Page 32 of My Young Rebel Daddy

First things first though, I need to get to The Little Petal and warn my baby boy that things might be about to get real complicated, real quick.

Not many constructions projects get completed without a few bumps in the road, but this Werner Hodge situation might just be the biggest obstacle I’ve had to overcome…

I can tell by the look on Nick’s face that he knows I’ve got bad news the second I walk into The Little Petal.

The store happens to be quiet, which is almost certainly a good thing right now.

‘D-D-Daddy? Is everything okay?’ Nick says. ‘You look worried.’

‘Baby boy, this isn’t brilliant news I’m bringing,’ I say. ‘It’s Werner Hodge. He’s cooking up a plan to force the people on your street out of their homes.’

‘What?’ Nick says, a look of sheer disgust on his face. ‘How?’

‘He’s a corrupt sonofabitch with bribable contacts in high places, that’s how,’ I reply. ‘But don’t worry, we’re going to do something about it. There’s not a chance in all hell that I’m going to let this low-down piece of crap hurt you. Hell, I’m even doing this for Christopher Snoot too.’

‘Daddy, I’m scared,’ Nick says, running over and wrapping his arms around my chest. ‘I’ve put all of my dreams into my new home. I can’t not have it now, I just can’t.’

‘Don’t worry, boy,’ I say, my determination clear in my voice. ‘I’m a resourceful man. Hodge isn’t going to get one over on me. No way.’

‘I’ve got a lawyer friend from my days working in the city,’ Nick says, gathering his thoughts and composing himself. ‘He’s probably one of the only people I ever really trusted from my old life. And I still trust him now too. He might be able to help, but there’s no guarantees.’

This sounds promising.

We need all the help we can get, and if Nick’s high-powered lawyer friend has any tricks up his sleeve then I’ll accept them with open arms.

Right now though, everything is still up in the air.

It’s not going to be easy to beat Werner Hodge, no matter what we try.

Hodge has been in the business for too long to not anticipate someone trying to stop him getting his way – but on the other hand he’s probably never come up against a Daddy who would doanythingto keep his special baby boy happy.

‘Don’t worry, baby,’ I say, putting my hand on Nick’s cheek and wiping away a solitary tear. ‘Daddy will make sure this all goes away.’

I believe every word I’m saying.

But only time will tell if I can truly back my words up with sufficient actions…

Chapter 13

Nick

I was having such a nice day too!

Having made some wonderful flower displays for a series of truly delightful customers, I was flying high.

In all of my years working in finance, I never experienced anything close to the satisfaction of seeing a smiling customer happy with their flowers.

Honestly, I’m not exaggerating when I say that arranging flowers is just about the most wholesome and life-affirming thing an individual could do.

Well, okay, maybe preparing bouquets is not quite that earth-shatteringly incredible for everyone, but for me it is!

So when my Daddy walked into the store, I was more than ready to give him a big kiss and tell him all about my day.

But the second I saw Daddy’s face I knew that something was wrong.

And now here I am, riding shotgun in Daddy’s truck as we make our way home, desperately trying to figure out how to solve this mess.

But all hope is not lost, far from it.

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