Page 64 of Sexy Bad Daddy

“I’m not here for the wedding. I’m just dropping off—” The duck flaps its wings, filling the space with feathers and down. The valet guy sneezes and backs away; the duck climbs into my lap and, before I can grab it, hops down onto the concrete.

“Oh, for crying out loud,” I mutter as I unsnap my seatbelt to chase after it. “Now you decide it’s a good time to leave my side and explore?”

There’s another car heading down the street, so I hurry to grab my feathered friend before she meets her end under a pair of Goodyears. But she waddles off between two parked cars, and the space is too small for me to get through, so I have to hurry around the front of one of them to try to head her off at the pass. As I round the fender, I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and glance behind me. The valet has taken charge of my car and is driving off in it.

Great, just great. Now I have no choice but to wait until he returns so I can tell him to turn right back around and retrieve my car again. And, damn it, I left my cell phone, so I can’t even text Danny to tell him I’m here.

I need a place to hide in the meantime. It’s bad enough I’m drastically underdressed, even for a casual wedding, but I don’t even belong here. And the last thing I want is for one of Garrett’s family members to notice me and alert him to my presence. I have no idea what he’ll do, but I doubt I’ll appreciate it.

Ah-ha. Across the street and down two houses, there’s a for sale sign in the front yard. And there are no curtains on the front windows, so I can tell the place is empty. I’ll just go hover in the side yard over there until I see the valet running up the road, and then I’ll pay him to give Danny his wallet—at this point, I don’t even care if his Social Security card gets stolen—and I’ll be off, back to the sanctuary of my current gross, overpopulated home.

Quack!

Shit. That sound was much too far away. Where the hell—crap. She’s waddling off across Paynter’s front yard, heading toward the side yard between his house and the one Chloe used to live in. I smack myself on the forehead. She’s heading for the lake.

Which is where the wedding is taking place.

I seriously consider leaving her, but I can’t. Apparently, I’ve become attached to the damn thing. She and Danny have been my only friends over the last couple of weeks, and she’s been an even better friend than him since she doesn’t like to suggest maybe I should go talk to the man who ripped out my heart and left it in a pond at the local golf club.

A couple of valet guys are watching me, but the small cluster of guests who are standing on the sidewalk smoking don’t seem to have noticed my presence. I give the uniformed guys a wave, and then I bolt across the sidewalk and into the grass after my duck. She squawks and flaps her wings and increases her speed as she heads for the water.

“No, no, no! Duck, come back!”

“Duck?” The babyish voice brings me to a halt as the breath is sucked from my body. “Erin? Erin!”

A whirlwind of champagne-colored chiffon and dark curls rushes toward me, holding a white satin leash attached to a goat that’s been dressed up with ribbons and bows. The satin is frayed in one section, showing a thick rope underneath. I’m guessing the goat has been nibbling.

And then Abby slams into me, wrapping her little arms around my legs, and I drop to the grass so I can hug her back. God, it feels good to see her again.

“Erin, Erin, Erin, why did you leave me?” She’s clutching me and sobbing, and I cross my legs and pull her into my lap and just hold her. Along with a satin headband to match her dress, there’s a barrette in her hair, one with a tiny pink rose glued to the top. The one I gave her when we met.

“Oh God, I’m so sorry, baby.” Tears spill from my own eyes and splatter onto the headband, creating dark starbursts that are sure to stand out in the family pics. “I didn’t mean to. I wish I didn’t have to.”

“Don’t ever leave me again.”

“I…”

Something brushes my arm; it’s the white duck looking up at us. It gives a little quack and Abby turns her head, her brimming eyes growing wide as she stares at it.

“Ducky!” she shrieks, and she grabs the thing and hugs it to her body. “You brought me a duck! I love you, Erin!”

Oh no. Now what do I do? “I love you too, baby.” And I do, I really do. I shouldn’t have said it because it’s probably going to be worse when I leave again, but I can’t help myself. This kid means the world to me, and it’s tearing me up that I can’t be with her anymore.

“Abby? Where the hell are…” Garrett steps around the corner and comes to a stuttering stop when he sees us seated on the grass. He’s so handsome in his khaki slacks and pale blue button-down shirt with the boutonniere pinned over his left chest pocket, it makes my mouth water and my heart ache.

I quickly swipe away the tears on my cheeks and run a hand through my hair. Ugh, I should have at least put on lip gloss or mascara. No, not mascara, since I’d now have black streaks running down my cheeks, and I’m pretty sure naked, swollen eyes are way better than that.

“Daddy,” Abby says, beckoning him closer. “Erin brought me a duck. His name is Ducky.”

“Ducky?” Garrett inches closer, like he’s afraid to make any sudden moves.

“Actually, it’s a girl,” I tell her.

“A girl!” Abby cries out, and she hugs the duck so tightly I’m worried she’ll suffocate it. Meanwhile, Spot has noticed the duck’s presence and is snuffling its feathers. Do I need to worry about the goat trying to eat the duck? I don’t even know, and I can’t seem to make my body function enough to try to stand up, to get the duck out of harm’s way, just in case. All I want to do is sit here and hug this kid.

Okay, that’s not all I want to do, but I figure her daddy probably doesn’t want to join in our little reunion.

“I’m sorry,” I say without looking at him. “I didn’t mean to come. I just…”

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