Page 146 of Clean Slade
“Daddy, even Thelma and Louise know.” Mac rolled her eyes with a dismissive flick of her hand and put the straw of her drink in her mouth.
King turned to me and grimaced.
“What-what do you think? Are you okay with it?”
Mac took the straw out of her mouth so quickly that she spilled soda all over her chin and clothes.
“Are you kidding, Daddy? Of course. I love Slade.”
“I love you too, sweetie,” I told her.
“Why? Are you not okay with it, Daddy?”
“Of course I am, honey. I love Slade too.”
It might have become a thing so suddenly, but it didn’t mean I felt any fewer butterflies flutter in my stomach every time he said it.
Sometimes it seemed unreal. But then I’d wake up next to him,inhim, and I’d know it fucking was real.
“Good, because to be honest, Daddy, I think Slade is too good for you, so you should feel lucky.”
Laughter roared out of me without my consent, making King jump.
His jaw dropped as he glanced at both of us, a moment that lasted way longer than normal.
“What just happened?” he asked.
“I think your daughter gave you a reality check,” I said, and Mac nodded in agreement.
“Here we go. One Greek burger, a BBQ burger, and a cobb salad.” Autumn set the plates down, and as Mac decided to continue her story from earlier and keep Autumn from doing her job, I leaned into King’s ear.
“For the record, I don’t think I’m too good for you.”
He shrugged.
“I mean…she’s probably right.”
I laughed.
“Let’s just agree to disagree.”
“Okay.”
“I love you,” I said.
“I love you too,” he answered, and I knew he meant it. We both meant it.
“Wyatt!” Mac shouted suddenly, and it took us a moment to realize what she was talking about.
Wyatt walked into his bar with a deep-set frown.
“Hey, little one,” he said as he walked up to Maddox and Asher.
He looked at each of us, his old teammates, and pointed to his kitchen.
“We need to talk.”
King and I exchanged glances, and I excused myself as Maddox, Asher, Donovan, and I followed Wyatt into the kitchen.
