Page 2 of Summer with the Single Dad

“Maybe once school is out, we can take a couple of days and go camping or for a little road trip. It’s been a while since you’ve seen Abuela and Grandpa Lang.”

His in-laws lived in northern California and didn’t see their granddaughters much. Carla had been their only child and when she died, they didn’t take it well. It didn’t help that Aya and Emme looked so much like Carla. The girls were just a constant reminder of the daughter Luisa and Greg lost.

Gravel crunched under tires outside.

A quick glance at the clock on the wall said it was nearly five o’clock. His newest guest for the cabin said she would be on the four o’clock sailing from Seattle, so she was right on time.

“Are you coming home for dinner, Daddy?” Aya asked. “Uncle Jagger said he’d make us turkey tacos if you need to work late.”

“I still have a bit more to do here, but I should be up at the house by six. Tell Uncle Jagger to start the tacos and I’ll finish them when I get home. He can stay and eat with us, though.”

Aya hopped off his lap just as there was a knock at the office door. He never fully closed the door, and the kids knew that. So the knock was just a pretend formality and the guest pushed open the door.

He nearly swallowed his fucking tongue. He knew it was a solitary guest coming to stay for seven weeks at the cabin, but he hadn’t bothered to Google their name. It’d been a last-minute rebook. They had a cancellation, and this guest snuck in, just minutes after he reposted the vacancy. A gift from the universe because that loss of revenue would have hit them hard. He hadn’t even had to discount it because it was last minute. This woman—who was fucking gorgeous—paid full price.

“Hi!” Aya squeaked. “Who are you?”

“Aya,” Bennet scolded.

She glared back at him. “What? I just asked her who she was. How did I do anything wrong?”

“You asked in a rude way,” Emme said.

“Sorry,” Aya replied, clearly deflated. Her cheeks went pink. “Hello. Who are you … please?”

Emme snorted.

Bennett’s lip twitched.

“It’s all right,” the woman replied with a sweet smile directed at Aya. “I’m Justine.”

“That’s a pretty name,” Emme said.

“Thank you.”

“Checking in to cabin five?” Bennett asked, hating that his voice cracked like a thirteen-year-old boy’s.

“Yes, please,” Justine said, meeting his gaze. Her pupils dilated, and she swallowed.

Heat flared in Bennett’s chest, spreading instantly up his neck and down into his groin. He cleared his throat and broke eye contact, glancing down at the old-school reservation book on his desk. Yes, he had a digital schedule as well, but during storm season the power often went out, so he liked to have backup hard copies too.

“I’m Emme, and this is my sister Aya,” Emme said.

“I’m seven. She’s nine,” Aya added. “You’re really pretty. I like your hair.”

He lifted his gaze just enough to watch as a sexy flush bloomed in Justine’s cheeks, but her smile grew causing her cheeks to apple. “Thank you. I think you two have lovely hair as well.”

Bennett’s daughters beamed and preened themselves, toying with their curls, which had grown a little frizzy over the day due to running like wildlings at school, and the never-ending humidity from the early June weather.

“Girls,” he started, directing his attention to his daughters for a moment, “why don’t you head on up to the house and find Uncle Jagger. Let him know the dinner plans. I’ll be up shortly.”

His daughters pouted, still clearly enamored with the new guest, but they nodded.

“We hope you enjoy your stay here,” Aya said. “Come find me if you have any questions.”

Justine snickered. “I absolutely will. Thank you.”

The girls waved to Bennett and Justine, then disappeared with their smoothies through the door.

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