Page 82 of Smitten with the Single Dad

He knew she was right, but fuck, by day three, when she walked through his front door all he wanted to do was throw pillows at her and tell her to fuck right off and never come back.

Things also felt off with Vica.

Thankfully, Gabrielle had worked her magic and been able to keep the cops from coming and arresting Vica, but she said she couldn’t hold them off forever. They were compiling evidence and eventually, even if it was all fabricated, they had power and money behind them and they’d try to remove her from Wyatt’s protection. Not that he could protect her much given his current invalid state.

That was just another reason why he was fucking miserable.

It was Thursday and he was finally feeling well enough to move around thehouse a bit. Wyatt wasn’t sure he was grateful to Jagger for taking his sons out of the house for the last two days and keeping them busy so Wyatt could rest. Wyatt hadn’t had this many days off from work in a row in a long time and the parent guilt settled in deep at the thought of not spending those days with his children.

But he also needed to rest.

Vica was in an odd mood, too, which didn’t help. She seemed distant and refused to share his bed with him. They of course, hadn’t been intimate since their wedding night and he missed her.

So on Thursday when he swung his legs over the side of the bed and didn’t feel that immediate pinch in his spine like he had the days before, he knew today was going to be different.

The boys were still home, and Wyatt was determined to spend breakfast with them. His movements were slow, and he made sure to move his body, not his neck, in order to not aggravate the whiplash.

“So this is an Italian breakfast?” Jake asked.

“Si,” Vica said, just as Wyatt came around the corner into the kitchen. “Buongiorno.” She gave him a small, friendly smile, then refocused her attention on the boys who sat at the table with an enormous spread in front of them. “We believe that the best way to start your day and make sure it is a good day is with a healthy breakfast. Fresh squeezed orange juice, bread and jam, or yogurt and berries.” She placed a big bowl on the table, full of mixed berries—strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

“And you made this bread?” Griffon asked, ripping into a piece with his teeth like an animal. “It’s amazing.”

Ruffling Griffon’s hair as she passed behind him, she went nodded. “Si. In the restaurant yesterday.” Bringing her coffee with her to the table, she addressed Jake. “Jake, do you like it?”

“Si,” he said, beaming.

She chuckled. “Wyatt, can I get you a coffee?”

“I can get it,” he said, feeling out of place in his own kitchen. It was weird. The kitchen was his sanctum sanctorum and yet, he hadn’t been in his own home kitchen, or the one in the restaurant, in days. And now, Vica was preparing breakfast for his kids, baking, and offering to make him coffee. Yes, she was technically his wife, but … she was temporary. Right?

His movements remained slow, but he went to the coffee maker and poured himself a mug. He hadn’t had any coffee since he came home from the hospital and the smell of it as it hit his nostrils nearly brought him to tears.

“Uncle Clint and Brooke are taking us all to the beach today,” Jake said. “But first they said we can go to the dock to feed the seal since it’s not a weekend and shouldn’t be too busy.”

“That sounds like fun,” Wyatt said, joining them back at the table and gingerly taking a seat.

“One of the docks has a tame seal,” Griffon started. “You can buy dead fish to throw in the water for him. It’s really cool. But it’s always so busy there with tourists that it’s tough to get close enough to see. Dumb adults stand in front of short kids.” He frowned. “Don’t they know we haven’t grown tall enough yet?”

Chuckling, Vica scooped some vanilla yogurt and berries into a bowl. “Well, I will have to visit this dock and this seal when things are safe.”

“On a weekday,” Griffon added. “So you’re not dealing with annoying tourists.”

“Annoying tourists and their money are what keep food in your bellies and the lights on,” Wyatt informed his son. “Sure, they’re annoying, but we need them.”

Griffon’s pout was short-lived, and he filled his mouth with another slice of bread.

“Can we take some sandwiches with this bread for lunch?” Jake asked. “It’s so good.”

“Si,” Vica said. “I can make you some sandwiches before I head down to work.”

Both boyssaid “thank you” while their mouths were full.

Wyatt was too confused by her saying “work” to lecture them on speaking with their mouths closed.

“What’s this about ‘work’?” he asked. “I thought we all agreed it wasn’t safe for you to walk down to the restaurant.”

She grinned all proud and cheeky at him. “I don’t walk. Either Dom, Bennett, or Clint drive me down. I climb into the back of their truck and hide behind the seats. They drive me right up to the back door of the kitchen.”

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