Page 51 of Smitten with the Single Dad

She was too busy stressing over tomorrow.

Wyatt came home while Justine and Brooke were still there, but he didn’t say more than a cursory “hello” and “goodnight” before showering and heading to bed himself.

Did he have as difficult a time sleeping as she did?

They agreed to wake up early and tell the boys of their plan over breakfast, before rushing for the ferry. It was Saturday, so the ferry goingtoSan Camanez would have sailing waits, but there shouldn’t be as much of a wait leaving the island. At least that was what Wyatt said.

Staring at herself in the bathroom mirror Saturday morning, Vica did her best to cover the dark circles under her eyes with some of the makeup Justine and Brooke brought over the night before. She’d never been big into makeup. Mostly just concealer to cover up spots and dark smudges under her eyes, and she never bothered with blush or eyeshadow. She’d probably look like a clown if she tried. She did, however, attempt some mascara and a little tinted lip gloss, and even with that bit of extra “paint”, she felt like a lady of the evening as shescrutinized herself in the mirror. Her cut lip and the slight black eye from Track’s assault had faded away to nearly nothing by now. And what was still there, she managed to hide with some blobs and blending of concealer.

She was still getting used to her new hair too.

How do you style a bob?

She’d always had long hair. So this new length had a steep learning curve.

She got it wet and finger combed some of the hair cream she had found in one of Wyatt’s bathroom drawers, leaving her brown tresses with chunky waves that nicely framed her face. Even though it was still a shock to look at herself in the mirror and see such short hair, she had to admit that Dayna, the hairdresser, did a great job tidying things up and making them even after Vica’s impulsive chop job.

The sound of the boys awake in the hallway diverted her attention.

She pulled in a deep breath that did nothing to calm her wild nerves. If she wasn’t worried about a handprint on her face, she’d have slapped herself in order to get her brain and body to relax.

“Vica?” called Griffon. “You coming for breakfast?”

“Be right there,” she replied. “Okay,” she said to herself in the mirror as she smoothed her hands down the off-white lace dress Brooke loaned her. It cut her just above the knee and had cute cap sleeves, and what Brooke called a “boat neck.” Paired with the sandals she wore over to the island, she looked … bride-like … maybe?

She certainly didn’t feel like a bride.

“You can do this,” she added to her self-pep talk. “It’s not real.”

Her nose wrinkled.

“Well, it is. It’s legal. But it’s temporary. He’s just doing it to help you. He doesn’t have feelings for you. Dom doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

A knock at the bedroom door made her jump. “Vica?” This time it was Wyatt.

She scurried to the door and opened it only to have her bottom lip nearly hitthe floor. He looked so good. “Yes?” she croaked, resisting the urge to slap her palm to her forehead.

“I just need to grab some hair gel. Do you mind?”

She opened the door wider to allow him to enter. He smelled so good, and she closed her eyes and inhaled deeper when his back was to her. Light-gray pants, a fitted long-sleeve shirt that was off-white with thin, green stripes, and dark-gray suspenders. She could devour him right there.

He opened up the drawer in the bathroom where she found the hair cream and pulled out the same tub, snagging her gaze as he unscrewed the lid. His eyes went wide and his smile woke up the last, sleepy butterflies in her belly. “You look gorgeous.”

Heat infused her cheeks. “So do you.”

His grin gave those butterflies shots of espresso.

“Dad,” Griffon came into the bedroom, “Jake said we have to spend the day with Uncle Dom and Silas. Is that true?” His blue-hazel eyes took in Vica. “Why do you look like you’re going to a party?” He glanced at his dad. “You look like you’re going to a party too.” Then his eyes widened. “Are we all going to a party?”

“We’ll explain everything over breakfast, kiddo. Get dressed and head downstairs. Where is your brother?”

“Reading,” Griffon said with a bored tone. “What else?”

Wyatt finished in the bathroom and followed his son out, squeezing his shoulders as they left the bedroom. Vica was in their wake. “I thought you liked hanging out with Uncle Dom and Silas?”

They all made their way downstairs.

“I do, I just don’t want to miss out on something better. I get serious MOFO, you know that.”

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