Page 55 of Fierce-Dane

“Are you thinking of letting her meet the kids?”

“Not yet,” he said. “I know they’ve met Mel’s latest and they don’t like him much.”

“What’s going on there?” Chloe asked.

“Nothing major. Just that he doesn’t like them around when he’s there. Mel says she includes them, but the kids say otherwise. It’s hard to tell what is going on, but I made her aware of what they think.”

“Did she think you were jealous?”

“No,” he said. At least he didn’t think so. It’d been three years and he’d have no reason to be jealous over who his ex had a relationship with. It’s not as if Mel introduced the two men she’d been with to the kids right away. It was normally months in.

Which was another reason why he wasn’t doing anything soon either. “Then she gave some excuse why the kids were saying it,” Chloe said, giving him the stare she always did when she was on his side and against his ex.

“I’m not sure it’s an excuse. It’s a hard situation for them. You know Tyler would rather be with me and that is hard.We are doing the best we can with the kids. Tiffani is struggling for some reason.”

“She wants your attention,” Chloe said.

“I give it to her,” he argued. “But she isn’t going to get it nonstop. Life doesn’t work that way and I’m not going to push Tyler off.”

“You do a great job balancing it. But I think she’s getting to an age where she wants her father more than her mother. Why do you think she wanted to get you that gift card? She heard me talking about the massages and how great it felt. She said that you need to smile like that and feel that way too.”

“I wish you’d told me sooner,” he said.

“Why?” Chloe said. “I found it sweet. I bet she loves you made another appointment. Did you tell her you made a third?” Chloe was grinning. “You know darn well she’d love it.”

“I didn’t tell her.”

“Then do it,” Chloe said. “I’ve got one scheduled in two weeks. Before your next one.”

“And you’re going to talk to Sloane if it’s with her, aren’t you?”

“You are my big brother,” Chloe said, laughing. “The one that always stood up for me with Mom and Dad. I’ve got to see what her intentions are.”

“No,” he said. “Please don’t.”

“Relax,” Chloe said. “You should know of all people I’d never do that.”

“I was hoping you were joking.”

“Dad!!!!!” Tiffani yelled. “Is it five minutes yet?”

He looked at his watch. “One more minute,” he fibbed.

“I’m counting to sixty,” Tiffani yelled.

“Now you’ve done it,” Chloe said.

“Guess I should go get my suit on.”

He’d said more than he thought he would anyway.

“You mentioned Diane and Carolyn,” Chloe said. “What am I supposed to tell them exactly?”

“That I’ve got a girlfriend. No reason to set me up.”

Chloe cleared her throat. “Sure. They will stay out of it now.”

He didn’t like the look his sister was giving him, but there was nothing he could do about it.

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