Page 50 of The Complication
Franks’s shoulders slumped, and for a second I worried he was going to pass out in his relief. “Yes, sir. Thank you.”
“So, how long have you and Donovan been dating?” I asked because I wanted to move us past this awkward moment. Also, because I was a nosy bitch.
Now that I had it in my mind, they looked so cutetogether. Franks was a tall, thin beanpole with a slender mustache and closely trimmed light brown hair. Everything about him was precise and proper. Meanwhile, Chef Donovan was warm and round, like freshly kneaded dough. If there was anyone in desperate need of Donovan’s cooking, it was Franks. He should spend more time feeding his boyfriend and less time trying to make me plump. But only after I ate three more of the puffs.
“About six months. It hasn’t been too serious. We just enjoy spending time together.”
Part of me wanted to know if they sneaked off to make out in the pantry or laundry room, but I figured that wasn’t the most appropriate question, considering his boss was sitting right there trying to get my daughter to crawl.
“But, truly, we don’t mind watching little Joy. She’s such a happy baby and very easy to care for. Plus, Mr. Foster has already completed thorough background checks on Chef Donovan and myself. We are comfortable in this house, and we know where all of Joy’s things are.”
I waved my hands at him to stop his list. “It’s not about you being trustworthy. You and Donovan are the very best choices for caring for her, and you’re both so good with her. That’s not the problem. I don’t want to take advantage of your generosity.”
“Understood. I promise, sir, that if it is not convenient for Donovan or me to care for Joy, we will be forthright about it. We won’t allow it to cause an inconvenience for us.”
I released a deep sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
I preferred Franks and Donovan to watch her. They were trustworthy, and Joy liked them. I didn’t have to worry over her safety when I was away.
“Now, will you and Mr. Foster be needing me to watch the little princess on Wednesday night?” Franks inquired with the tiniest lilt in his voice, as if he couldn’t quite hold in his happiness that I was dating Declan.
“All right. All right.” I waved him off. This was what I got for sticking my nose into his private life. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. Normally I was immune to this sort of thing, but there was something about Franks’s unflappable bearing that made me feel like a fucking blushing virgin. “We need to still figure out our plans for the date. Once we do, Declan or I will check if you and Donovan are available. Go enjoy the rest of your day off. Go see a movie or something.”
“Thank you, sir.” Frank gave a nod and disappeared from the room.
When I lifted my gaze, I found that tiny wrinkle in the corner of Declan’s right eye had appeared, and there was a slight twist to his lips. “And you can wipe that smug look off your face, Mister.”
To my surprise, the corner of Declan’s lips rose higher. “Wednesday?”
“Why Wednesday?”
“Because I don’t want to wait until Friday.”
The heat I thought I’d conquered covered my face and raced up to the tips of my ears. How the hell was I supposed to stay immune to him? He wasn’t supposed to be this sweet or even remotely smooth.
“What are we doing on our date?” I asked as soon as I could get my tongue working.
“Dinner. Have you ever been to The Avenue?”
“It’s a steakhouse, right? Downtown?”
He grunted. “It’s quiet, and the food is good. I thought it would be a good place to talk. Get to know each other better.”
It was like he’d read my mind, and that made him evil.
But maybe I’d been too caught up in protecting my heart and Joy’s well-being. Dating came with risks for Declan as well. He had to be sure that I wasn’t some greedy asshole who didn’t just want to use him for his money so my daughter and I could live in the lap of luxury. I wasn’t in the market for a sugar daddy, and Declan had to be sure of that.
“I think that sounds like a great first date. If you want, I can drive in and meet you after work.”
“Okay, I—look! Look! Look! She’s doing it!” Declan cut himself off to direct my attention to my daughter, who was scooting on her belly across the blanket toward Declan. It wasn’t quite a true crawl, but more of an army-man wiggle. She squealed as she braced herself on her forearms while pushing with her little bare feet on the quilt.
“Are you getting this? You need to be recording it!” Declan pushed, even while he had his phone in one hand, videoing her while his other hand still held the plush elephant to lure her forward.
I snatched up my phone and fumbled with the buttons for a moment before getting the camera recording her. Of course, I couldn’t help getting Declan in the shot. Joy was wiggling and laughing as she made her way across the blanket. Declan’s face was a blaze of open joy as he coaxed her forward, cheering on her every movement.
You see that, Molly? Look at your girl go!
A knot formed in my throat, and I had to blink away my sudden blurry vision. She was getting so damn big already. Molly would have blown up my phone with videos and pictures of Joy crawling. If there was an afterlife, I could only imagine she was shouting loud enough right now to rattle all the heavens.
