Page 122 of Smitten with the Single Dad

Griffon wasn’t buying it, but just shook his head, then joined his brother in the half bathroom on the main floor to wash his hands.

“I’m sorry,” she said, joining him in the kitchen. “I just …” Even more pink filled her cheeks. “Today was overwhelming.”

He gently gripped her chin and stepped into her space. “Never be afraid to get overwhelmed around me. It’s okay. Today has been a lot. You handled it with so much grace, I would be surprised if youdidn’thave a little meltdown.”

She huffed a humorless laugh. “Well … anyway, thank you.”

“Grif-fon! You’re getting water all over the floor. Stop it!” Jake growled from the bathroom. “Dad! Griffon’s making a mess!”

“Dad!” Griffon shouted, echoing his big brother. “No, I’m not. Jake shoved me.”

Wyatt rolled his eyes. “Griff, mop up your mess or you’re eating on the floor like the animal you are.”

“Jake pushed me!”

“I did not. I was there first and you budged.”

“Summer vacation iswaytoo long. They need a break from each other.” He gave Vica a quick peck on the lips before going to deal with his arguing offspring.

By the time dinner was over, they were all passing yawns back and forth across the table, even Vica who had napped.

“I think it’s early to bed,” Wyatt said to the boys. “It’s been a long, busy day for everyone.”

The boys pouted, but didn’t argue.

“Showers, brush teeth, then I can read you a story.”

His sons put their dishes in the dishwasher, then raced upstairs. Arguments ensued within thirty seconds about who got to use the shower first.

“Jake can use my shower!” he called up.

“Why not me?” Griffon hollered.

“Because you’re a filthy, messy beast and will use my body wash as spray paint on the walls, then come out still covered in dirt.”

His son didn’t argue with him. In fact, he didn’t say a word in response.

All through dinner, he could tell something was up with Vica. She was quiet and introspective, but also incredibly sad.

She felt responsible for what happened at the restaurant, but it seemed like more than that. Like she was … distancing herself from him somehow.

“I spoke with Gabrielle today,” she said as she helped him with the dinner dishes. “Dom thought you got his text and relayed it to me. So when he brought up Track’s friends and brothers, it was all new news to me. I informed Gabrielle of it all and she thinks we might be able to get his friends to turn. Dom is going to look through the credit cards they used to see if we can track them down.”

He nodded. “That’s great news.”

“Gabrielle also agrees that me being here is no longer safe.”

He nearly dropped a dish onto the tile floor. “Vica. We’ve discussed this. The safest place you could be is right here. Where I can protect you.”

“But me being here puts everyone else in danger. Those innocent people in the restaurant could have died today. And the children. We don’t know how strong the bomb was. If I’m here, nobody is safe. I need to go where if I get hurt, I’m the only person that gets hurt.” She grabbed the dish towel and started drying a few dishes from the drying rack.

“That’s bullshit.”

“No. It’s the truth. It’s a fact and you know it. You just don’t want me to leave because we …” Her cheeks flushed. “But we need to think with our upstairs brains. We need to put the children first before our hea—before our pleasure.”

She stopped herself before she said “heart.”

Why?

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