Page 59 of Baby for the Single Dad

“Oh, Dad, please. I want to see her again . . . and Maddie, of course.”

“Sweetie, this isn’t a good time for you to come with me.”

Her face crumbles.

I cup her cheeks. “I messed up, and I’m going to ask Giselle to take me back.”

She frowns. “What did you do?”

I sigh. “You won’t understand.”

“Grownup stuff, right?”

I nod. And then I decide to tell her anyway, just to see her reaction. “When Mommy died, I was so hurt and sad, I told myself I would never love again or allow any woman to get close to me.”

“So, you wouldn’t get hurt again if they died?”

I smile softly, "Something like that. I've been wondering how you would feel if I started dating again."

She looks thoughtful for a moment. "You mean like having a girlfriend?"

I nod, "Yes, exactly."

A hint of excitement creeps into her voice, "That sounds nice, Dad. Mom will always be special, and no one can replace her, but it would be good for you to be happy too."

Her words warm my heart, and I feel a surge of relief. "You're absolutely right, sugarplum. Your mom will always hold a special place in my heart. I'll never stop loving her or cherishing her memory."

She nods in understanding, "I know, Dad. It's okay to be happy."

I smile at her, my eyes a little misty. "Thank you, darling. You're so mature and understanding."

She then guesses, "Is the girlfriend going to be Giselle?"

I chuckle, "You're quite the detective. Yes, it’s Giselle."

Excitement dances in her eyes, "I really like her. She's nice and fun to be around."

"That's wonderful to hear," I reply, touched by her openness.

I pull her into a warm hug, feeling grateful for her understanding and support. "I'm really lucky to have such an amazing daughter like you, who always knows how to make things feel just right."

Now that Ashlyn has given me the all-clear, all that is left to do is go to Paris and convince Giselle that I’m the man for her.

CHAPTER24

GISELLE

“SinceThe Old Man of Copánwill be the star of the exhibit, I think we should place it here, and then the other gods can be in the background. What do you think?”

“I think that’s a great idea. Any day now, we’re expecting more Mayan art and paintings from the Mexican and Honduran governments. This is coming together very nicely,” Ines, the event planner, says with enthusiasm that is catching. I can relate because that was the way I felt when I was working on organizing the reception ahead of the Mayan exhibit at the Met.

“We’re lucky to have—” Suddenly, I start experiencing a queasiness that has me taking in deep breaths.

“Giselle? Are you all right?” Ines places a hand on my shoulder.

Slowly, I walk back to the table in the office and sit. Ines, with concern in her eyes, offers me bottled water. I shake my head and force a smile.

“I’m fine, Ines. I suddenly felt a little woozy, but I’m okay now,” I reply to the worried lady.

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