Page 23 of Unexpected Packages

“Yeah, okay, Dad. If she’s not your girlfriend, you want her to be. Is she married?”

“No, she’s single.” I led Nica down the hallway toward my apartment.

“Have you asked her out? I bet she would say yes; she was totally into you.”

I stopped with my key in the door, turning to look at her. “What do you even know about someone being into you?”

She rolled her eyes at me again. “Dad, I already told you I had a boyfriend.”

“I can’t believe my thirteen-year-old daughter is trying to give me dating advice.” I pushed the door open and let her pass through.

“You should ask her to come with us to the aquarium.”

“What?” I set my keys and phone down on the counter.

“Ask her to come with us.”

“Don’t you want it to just be you and me?”

She shrugged. “I don’t mind if you bring afriend.” She grinned. “I thought she was nice, and she’s really pretty. You should ask her to come.”

“Maybe.”

“Do it now,” she said as she picked up my phone. “Give her a call.”

“I don’t have her number.”

She went wide-eyed. “How do younothave her number? How do you talk to her if you can’t text her?”

I chuckled. “Us old people like to have conversations face-to-face; besides, I just met her this week. I haven’t had a chance to ask her for it.”

“Well, then what apartment does she live in?” She strode toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to ask her to come with us.”

“No, you’re not,” I said quickly, and she turned to me, her brow quirked high momentarily.

“Then you go ask her.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Dad, it was so obvious that you liked her, and she likes you. Go ask her to come with us.”

Would Lexi be interested in doing that? I’d never told her I had a daughter, and although she seemed a bit surprised, she didn’t seem upset that I hadn’t mentioned it. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather it just be the two of us?”

“I think it would be nice to have her come along.” She turned back to the door. “What apartment is she in?”

“Wait,” I called out. “I’ll go ask her.”

She grinned at me as she realized she’d won. “Okay, but you better ask her. Don’t chicken out.”

I chuckled. “I won’t chicken out.” I walked past her as she happily gloated. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. While I’m gone, figure out what you want for dinner. The menus are in the drawer next to the sink. I’ll order when I get back.”

“And I’ll find a movie for us to watch.”

“Sounds good.”

As I walked up the steps, I wondered if I should just wait a couple minutes and then go back and tell her that Lexi was busy. I was on the second landing when suddenly, I realized that I did want to ask her to come. Was that strange that I wanted the first date with Lexi to be while I was entertaining my daughter? Maybe, but then again, perhaps not. I had no idea if Lexi even liked kids or wanted any of her own. It might give me a chance to find out.

I knocked on her door, and a moment later she answered, a surprised look on her face. “Hi.”

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