Page 81 of Enemy Ex's Secret Baby

“But be honest with me about something. Did your old man really agree to that?”

I open my mouth and then close it.

He bursts out laughing.

“Is it that obvious?”

Hunter puts his hands in his pockets. “I’ve just been in your shoes almost exactly. I know how hard it can be to work with your dad.”

I eye Hunter. He’s never mentioned his father, at least not to me. I always figured it was some sort of trauma. After all, the death of Harold and Penelope Ricks was national news.

“It’s hard to step out from their shadow. Even if they’re no longer around,” Hunter says, his face going slack toward the end of his sentence. “Anyway, you have an ally in me.”

I nod. “Thanks, Ricks.

“It was a smart move. Maybe not a moneymaking one, but a good one.”

“That’s true…gonna have to start picking up the slack a little on the project front I think.”

“Well, I might have something for you, then.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Really?”

“The group is talking about expanding into the more family friendly hotel ventures. You know, think small scale Disney resorts but with a more outdoor activity focus. We’re just having trouble finding the right locations for the right prices and…” Hunter trails off and gestures to me. “That’s where you would come in.”

My smile broadens. “I think I definitely have some ideas when it comes to that.”

“Knew you would,” he says with a firm nod. Hunter glances over at Jessica and Stella who have dropped to their bottoms and started sharing the cotton candy. The smile on his face is so placid and warm.

I want that. That feeling. I don’t want to look at Stella and be scared. Even if Gillian and I can’t figure things out (dear god, I hope we can), she’s mine. I want her to feel that. “She’s a cute kid,” I say with a nod toward Jessica.

“Thanks,” he says. “I wish she wasn’t so shy, but…she’s still little. Gotta be patient.”

“That must be hard. Patience.”

Hunter chuckles. “You know, I actually find that because my working life moves so fast, it’s easy to slow down with Jessica. Kind of like a yin and a yang.”

“That’s pretty impressive. Especially since you’re doing it on your own.”

His eyebrows jump.

“Sorry, don’t mean to–” Damn, why do you have to go pointing out the obvious? “It’s just impressive. I don’t know a lot of guys who could do that.”

Hunter hums thoughtfully. “I just don’t think many of them are put in positions where they have to step up and be the only one. You’d be surprised how the instincts kick in when the time comes.”

We watch the girls for a few moments as they lay back on the ground and stick their feet in the air, clicking their dress shoes together.

It’s crazy, but I already feel that instinct. That’s my little girl. I’ve got a job to do. Protect her. Take care of her. Make sure she feels the love I have for her. But I missed those first years. Six of them. How would she feel if I had been around all this time? How will she feel that I’ll be around now? Perhaps I’m in over my head. I have a game of catch up to do that I’m not sure I’ll ever win.

“You got any words of wisdom?” I ask.

Hunter gives me a sidelong glance. “Getting baby fever, Hitchins?”

“I mean, gotta…gotta have a woman for that, don’t I?” I say, my voice faltering with the distant lie that not only might I already have a woman, but I already have the child too.

“It’s never a bad thing to know what you want.”

I don’t respond. My eyes are glued to Stella as she sits up and rests her hands on her knees. She looks around the room with her attentive green eyes, a small pert smile on her lips. Watching the world. Just like Gillian. And a little bit of me somewhere in there, maybe. My heart thumps in my chest.

---