Page 29 of Daddy Crush (Silver Fox Daddy)

“Anyone who saw the way he watches you would know he’s hooked,” Ava said with quiet emphasis. I looked at her, surprise in my gaze. “What? You never said anything, but it’s only obvious there’s something between you.”

As I took a few steps closer, all my fears and anxieties melted away.

This was a man worth fighting for, and I no longer felt afraid about what I had to do.

“Sorry.” His voice still had the power to melt every single bone in my body. I put a hand on the hood of his pickup to prop myself up.

“For what?” I asked, bracing myself against the spell of his manly build. “It’s your stinking café. No need to apologize for showing up once in a while.”

From behind, I heard a voice call out, “Bye, Clover! See you bright and early tomorrow.”

We both knew there were no guarantees—just honesty and a love we’d never spoken to one another. That was about to change if I had my way.

“Anyway, good to see you, Duke. You should come around more often.” I turned around on the sidewalk and walked towards my family’s temporary home, leaving him behind. No matter how I wanted to throw myself in his arms and beg him to love me, I would not grovel. I’d set things straight with my father. Then, and only then, would it be time to find out if his best friend deserved me or not.

* * *

“You going to tell me what all the secrecy is about? This is a pretty fancy place you dragged your old dad to, Clover.”

We sat at a table inside The Creekside Winery, which had superb food in addition to their beverages. On either side of our table were large oak barrels markedChardonnayandPinot. The white linen napkins beneath the silverware reminded me of my first date with Duke at The Moonstone Grill.

Dad rested his hand on the linen near the stem of the wineglass I’d poured him. “You okay with all the changes lately? I know it’s a lot, selling the farm and moving to a new place.”

I nervously lifted my glass and took a gulp, the liquid causing a slight burn in my throat. I kept my eyes down, avoiding his gaze. “It’s been... a challenge,” I muttered, setting down my glass with a clink. I fidgeted with my fingers, unable to look at him. “But not because of the move. Or the new job. Besides, Hoss’s smear campaign against me back in Porterville made moving necessary.”

He nodded and cleared his throat, looking away for a moment. “All I want for my baby girl is for her to be happy. You know that, right?”

My palms were sweaty, and my stomach was in knots as I struggled to find the right words. I had rehearsed this conversation in my head a hundred times, but the reality of confronting it head-on made me uneasy.

I cleared my throat and finally looked up, meeting my dad’s gaze. “Dad, I... I’m happier than I’ve ever been when I’m with Duke.”

The words hung in the air between us, and my dad’s face softened, his reaction surprising me.

He hesitated, measuring me for a minute. “I had a feeling that’s what this special date might be about. Word gets around in a small town, you of all people know that. I found out about the two of you through careless gossip, and your mother wonder why you’ve been so sad lately.” He reached across the table and patted my hand, as if he had known this was coming and now here it was—the truth that had been looming over us for weeks.

He shifted uneasily in his chair. “Duke is a good man; I’ve always known that despite how hard it was for him when he returned from his military service. You’re a grown woman now, and you’ve done nothing in your life to lessen how proud I am of you. If he’s truly the one who makes you happy, then there’s no reason to hold back or feel ashamed of your feelings for him. Can you forgive me for being an overbearing, protective father?”

I grinned confidently, feeling empowered by the support of the man who meant so much to me. “Of course.” I touched his arm affectionately. “You were only doing your job.”

He’d voiced his unconditional love, and it made me feel like I could take on anything the world threw my way. The question hanging in the air was no longer an uncomfortable silence but a challenge I was eager to take on. What would happen next?

I was ready to find out.

17

CLOVER

Achill ran through my veins as I watched Hoss stroll through the door the next day when I was on shift at The Daily Grind. Every nerve in my body jolted with fear.

Ava had run to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription during a slow period. I didn’t know what the hell he was doing in Briarville, but one thing was certain: He was up to no good. He’d been the source of so much pain and embarrassment for me back home, telling everyone I’d stalked him and begged him to have sex with me and acted out my vengeance when he refused, and now he was here in my new home.

It took all I had not to run away and hide, but I managed to keep it together long enough to force a smile and greet him like nothing was wrong.

“Welcome to The Daily Grind,” I said cheerfully. “What can I get you today?”

He smiled smugly as he stepped up to the counter, looking me up and down with a self-important expression.

“You didn’t think you could just move away and leave all this behind, did you?” he asked mockingly, grazing a hand over his body as if it were one of his prize bulls wearing a blue ribbon won at the fair.

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