Page 57 of Bonus Daddy
Dammit. I’d forgotten how incredibly uncool that would be to a twelve-year-old.
“But I respect what you’re saying,” I said, recovering quickly. I hoped. “And I hear you.”
“My mom doesn’t need a boyfriend,” she insisted. “She has us. She’s happy.”
Ah. I could see it now. The hurt. The cracks her dad’s behavior had caused.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I would never hurt your mom or either of you.”
“Good. So stop looking at our mom like that.”
I sat back in my chair, hands on the armrests. “Like what?”
“Like she’s pretty,” Greta blurted out. “Like she’s a pretty princess and you’re in love with her.”
A smile tried its best to overtake my face, but I tamped down on it. “She is pretty.”
Kit’s glare could have frozen lava. “Donotthink my mom’s pretty,” she said through gritted teeth while Greta glared.
“Okay.” I held my hands up in surrender. “Your mom and I have been friends a long time, but I promise I will not look at her like she is pretty.”
“Good.” Kit nodded once. “Because I love my mom, and I won’t let anyone hurt her again.”
Finally, I allowed myself to smile, but this one was small, soft. These kids were so damn sweet. They’d been through some shit, and I respected their strength.
“Thank you for speaking to me about this directly.”
“Mom says we have to fight our people-pleasing urges and express our authentic selves,” Greta said, sounding so much like her mom.
Damn. Every day, Jess impressed me more. And her girls did too. “She’s right. I promise you this: I’m going to work as hard as I can to make sure that you get whatever you need. But can we be friends?”
“We’re already friends,” Greta said cheerfully. Kit gave a slow nod, apparently satisfied with my response.
The minute the door closed, I put my head on my desk.
Jesus. How bad did I have it for Jess if I was getting called out by kids? Did Murphy and T.J. know? Had Tia clocked how gone I was for this woman?
And it was wrong. Unethical too.
Jess and her kids deserved their fresh start, and Kit and Greta were right. I couldn’t just moon over their mom. I had a job to do.
With a sigh, I stood. I locked my door, ensuring I wouldn’t be disturbed, and drank my lumpy protein shake, determined to start keeping my distance.
Chapter 20
Jess
“I’m so glad we’re doing this.” Lo stretched, her crop top riding up. She and Sloane had come to my flow class, and afterward, they’d come upstairs for charcuterie and wine.
They’d convinced me that I needed a girls’ night, and while I felt guilty for leaving my kids at their place, both Kit and Greta had seemed excited about watchingGhostbusterswith T.J. and Murphy.
“This tastessogood,” Sloane said, sipping the rosé I’d picked up.
“I picked up all kinds of cheese too,” I said. “I hope you girls don’t mind. I’m over cooking.”
“Bring on the cheese,” she said, rubbing her hands together.
Lo picked up her bag and rummaged through it. “I brought Korean face masks.”
