Page 86 of Wild Hearts

I chuckled. "You're all right. For a teenager."

She shook her head, her eyes filled with mirth. "You got lucky with me."

I grinned. "I'm not gonna lie. I totally did. You're the best kid."

Her nose scrunched. "I've never had a dad before, but you seem good so far."

"I make the best pancakes, buy the best presents, and am not embarrassing."

Her nose wrinkled. "I could see how you could be embarrassing."

I snorted. "Please. I'm cool."

"If you were cool, you wouldn't feel the need to say that."

I flipped the pancake, refusing to acknowledge that comment.

"Did you invite Addison over?"

"I didn't yet." She seemed okay this morning, but maybe she'd been upset when she woke up. Dakota wouldn't share everything with me, and that was okay. I'd just be there when she needed me.

I handed Dakota my phone. "Can you text her and ask her to come over whenever she's ready?"

Dakota's fingers flew over the keys much faster than mine. "She said she's doing lunch at her parents but could come over later." Then she frowned. "Shouldn't you be with her?"

"Her family understands that I have you now."

"We should spend time with her family too, Dad. This is a two-way relationship."

I sighed. "Again, what do you know about relationships?"

"I read books."

That made me pause. "You read romance books?"

"Maybe." She stretched out the word.

If it was okay with her mother, I wouldn't interfere. "Maybe I need to read some of these books."

Dakota laughed. "You might learn some things. It's all about how to treat a woman right."

"I like this idea."

We ate our pancakes with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and strawberries. Even I ate the decadent toppings. When we were stuffed, we moved into the living room.

Dakota jumped up. "Let me grab your present."

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"I wanted to," she called over her shoulder.

I sat on the couch and waited for her to return. I carefully unwrapped the package. It was the back of a frame. I turned it over and saw the picture of just us, taken on the night of the bonfire. Tears threatened. "This is perfect. Thank you."

"You don't have an office, so I don't know where you'll put it."

"I'm going to make the small den down here my office. I prefer working here instead of at the lodge."

She looked around. "Now, where are my presents?"

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