Page 131 of Giddy Up, Daddy

Chapter Thirteen

Nate

Two days after our mind-blowing date with Elle, we are no closer to having answers than we were when she left. While Bo is bound and determined to give her space, he’s also dead-set that this is just a hiccup, that Elle will be ours one day soon.

I can’t help but think he’s in denial, just fooling himself. She didn’t offer any explanation when Bo dropped her off. She actually said she’d had a great time.

But she hasn’t called, or texted, or anything, not that I really thought she would. Bo is still holding out hope.

Amelia coos in my arms while I pull her out of the bathtub, wrap a fresh towel around her and blow some raspberries on her belly. I didn’t imagine myself as a Dad, but this little girl has changed my life.

And as much as I want to wallow in the forever that got away, and hold out hope that Elle will come to her senses, I can’t do that. Because Amelia deserves a Mommy.

Just thinking that burns the insides of my stomach, because I’m not a heartless ogre. I’d really thought we’d found her with Elle. Having to put that fantasy aside and open myself to thepossibility of someone else is a little harder than it should be after one date.

But I’m gonna do it. For Amelia.

And this time, I’m gonna make sure we do things differently. Be up front from day one. Only use the dating service we’ve paid for, rather than making a date with a newcomer we happen to meet in Elle’s office. Go slow. Don’t talk about forever straight out of the gate. Maybe even cool it with the Daddy stuff. I wince. Not being up front about that feels as dirty as lying about the fact that Bo and I are together. I nix that idea as I carry Amelia to her nursery, change her diaper and dress her in a fresh dress and tights. I even put her in little patent leather Mary Janes, though I know she doesn't really need shoes until she starts walking.

I’m taking the afternoon off to run errands. Pick up groceries, take Amelia to a wellness checkup, and put an ad in the local paper for a nanny. We can afford it, and having one will only add to Amelia’s circle and give us time to find her what she really needs. A mommy.

I decide to stop by Sadie’s matchmaking office while I’m at it, just to see if she has any new clients yet, and maybe feel out if she knows what happened with Elle.

It can’t hurt, right? I’m not going to do anything with the information. I just want to know.

Nate

Three hours later, I have a pile of groceries, a healthy, if not currently happy baby, and an ad going out in Next Tuesday’s Blue River Herald.

I take the steps to Sadie’s office two at a time, and the bell on the door announces my arrival.

Sadie stands up from her desk and when she sees me, her mouth falls open in a little ‘o’.

“Nate.” Her voice is warm, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “Well this is… unexpected.”

“Indeed it is.” When the second voice chimes in, I notice what I didn’t before. A second person. And the voice, along with the corded back and broad shoulders is unmistakable.

Fuck. I didn’t tell Bo I was coming here. To be fair, he didn’t tell me he was either.

“Hi,” I squeak when he turns around and raises his eyebrows at me.

“Hi, babyboy.”

I try not to use our titles and pet names in public, but Bo has no such qualms. Thankfully, if Sadie notices, she doesn’t react.

“What are you doing here?” I have a sinking suspicion I already know. And it’s not asking Sadie to find us a new match, one who won’t run screaming into the night afterward.

“I was just popping in to chat with Sadie, see if she knows how Elle is doing. See if she might have any insight for us about what went wrong.”

“And I was just explaining to Bo that Elle is my best friend, and they made the date all on their own, despite my misgivings and protests. I’m not the matchmaker on this, as he wasn’t using my services at the time.”

Sadie looks like she just wants both of us to leave. I don’t blame her, but I’m not gonna.

Bo pushes his mouth into a flat line. “Yeah, so that's where we are at. What are you doing here?” He steps forward, arms out, and takes Amelia from me, then wraps an arm possessively around my waist.

“I was just…” I grimace, knowing he’s not going to like my answer. “Well, I was just stopping in to ask Sadie how business was going, if she’d gotten any more clients yet, and if maybethere were any new women who might like to go out with two handsome, bisexual, affluent ranchers… with a baby.”

Bo scowls. “We don’t need to be set up on any dates. We’ve already found our perfect woman.”

---