Page 42 of From Maybe to Baby

Family activities include...

Include what? Include fathers who make time? Who seem to enjoy their kids? Who pull off the super-dad act I completely missed out on?

Must be nice.

"Your turn," Lukas announces, waving me into the pool. "Dad can teach you too."

I bet that man could teach me a thing or two.

Jesus. Get a grip, girl.

"Oh, I already know how to float?—"

"He's a good teacher," Jace adds. "He teaches me to float, too."

"A work in progress," Jonas laughs, glancing my way. "Miss Minty probably already knows how to swim, guys."

"But she needs to practice, Dad." Lukas insists. "For her 'search."

"Research," I correct, but my voice sounds strange even to me.

Jonas must hear it too, because his next words are gentler. "Everything okay over there? You hydrating?" He points up at the glaring sun.

"Fine. Just..." I gesture at my notebook. "Working."

"Your pen hasn’t moved in ten minutes."

"I'm being observant."

"You're being avoidant."

Damn. I look up sharply, but there's no judgment in his face.

Talk about cutting to the chase.

"I'm beingprofessional," I correct. Ugh. Why am I defending myself? What do I care what this guy thinks?

"Be both," he says, adjusting Jace’s water wings while maintaining eye contact with me. "Professional and personal. They're not mutually exclusive."

Would it be wrong to drown the father of two small children?

"Says the man who literally plays games for a living."

"Says the woman who's trying very hard not to enjoy herself right now in this incredible tropical paradise."

"I'm working."

"Mmmm hmmm." He says, shaking his head.

Irritation runs up my spine and I take a deep breath to chase it away. But seriously? I barely know this man and he’s giving me shit.

Just because he’s buying me a new—and expensive—laptop does not mean he can say whatever the hell he wants to me.

"Behind your professional notebook, something made you look sad a minute ago."

For fuck’s sake. Is he a mind-reader?

"I didn't?—"

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