Page 17 of Boss Daddy
Noah
“For you,” I say, sliding a thick envelope across the breakfast table as Tilly spreads jelly on her toast.
“For me?” She looks up, surprised. Even after almost a month of living together, she gets a shock every time I do something for her. Which only makes me want to do more. A woman like Tilly should have been treasured from the moment she was brought into the world. There is twenty-one years’ worth of neglect I’m trying to heal for her, and I delight in every happy gasp.
“For you.” I press a kiss in her hair as she pushes her toast to the side and sucks some jelly off her thumb.God, my baby is sexy.
“What is it?” she asks, pulling it so it sits square in front of her on the table. Perching myself on the edge, I steal her perfectly made toast and take a bite.
“Open it and see.”
She grins and slides her finger under the seal, tipping the contents out on the table. “College pamphlets?”
“Pick one. I want you to go anywhere you want.”
“Oh, Noah. This is… It's my dream. But what about you? If I go away to college, what happens to us?”
“Wherever you go. I'll go too.”
“But the bar. Your home.”
“Baby.” I put the toast back on her plate and cup her face in my hands. “All of this, it's just stuff. I can buy another place, open another bar. As long as I'm with you, and you're happy, then that's all that matters. I want you to have the education and the career you’ve been working so hard for. No limits.”
Her eyes grow wide as she sifts through the colorful pamphlets and their attached application forms. “I can seriously apply toanyof these places,” she asks, still seeming to struggle with what I'm offering her.
“Any one you want, angel. Figure out which one has the best psychology degree on offer and start from there. We can get you enrolled for the new school year.”
She shoots up from her chair and wraps her arms around my neck. “Oh, daddy! You are too good to me,” she says, laughing and kissing me. Then her hands move to my belt, and the bubbly look in her eye turns sultry. “Let me show you how appreciative I am.”
Before we can go any further, a voice interrupts the moment with a disbelieving, “Daddy?”
My gaze jerks toward the door to where my son, Dermot, is standing, his mouth open in disbelief. “Son,” I say, checking my fly is closed before I stand. “What a wonderful surprise. I wasn't expecting you until Father's Day with your brother.”
He looks between Tilly and me. “I can see that. I came out here early, thinking you might be hard up for company. But I can see I was wrong about that too.”
I hazard a small smile as my hand lands on the small of Tilly’s back. “Dermot, meet Tilly, my girlfriend. Tilly, this is Dermot, my youngest son.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Tilly says, extending her arm. “Noah has told me so much about you and your brother. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you.”
Dermot looks at her hand but doesn't take it. “Funny. He hasn't said a damn thing about having a teenager for a girlfriend who calls himdaddy.”
“I'm twenty-one,” Tilly says, snatching her hand back, her voice small.
“What the fuck, Dad? She's only a year younger than Jayden.” He shakes his head, looking at me as if I’ve somehow betrayed him. “This is sick!”
“Watch your mouth,” I snap, putting my arm around Tilly as her bottom lip starts to wobble. This isn’t how I intended to introduce her to my boys, but it seems we don’t have a choice now.
“Watch my mouth? Pardon me for forgetting my manners when I walk into my dad’s apartment and find a twenty-one-year-old about to go the fuck down on him.” His voice is shrill. “You know who dates twenty-one-year-olds, Dad?Othertwenty-one-year-olds. Oh, and dirty old men it seems. I can’t fucking believe this. You’re a fifty-three-year-old man.”
“Quit being so goddamn ageist and quiet the hell down,” I grunt. “We’re not getting anywhere with you throwing insults around. I don’t deserve it. Tilly doesn’t deserve it, and like it or not, she’s here to stay. I love her, and she loves me.”
Dermot scoffs. “So, she’s our new stepmom? I can’t wait until Jayden hears about this.”
“I’m sorry,” Tilly blurts, tears streaming down her face. “I never wanted this. I never wanted to come between you all. I just… I’m sorry.” She covers her face with her hands then runs for the door, almost knocking into Dermot in her haste.
“Tilly!” I call out as the front door slams, cursing under my breath as I grab my keys to go after her.
“You are not seriously choosing your—what is she? Yoursugar babyover your own son?”
“Jesus.” I stop and turn to face him, running a hand down my beard as I let out a frustrated breath. “You havenoidea, do you? You’ve never been in love, so you have no fucking clue what this is like. So, she calls me daddy sometimes, so what? We’re not hurting anybody. The fact that she’s young shouldn’t be a problem either. Why? Because we’re both adults, and that girl makes your father happy. When your mother died, I gave up everything to raise you boys. I don’t regret a single moment of it, because I was a great dad, and you’re amazing sons. Which is why I know that when I tell you this is my time—my chance—to do something that’s aboutmyhappiness and no one else’s, you’ll understand and say, ‘Congratulations, Dad. I’m happy for you.’ Because that girl you just insulted is the sweetest damn thing I’ve ever known in my entire adult life. Now, you know I’ve never spoken ill about your mother, but youknowwhat losing her did to me. Tilly is the first woman I’ve had a modicum of interest for infifteenyears. Forgive me if I don’t give a shit about what you, or anyone thinks. Accept it, Dermot. I intend to marry her.”
His eyes go wide, and a stilted noise leaves his throat, but I don’t stick around long enough to hear his retort. I love my boys; I do. And I will sort this all out with them both. I raised them with love and acceptance, so I know that given time, they’ll see how happy I am, and come around. But Tilly doesn’t know that. My angel is out there hurt and crying, I have to go be with her.
