Page 23 of Dating the Daddy

"That's not true," I protest.

Leia holds up a finger, marching around the side of her desk, and then plops down in her fancy chair. I watch, sipping my coffee, as she throws her hair up in a ponytail and then wakes up her screen, her fingers flying over the keys.

"Ahem," she says after a moment, shooting me a pointed look. "I saw Aidan Steele and Elysa Darby at the movie theater together on Saturday. They looked so cute! I think she's the one."

"What the heck?"

"Oh!" Leia reads, ignoring me. "I hope she's the one. I just love her."

I scurry around the desk to read for myself, my heart pounding. Leia jabs a finger at the screen, pointing me in the right direction. There's an entire comment thread about me and Aidan.

DollyDear: She always has the best gossip and the funniest stories. He better treat her right.

LolaMay: We'll ride at dusk if he doesn't.

DollyDear: It's dawn.

Nanak: What’s at dawn?

DollyDear: We'll ride at dawn.

LolaMay: I'm 70, not crazy. I'm not getting up at dawn.

Nanak: I always wondered if she could be the matchmaker. She has such a way with people.

DollyDear: It makes sense. Oh, goodness. Everyone says the matchmaker and our favorite gossip columnist are one and the same. It could be! She does work for the paper.

LolaMay: Well, don't be exposing the poor girl! If she wanted us to know, we would. We gossip. We don't ruin things for people.

Nanak: That's why I've never said anything.

I skim through a few more comments, my mind reeling. Holy crap. How many people suspect me? How many already knowand keep it to themselves just because it isn't their secret to share?

I'm a gossip, but I pride myself on only posting the things that deserve celebration. It's why my column does so well. People want to talk. It's human nature to want to know what your neighbors are doing or to want to be in on the joke or secret. Done right, it fosters community and inclusivity.

People feel like they're part of something. They get to know one another. Done wrong, it breeds distrust and shatters communities. People stop talking, stop sharing. They isolate themselves.

I've always tried to do it right. I don't want to hurt this town or the people in it. I love them too much. My column has always been about celebrating the people in town and nudging them toward the things they want in life.

I guess I just didn't realize that it mattered to anyone else as much as it does to me. But the proof is right in front of me. They know—or, at least, suspect—who I am. And they've kept my secret so I could keep writing my column.

"People love you, Elysa. And they love your column. They love that you spend your time helping people around here fall in love. Do you really think they're going to care if you rip off the mask and give yourself—and Aidan—the same freedom you've given everyone else you've helped?" Leia asks quietly. "Because judging from what I've seen, they're going to root for you even harder than they root for everyone else."

I think she's right. Loving Aidan is worth any risk, isn't that what I said? I think I have to take this one. If I don't, I'll always be looking over my shoulder, waiting to be exposed. That's not alife. At least, it's not the one I want. I want him. I don't want my identity to be a factor in deciding what we are or aren't allowed to do. I just want my daddy.

In the end, there is no decision to be made. I already made it days ago. I'm only just now realizing it.

"Scoot over," I murmur to Leia. "I need your chair."

She immediately hops up, allowing me to plop down in her seat. I take a breath… and start typing.

CHAPTER 8

AIDAN

Monday morning dragsits goddamn feet like it’s stuck in quicksand, and I’m not having any of it. I’m hunkered down in my office, but my focus is nowhere to be found. My mind is circling around one thing like a hawk eyeing its prey: Elysa.

After spending the weekend pampering her, I’m on cloud nine, and it’s driving me crazy to be away from her. I didn’t think I waslooking for love; I didn’t even think I was capable of it. But fuck if the universe didn’t slap me in the face and drop the matchmaker of my dreams right into my lap, turning every blunt edge of my grumpy existence into pure fucking bliss.

---