Page 71 of Broken Boss Daddy

I shrugged. “Try proving otherwise.” I smirked at Grant, and he mirrored it.

“I know for a fact you didn’t find me annoying.”

At his suggestive tone, my cheeks turned pink, and I cautiously looked at our daughter cradled comfortably in his arms.

“And here I was,” I said, ignoring his comment. Though, Grant’s face shined with victory. “Trying to figure out who that boy was with the marshmallows up his nose. He was right in front of my eyes the entire time.”

“The fact that we didn’t figure it out after that is a miracle.”

“I guess we were just too wrapped up in the present to think about the past.”

My statement hung between us for a moment longer than it should have. I didn’t know what to say, but Grant seemed intent on living out this one peaceful moment between us for as long as we could.

“Maybe it was the fact that I didn’t know you as Jess back then. You were always Jessie to me.”

“Oh, that’s right!” I played along because I was enjoying it, too. “And you were Gray because I struggled with pronouncing certain letters back then. I called you Gray so many times that it completely slipped my mind as to what your actual name was.”

“Simpler times,” Grant said.

“Too simple,” I whispered, and we again faded into silence.

The past made way for reality to come creeping back in.

Abby nearly looked asleep in Grant’s arms.

I had the sudden, overwhelming urge to cry at that moment, and bit my lip to stop myself from doing so. Even with the past revealing itself, it still didn’t change our reality.

There was nothing more for me to say until he said what he came there to say. Grant closed his eyes and sighed, knowing that the time had come. Waiting for him to speak, I told myself that I wouldn’t cry when he said goodbye.

Grant moved ever closer to me, his gaze softening on mine as I inhaled a sharp breath. I once again saw how similar father and daughter were, and I refused to let myself be overcome with the sadness that accompanied it.

“I don’t want the job,” Grant said. “I want you guys.” He lifted a hand to cup my face.

“What?” I was confused. Or more like my ears didn’t believe what I was hearing.

“I want you, Jess, and Abby. I want us as a family.”

Feeling like my lungs had vanished from my body, I adamantly shook my head. “No. No, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” My tears built.

“I love Abby, Jessie. I want to be the father I never had the chance to be.”

That was all I needed for the first of my tears to fall free.

Abby lifted her head and looked at Grant skeptically. “You’re not my daddy.”

Instead of being angry at her saying that, Grant just placed a gentle kiss on her brow.

With the tears streaming down my face, I sniffed and figured that I might as well tell Abby about Grant, considering what was happening. “Actually, baby,” I ran a hand over her hair. “Grant is your daddy. I’m so sorry we didn’t tell you, but I promise you he is your daddy.”

“My daddy?”

“Yeah, sweetness. I’m your daddy,” Grant choked out.

Abby, who didn’t really know what was going on, jumped in his arms and hugged him tight. “Daddy!” she squealed.

Grant looked at me then, and it was the first time that I had ever seen him with tears in his eyes. He hugged her tighter, threatening to make my heart burst.

I was still in a state of confusion, but knowing that they at last got that moment together was worth all the heartache.

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