Page 48 of Faking It With the Single Dad

“You’ve got this, buddy,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder.

Bella hangs back slightly, her hand slipping out of mine as she crosses her arms over her chest. Her eyes flicker toward a group of women on a bench, their hushed tones and pointed stares all too obvious.

I step closer to her, lowering my voice. “Don’t let them bother you,” I say, keeping my tone light.

She gives me a small, tight smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Easier said than done. They’ve been judging me since the day Caleb walked out of my life. Now they’ve got fresh material.”

I glance back at the women, their heads bent together like they’re sharing some earth-shattering secret. A spark of annoyance ignites in my chest, but I force myself to focus on Bella.

“They don’t know anything about us,” I say firmly. “And honestly? I don’t care what they think. Neither should you.”

Her eyes flicker to mine, shining with a mixture of gratitude and frustration. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who has to live with their gossip every day.”

I step in front of her, blocking her view of the whispers and stares. “No, but I’ll stand with you through it. Let them talk, Bella. They’ll get bored eventually. And even if they don’t, they don’t get to define us.”

Her lips part like she wants to argue, but before she can, Luke lets out a triumphant shout.

“I got it! I got it!”

We both turn to see him holding up a much smaller prize, a stuffed frog, but he grins like he won the main prize.

“Good work, champ!” I call out, giving him a thumbs-up. “Want to give the dinosaur another shot?”

Luke nods enthusiastically and Alice cheers him on. Bella smiles faintly, her tension easing just a little as she watches the kids.

“You’re good with them,” she says softly, almost to herself.

I nudge her lightly. “You sound surprised.”

Her eyes flick to mine, and for the first time since we entered the park, there’s a hint of amusement there. “Not surprised. Just…noticing.”

I smile, letting the moment settle between us. But as we move to the next booth, the stares and whispers pick up again like a swarm of flies that refuses to go away.

“Is that Bella?” a voice says from behind us.

“I can’t believe she’s out here like nothing happened,” another chimes in.

Bella stiffens again, her steps faltering.

“Hey,” I say, stopping to face her. “Look at me.”

She hesitates, her gaze darting to the side.

“Bella,” I say more firmly, stepping closer. “Forget them. It’s just noise.”

She exhales shakily, finally meeting my eyes. “It’s not just noise, Ryan. It’s my life. My reputation. And now…it’s yours, too.”

“Good,” I say with a grin. “Let them talk about me. It takes the pressure off you.”

She shakes her head, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“And yet, here you are,” I tease, reaching for her hand again.

This time, she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she lets me guide her to the next booth, where Luke is trying his luck at a ring toss. Alice bounces excitedly beside him, her energy infectious.

Bella leans closer, her voice low. “Do you ever feel like…maybe this is too much? Too fast?”

I glance at her, surprised by the question. “Do you?”

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