Page 24 of Wild Hearts

Instead, I joined Dakota and Joey, who were playing a Monopoly game in the living room until Oliver and Walker appeared at the doorway.

"Are you about ready to go?" Oliver asked Joey.

"Do I have to?" Joey whined.

Oliver nodded. "It's almost your bedtime, and you have school tomorrow."

"I have to go to school tomorrow too," Dakota added helpfully.

Joey raised a brow. "You do?"

"Yeah, I'm moving here, and I have to register for school tomorrow. I have to get a tour, figure out where my classes are, and get assigned a locker."

Joey's eyes widened.

"Help me clean up," Dakota said as she grabbed the game box and gathered the cards.

That seemed to placate Joey, and Oliver gave her a grateful look. Dakota might be a teenager, but she was patient with him.

When the game was put away, Dakota asked Joey, "Do you think we can hang out again?"

"Can we, Dad?" Joey looked to his dad for support.

"If Dakota wants to, but she only just moved here. I'm sure she's busy settling in."

"I'd like that. I don't have many friends here yet," Dakota said, earning a respectful tilt of Oliver's head.

"I can be your friend. I know lots of people."

Everyone laughed.

We made the rounds, saying our goodbyes. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to have Dakota in the family.

Outside, Walker held the passenger-side door open for Dakota. "I'll swing by tomorrow around ten so we can go to school."

"Okay."

It was time for me to transition out of my supervisory role in this relationship. Walker could take her to school, get her enrolled, and move her into his house. Once that was accomplished, my job would be mostly complete. I'd visit occasionally to ensure Dakota was handling everything okay. But I wouldn'tneed to spend as much time with them. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"Xander organized a Winter Festival on Saturday. You should come," Walker said to me.

"That sounds fun. Can you come, Addison?" Dakota asked me.

"Sure." I sensed that Walker wasn't entirely comfortable being a dad yet and relied on me to be a helpful assistant. But he'd need to take over on his own soon.

"Drive safely," Walker said before closing her door.

We backed out of the driveway and down the lane. "What did you think of the Wilde family?"

"They were nice," Dakota said.

"Are you okay with how everything is going?"

Dakota sighed. "Yeah, I'm just feeling bad for some reason, and I'm not sure why."

I racked my brain for possibilities. "Do you feel guilty for having fun?"

Dakota's eyes widened. "That might be it. I keep thinking I wouldn't be here if Mom hadn't gotten sick. Would I ever have known about Walker being my dad?"

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