Page 46 of Father Figure

We stayed to watch the sunset from the lighthouse as it set over the sparkling horizon. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

“My magical day in Bimini has come to an end,” I sighed, climbing down the winding, narrow steps.

Cass chuckled. He was used to my dramatics by now. “Not even close. In fact, the magic is just beginning.”

What was that supposed to mean?

The Bimini Seafood Company was fancier than any restaurant Cass had ever taken me to. I felt underdressed in my khaki shorts and navy company polo. We were seated next to a window overlooking the ocean at a table covered in a white linen cloth. A candle burned low inside a hurricane glass, casting us in a mellow glow. My stomach sank when the waiter handed us our menus. It was shaped like a rectangle and backed in black leather, and there were no prices! Everything said ‘Subject to market value’ in italic print. He was wining and dining me, but this wasn’t my style. It wasn’t his either. Everything just felt… off.

Around Cass, I always felt like the best version of myself. Now he wanted us to pretend to be people we weren’t.

I didn’t want to sit inside of a stuffy, quiet restaurant, and look at the ocean through a glass window. I wanted to sit outside, smelling the salty breeze, feeling it on my face, and listening to the seabirds as I ate.

“This place is nice.” Cass didn’t answer and continued to look over his menu. “Real nice,” I added, drumming my fingers on the tablecloth. He remained silent. “Is this where you come with Sam?”

Maybe he brought a date here, another man he met on the island. A horrible thought struck me. Did Sam and Cass have play partners on every island?

I was gonna be sick. Reaching for the linen napkin in my lap, I covered my mouth, but Cass surprised me by laughing.

“I couldn’t pay Sam to eat here. In fact, this is my first time stepping foot inside this place. I hear it’s real nice, though.”

Instant relief soothed my tummy. “So, where do you and Sam eat?”

“Down the street at Big John’s.”

I took a sip of ice water from my goblet. “And what does Big John’s have that this place doesn’t?”

Cass looked around, scrubbing his mouth. “Less fancy. Much less,” he emphasized, smiling.

That sounded perfect! “That’s where I wanna go! To Big John’s down the street. Come on,” I said, already rising to my feet. “It’s not too late to run.”

“But you deserve something nice,” Cass insisted.

“Fun is nice. Let’s slip out before the waiter comes back,” I whispered, giggling.

Big John’s might as well be on an entirely different island than the Bimini Seafood Company! They had live music—a Caribbean vibe with a steel drum—and outdoor seating. People were dressed casually, and they were dancing. I leaned over the railing, throwing balled-up pieces of bread to the fish. They swam right up to the dock! The fish were huge, and they piled on top of each other for a morsel, practically flopping out of the water.

“Cass, look at that big one with the orange spots!”

He was looking at me, not the fish. “Come on, little one, our dinner is served.”

I tossed the rest of my bread over the railing, causing a fishy commotion, and followed Cass back to our table. We’d both ordered seafood boils overflowing with crab legs, shrimp, seasoned potatoes, spicy sausage, and steamed corn on the cob. We ate with our hands, and I licked my fingers clean after each bite, drawing Cass’s stare.

“Nicky, I have to admit that I still have reservations about what we’re doing, but seeing how happy you are… it makes things easier for me to accept.”

“Of course I’m happy,” I assured him, biting into my corn. “You’re giving me everything I want.” Actually, you are everything I want.

“You’re sure?”

“One thousand percent positive.” I wished I could lick my fingers in a sexy way to make him excited, but nothing I did looked sexy while wearing this stupid plastic bib. Cass tied it himself, insisting it would keep my shirt clean. He was right, of course. He was always right. That’s why he’d make the perfect Daddy. That, and his gentleness and caring concern. Oh, and his fun-loving spirit. Cass loved adventure as much as I did.

“You wanna dance?” I asked around a mouthful of potatoes when a cover of Margaritaville came on.

“No,” he laughed, “I’ll sit this one out,” he protested, rubbing his flat belly like he was too full to dance.

Not me. Ripping off my bib, I wormed my way through the crowd and shimmied my ass on the dance floor. It wasn’t much, just a section of dock without tables and chairs. Every time I peeked, Cass was watching me, and the more outrageous I twerked and grinned, the more heated his gaze became.

After the third song, I joined him and cooled off with a mango Mai Tai. I wasn’t sure what was in it, but it was strong, and a second one would be guaranteed to knock me on my ass.

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