Page 57 of Detective Daddy Next Door

"Is this you admitting I'm ugly?"

I can't help it. I laugh out loud. "No. I was just saying. Of course, you’re beautiful,” I say, and mean it because Ava is stunningly beautiful. “But men are just so confused. They don't know what they want," I add.

"If they don’t know what they want, then why is he posted all over social media with his girlfriend?"

"Who?"

"The last guy I told you about."

"The one who wasn't replying to your messages?"

"Yes. I saw a new post he put up today. Him and his girlfriend. They're expecting."

She scrolls through her phone and shoves it my way. It's a picture of a tall man, standing with a woman with a round belly. I read the caption.

"This is probably why he wasn't replying to your texts. He has a girlfriend. And she looks like she's due any minute."

"Then why did he lie to me that he didn't have a girlfriend? Why did he have to lie to me?"

"Because he's a dick. It's not about you. It's him. He's a terrible person, and you're lucky to have lost his ass. You really shouldn't be going to his page. It will only hurt you."

"Could you block him for me, please?"

I block him and hand her phone over to her.

She sniffs, wiping her eyes. "I have the worst luck, and I'm honestly so tired."

"Don't say that. I thought I wasn't lucky after my ex cheated on me and got another woman pregnant. But Myles has been so good to me that sometimes I pinch myself. I still cannot believe that I'm loving another man again. You've just not found your own person."

She shakes her head. "I know now that person doesn't exist."

"Shh. He does. And you'll meet him someday."

"I don’t want to meet anyone. All they do is turn out to be assholes. I'm good on my own."

I smile because I know it's the hurt talking. "Just be patient."

She gets up. "I'm not going to be patient. I don't need any man in my life. I'm going to get a drink, and we're going to toast to the single life."

I chuckle. "Well, I might need it. Myles might be leaving soon.”

She stops halfway and turns to look at me. "Oh my God. What an ass. He told you that? That he'd be leaving you soon? What a complete ass. I can't believe I was starting to like him."

I laugh out loud. Ava is always so ready to defend me. "Put your sword down, Ava. Since the case has been solved, he'll be leaving Long Beach soon. I don’t think we’ll be breaking up, but you know what distance does to a relationship."

"Oh. I was so ready to kick his butt I forgot about all of that. That sucks. Isn't there a way he can stay here?"

I shake my head.

She gets out a bottle of champagne and pours two glasses, then brings them over, handing one to me.

"Well, I guess we'll both be toasting to the single life."

I laugh and clink her glass with mine. I'm smiling on the outside, but I'm hurting deeply on the inside.

"Can I come with you?" Ellie asks as I curl my hair in front of the mirror.

"Daddy says you have school tomorrow, so you have to go to bed so that you can wake up early."

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