Page 11 of Their Forever Daddy

“No, it cannot. We can either have this discussion in private, or we can have it out in the open. Your choice.”

The color on Taylor’s cheeks darkened as she shot another glare Jesse’s way before marching toward the back of the store, her back ramrod straight.

“We’ll be back in a minute.” Pointing a finger at her, Ian pinned Jesse in place with a no-nonsense look. “Stay right there.”

Standing in the middle of an empty store, waiting for the fight to start, was awkward as hell. But she was also dying to know if her hunch about their relationship was right. And that curiosity was what had her tiptoeing over to the door as quietly as possible and pressing her ear to the thin wood.

“I am absolutely not apologizing to her!” Outrage colored Taylor’s muffled voice, making Jesse wince. “You don’t know what she did!”

“Did she do something to cause you harm?” Though Ian didn’t raise his voice to match Taylor’s, there was no mistaking the deadly fury in his tone.

“No, but?—”

“Then you are going to march your butt back out there, apologize to Jesse, and I will be back to pick you up from work after I drop her off wherever she needs to go.”

“I won’t! And you can’t make me.”

Oh, shit. Even through the door, Jesse swore she could feel how heavy the silence that fell inside the office was.

“You and I are going to be having a very long talk about this when we get home, Little girl. In the meantime, I suggest you do as you’re told before I decide that discussion needs to happen right here in Edie’s office.”

“Daddy, no!” A note of pleading entered Taylor’s voice, and despite everything that had happened, Jesse felt a stir of pity in her chest. “She’ll hear you!”

“Apologize now or apologize with a sore bottom. It’s your choice. And for the record, if I have to spank you now, you’ll be getting double when we get home, on top of being grounded for the next two days. So choose wisely, Tayter Tot.”

“But Carly leaves for Nebraska on Wednesday! I can’t be grounded!”

Guilt twisted in Jesse’s stomach as Taylor’s voice pitched higher. It almost sounded like she was on the verge of tears after Ian’s threat.

“Then go apologize.”

“Fine,” Taylor snapped. “But I’m not going to mean it.”

“Go, Taylor Grace.”

Ian’s tone clearly said he was done arguing about it, so Jesse hurried away from the door to take her place in the middle of the store again, praying her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. She waited until she heard someone approaching to turn, a fake smile plastered on her face.

Taylor stopped several feet away, her hands clasped tightly in front of her and a red blush nearly covering her face. Whatever embarrassment she felt didn’t stop her from jutting her chin out and glaring at Jesse. Again. “I’m sorry I was rude.”

She didn’t sound the tiniest bit sorry, but Jesse supposed she couldn’t blame her. “It’s okay. I wouldn’t be very nice to me either, in your position.”

Taylor looked over her shoulder at Ian with a smug smile that earned her a hard look in return before Ian softened his expression for Jesse. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride wherever you need to go.”

“That would be Edie’s farm,” Jesse said with a grateful smile.

“Sure thing.” Pausing beside his babygirl, Ian slid an arm around her waist before lowering his head to capture Taylor’s lips in a long, hard kiss. Even from a distance, Jesse could see it was the kind of kiss that soothed even as it promised retribution later. “I’ll be back in a bit to help you close up, Tayter Tot. I love you.”

Some of the tension faded from Taylor’s shoulders as she nodded. “Love you, too.”

“I’m sorry about… whatever that was back there,” Ian said as he and Jesse stepped out onto the sidewalk together. “Taylor isn’t usually so rude. Actually, Taylor is never rude.” The corners of his mouth dipped down and a little wrinkle formed between his brows as if he’d been hit with a sudden realization. His gaze, far too ‘Daddy-like’ for Jesse’s comfort, zeroed in on her. “I don’t suppose you can shed any light on that for me.”

“I can… but it’s personal. All I can say is it doesn’t have anything to do with Taylor directly. She’s pissed because of something that happened between me and someone else.”

He held her gaze a few heartbeats longer before nodding. “All right. I can respect that.”

Guilt pricked at her as they made their way to Ian’s car. “Don’t be too hard on her,” she said as Ian held the passenger side door open for her. “She’s just being a good friend.”

“I’ll take it into consideration.”

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