Page 40 of Daddy P.I. 3.0

I shake that thought off. Babysitter. I’m Daddy’s little babysitter. If he wants to push his daughter in the stroller, he should.

She falls asleep as soon as we start walking. Daddy suggests taking a longer route home and we walk around the East Village in the bright winter sunlight. Daddy tucks me against his side and steers the stroller with one hand, which he can do because he has huge daddy hands.

I slip my arm around his waist and turn my face into his jacket collar to get a hit of his warm, spicy scent. He kisses my temple.

“Baby, I know it’s easy to focus on other things to avoid facing how you’re feeling about your mum. Should we have another Knee Time tonight?”

“Another Knee Time!” I exclaim. “What is this fresh hot place you speak of?”

Daddy chuckles. “It’s not that bad.”

It’s not bad at all.

“Could we have a milk and cookies date tonight instead? I promise to tell you how I’m feeling.”

“Yes, my baby. We can definitely have a milk and cookies date instead. I’m thinking, sugar cookies.”

“I’m thinking oatmeal, Daddy.”

“Can we compromise and have oatmeal cookies with frosting?”

“Oookay,” I say, like it’s a hardship. Which it’s not. I’ll make half the cookies with frosting for Daddy—and probably for Brenna and Mac—and the other half without. Maybe I’ll double the recipe and drop off a box at Maman’s home tomorrow. That would be a good reason for a walk with Livvy. The home prefers visits on visiting days, three times a week but they don’t mind deliveries any day.

“That’s a date then, little girl. Our kitchen. Nine p.m. In your jammies.”

“Yes, Daddy.” I nuzzle into his jacket and enjoy walking under my Daddy’s arm.

thirteen

LOGAN

I lookaround the great room with satisfaction. My family, close and extended, all in one place. Under my roof. Mac, Brenna, Max, Cynnie, Austin, Dana, Hunter, Myles, and a surprisingly fresh-faced and smiley Cappa are clustered around the baby in Mac’s arms. Maude and Javier are in the kitchen with Manny, Jen, and Emmy. Everyone’s safe and accounted for.

I put my feet up on the long sectional, sip my beer, and watch the game out of the corner of my eye while keeping Livvy in view.

Manny plonks down on the couch next to me. “You cooked up a good one, Daddy Logan.”

“She’s cute, isn’t she?”

“Sure. They’re all little red aliens until they’re about six months. Then they become interesting.”

I punch his shoulder without any force. “Wait until I tell Jen that.”

He grins and takes a pull on his beer. “She’s pregnant again. Just finishing her first trimester.”

“Congratulations!” I slap him on the back. “A boy this time?”

Manny shrugs. “I’ve stopped caring. ‘Long as they’re healthy, I’m happy.”

Good attitude. I nod.

“Maxie mentioned something about Miranda coming to New York,” Manny says, his tone cautious.

“I haven’t heard anything from her but I’ve blocked her on every electronic avenue, so she’d have to knock on the door to contact me.” I look around for wood and rap my knuckles on the coffee table. “Touch wood, she’ll give up and accept defeat before it comes to that.”

Manny grunts. “You ready to get a restraining order if she don’t?”

My jaw knots. “I’m ready to do whatever it takes. She’s not welcome in this house.”