same man she left me for.

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