Page 5 of One Night With My Grumpy Professor Daddy

Sounds like freedom to me.

I grab my phone and the bag with my daughter’s gift in it. That’s when I realize it’s different; I look to double-check it’s not a bow.

It’s a… scarf.

I turned in the direction of the woman, panicked that she might have driven off with the red bow I spent all afternoon looking for. And, as loud as I can, I call out. “Hey, you, stop!”

Chapter three

Ava

“Hey girl, you got me over here thinking about what to even call you— I’m stuck between runaway tourist and bag snatcher,” Daphne says before I get to say hello.

“I didn’t know I told you about that.” I don’t remember much after I got in my Uber.

“Well, you called me from your hotel, frantic to tell me a drunken recount of what happened. You slurred a lot and said other things, but I got the gist.” I groan; I don’t remember doing that. “You know what, I’ll call you in like thirty minutes, Daph. I’m walking to my hotel, and by the way, both are terrible name ideas.” A peal of laughter sounds back at me before I hang up.

I pocket my phone and walk in the direction of my hotel. A blush creeps up my cheeks as I think of Daphne’s joke and yesterday’s debacle. Just before I get to my hotel, I catch sight of an ice cream truck and make a quick detour. Ice cream goes perfectly with this steamy Caribbean weather. Strolling toward the truck, I think about falling into the arms of that hunky blue-suited hottie. Boy, that man can dress. I have a little fun imagining all the dirty book boyfriend names I could think of, but Daddy is the only one that sticks, “Hahaha.”

He could be my daddy any day.

Oh, the questions. What was he doing at the store? Is he a local? He didn’t look like a local from his swag. I wonder if I asked around, could I find him? Or maybe I should go back to the store?

No.

I can’t do that…. I’m not going back there, not after that dramatic show of events yesterday. And especially not with what happened after the fall. So embarrassing. After making my way to the Uber, he called out to stop me, and the drunken, hopeless romantic part of me turned around, thinking he wanted to ask for my number, but he just gestured to the bag in my hand, and we switched off. He was sweet about it, causing my cheeks to flush another shade of red, then he turned to the guy and told him to drive safe. Daydreaming about those deep-set eyes and his gorgeous face, he has me watering at the mouth while the memory of him plays on repeat.

“What flavor would you like, Miss?” The ice cream vendor raises a brow, leaving me to wonder if he’d asked that question more than once. I shake my head, wondering how I could get so lost in the thought of a stranger in a suit. “I’ll take one strawberry flavor, please.” While licking my ice cream, I keep thinking about it, his eyes gazing into mine. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration if I said he was the sexiest man I’ve ever seen in my twenty-one years of living. I share a full recount of the incident without sparing a single detail. Daphne squeals, “Since when are you into older men?” This was after she laughed her ass off about me falling and rubbing my face in it with an obnoxious, I told you so, as loudly as she could.

“I’m not into older men, but I think I’m into him.”

“Into him like you might like him, or into him like you want to suck-”

“Daphne!”

“Ok, OK. Well, whether you’re into older men now or just him. I love and support you.”

“Shut up, Daph. For real, there’s something about him— I was just joking to myself how he gives off daddy vibes, the man is hot.” I giggle.

“Omg, Ava, you dirty bitch, look at you, drooling over Mr. Irresistible. No, but really… I mean it…and you never know with these kinds of things.”

“Oh right, girl gets swept off her feet by sexy older ma-”

“I’ve heard stories, just saying. You do what makes you happy.”

“Could you even imagine?”

“Ava, what I don’t get is, you met this man for all of what, 20 minutes or less? What is this wild attraction to him?”

“I don’t know, but I felt something, I know I’m not crazy, and I know it wasn’t the alcohol.” Her lips twitch, and she looks at me, smug, “Says the crazy lady who stole an Innocent man’s paper bag.”

I facepalm myself, embarrassed. “C’mon, I told you. I just thought it was mine.”

“I know, but it was funnier to say it that way. Speaking of fun, what’s on the agenda for tonight?” I smiled and sent a picture of the flyer my tour guide gave me. “It’s supposed to be a beach party, and I already have the perfect outfit.” Daph’s eyes widen in excitement.

“Ooo. Let me see.”

A few minutes later, I’m in a short, backless mini dress with my diamond-studded barefoot sandals that make my feet look amazing.

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