Page 51 of Driven Daddy

When I just stared at her, she laughed.

“Ish. Okay? I’m trying.”

“Do you need anything?”

She shook her head. “I’m good. PMS is bringing a vat of coffee for us. Colette—an absolute doll, by the way—has fruit, water, and snacks for us in the back for when we take breaks.”

“Colette is always on top of things. I’m not shocked.” Instead, the shocked portion was for me since I’d been so completely unprofessional today.

Which was going to change.

“Okay, we’re going to get going in about ten minutes, so if you need to do the bathroom thing, now’s the time. I don’t think we’ll be moving for awhile.”

“Good point.” Ryan stood, her long black dress swirling around her ankles along with matching knee-high boots with a wicked heel that peeked from the slit.

Both women had dressed to impress, and I suddenly wished that I’d listened to Larsen with the Hugo Boss dress pants. Not that it was like me in any way, but I was also the face of Duality Press, not just the artist behind its creation.

Annoyed with myself on several levels, I strode out for some air.

The conversations in the line dented my anger. Excitement at meeting Rita was abundant, but there were some fans there for me, as well. And since October was close, there were actually a few costumes dotted in among street clothes.

To make myself feel better, I jogged down to the person in line dressed asmycharacter. “Buddy, that’s amazing.”

The fan turned around with a genial smile on his face. When he recognized me, he went pale under the hood. “Oh, man. It’s you. Really you, you.”

I laughed and held out my hand. “Really me. What’s your name?”

“Tommy.” He pumped my hand furiously.

“You got some serious skills.” I eased him out of the line. “You’ll hold his spot?”

The girl with him bobbed her head. “I will.”

I urged him toward the alleyway between Vintage December and a shop that had a coming soon sign on it. Always new things popping up on Main Street these days. “How about we get some photos? Would you mind going on my socials?”

“What? Man, oh man. That would be so cool.”

I did a few selfies and then did a quick video for TikTok and the Gram. The kid was beaming by the end of it.

“I can’t believe you even got all the runes right.”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve read every volume at least twenty times. Moksha never wavers. Sometimes in comics, you have different authors so the storylines can get muddy, but not yours, man. Solid every time.”

“I appreciate it. Let me get your email, and I’ll send you an advanced copy of the next one.”

“What? Really?”

“Now don’t scream it out to everyone. But yeah. I’ll get you one.”

“Sure, sure. Thanks for what you do, man. I know you probably hear this all the time, but these stories got me through some dark times.” He huffed out a laugh. “Being into tabletop games and graphic novels can definitely be hard in school.”

“High school is temporary. I was the weirdo who didn’t fit in with my big, athletic brothers and look at me now.”

“You’re right. I’ve got some ideas for a game. Good ones.”

“Then that’s where you go, man. Believe me, it’s easier to do what you love all day.”

“Yeah. You’re right!” Tommy’s face was stuck in a smile.

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