Page 83 of Mr Nice Guy

“All?”I ask warily. Knowing Skyler, he really could have dished anything. I really have no idea how he’s going to manage to keep his client’s confidentiality once he starts to practice.

“Just that your new guy is a sexy silver fox who looks like stepped off the cover ofGQ.”He casts his eyes up Tanner’s body, then down again, then back up again. “Yep, I can definitely see it.” Turning to me, he gives a sly wink. “Nice work, Deac.”

“Umm…thanks?”

“This is Izzy,” Tanner says, holding his daughter protectively against him. She’s huddled against his leg at the sight of the newcomer, looking up at Will with curious eyes.

Will offers Izzy a bright smile. “Hi Izzy, I’m Will. Do you like cookies?”

Slowly, Izzy pries her grip free of Tanner’s leg and fixes her attention on Will, nodding at his question. “I like chocolate chip. And peanut butter. And oatmeal.”

Tanner’s lips form into a wry smile, his hand brushing through Izzy’s hair again. “She’s not fussy when it comes to cookies.”

“Would you like to come with me?” Will asks, holding out his hand. “There’s a nice lady in the kitchen who has lots of cookies.”

I arch a brow. “You realize you just did a step by step demonstration from theWhat Creeps Do to Lure Kids Away From Parkshandbook, right?”

Will snatches his hand back, his jaw falling open in horror. “Oh my god! I’m a predator!”

“It’s fine,” Tanner says with a wry shake of his head, before suggesting, “Why don’t we all go get a cookie?” He holds his hand out for Izzy and she happily accepts, then we all follow Will inside the apartment.

“When did Brad Pitt and Charlize Theron have a kid?” Tanner murmurs to me as we trail after Will.

I let out a soft laugh. Yeah, there’s no doubt about it, Will is definitely move star hot. Not that he ever acts like it.

“Wow,” Tanner says, clearly impressed when we reach the vast, immaculately designed kitchen. And given how amazing histwokitchens are, that’s definitely saying something.

The “nice woman” Will mentioned turns out to be his mom, Claire, and I can verify that she is indeed very nice. Her face lights up when she sees Izzy, and she immediately reaches for a tray of fresh-baked cookies for Izzy to choose from. They haven’t been decorated yet, but they appear to be turkeys, pumpkins, and little people with pointy heads that I’m guessing are going to become pilgrims. Or maybe witches…?

“Just one,” Tanner says firmly. “You can have some more later.”

She pouts in disappointment, but ultimately picks one of the circular blobs that I’m assuming are going to become pumpkins once they’re decorated.

“You know what, Izzy?” Claire says, bending down so she’s closer to Izzy’s level. “I could really user a helper to finish decorating these cookies. Would you like to help me?”

Izzy looks confused for a moment, and then Tanner explains. “To paint the cookies and make them pretty.”

Izzy’s face lights up and she holds her hands out to Claire. “With fingers!”

“She’s a champion finger-painter,” I explain.

Claire straightens back up, grinning. “Perfect. Just as long as you don’t lick your fingers to clean them.”

“Lick?” Izzy’s face screws up, as though she thinks Claire couldn’t sound more absurd for suggesting such a thing. “We use water bowl.” She wiggles her fingers to mime washing them off in a water bowl, the way she does when she’s finger-painting at school.

Claire chuckles. “Perfect.”

We leave Izzy in Claire’s hands and venture farther into the sprawling penthouse. Will has disappeared somewhere—no doubt to continue with his hosting duties—so I guide Tanner along myself.

When we reach the living room, where the party seems to be happening, we’re greeted by an incredibly enthusiastic Skyler.

“Tanner!” he cries, flashing a mile-wide smile. “So good to see you. And you too, obviously, Deacon,” he says to me, casting a dismissive wave.

“I’m touched,” I deadpan.

“Thank god you guys are here. Jackson abandoned me and I got trapped in a conversation with Bryce and Emme about P in V sex. It was so gross.” His face screws up in distaste as though he’s just seen a video of some guy who returned from a tropical vacation with fly larvae germinating in his cheek.

“They’re trying to conceive,” I clarify for Tanner’s benefit. “They’ve been very…open, and…graphic about the experience.”

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