Page 80 of Loved By You

“One step ahead of you” Harry hands me a tumbler of whisky and one to Brad, removing his makeshift mask. “Cheers to surviving that shit show,” he says, lifting his glass, clinking it with ours and downing in one.

“So, are we going to talk about what this means?” Brad asks giving Elle a pointed look.

“What do you mean? She took a poop, I changed her. What do you mean, what does it mean?”

“I don't know about you, but the only way I would be changing diapers and running Daddy Day Care out of my office for kids that weren't mine would be if I was in love with their mom,” Brad says matter-of-factly.

“Agreed, or if she was a freak in the sheets,” Harry adds, pouring another whiskey while chuckling to himself.

“Don't talk about her like that,” I hiss, slapping him on the back of the head. “And no more drinking.” I take the drink out of his hand.

”Oooh, look Brad. Daddy’s spoken,” he says mocking me.

“Do you use that tone with Ria? Is she into the daddy kink? Does she like a little spanking,” he says, bending over my desk and giving his ass a shake.

Jesus Christ.

“I swear to God, you are lucky I am holding Elle right now. Don't talk about her like that,” I whisper hiss, mindful Lexi is in the room but thankfully busy with her coloring to notice the chaos on this side of the room.

“Ha! see! You do, you love her, I know you. Nothing bothers you, nothing angers you, you only react like that when it’s something or someone important to you. Admit it.”

I wipe my free hand over my face, smearing more cream and powder over my cheeks in frustration.

Fuck, he’s right.

“It’s complicated with Ri. She's going through a divorce and I don't wanna make things harder. There’s Noah to consider, and she wants to take things slow and… I don't know.” I let out an exasperated breath.

“I see the way she looks at you, and the way you look at her. Aint no fucking way she doesn’t feel the same way about you. You need to tell her,” Brad says calmly, always observing this one.

Harry wanders over to the couch near Lexi and Brad sits himself against my filing cabinet, clutching his whiskey.

Harry looks at me like he’s had a lightbulb moment. “It’s her isn't it, Ria? She’s the secret girl?”

“What?” I reply like I don't know what she’s talking about.

“The girl, the girl you wouldn't talk about, the girl who would write to you, the reason why you haven't settled down.Whenever I asked you why you couldn’t be together, you said it was complicated. It's Ria, isn’t it?”

I can’t find the words, so I just give him a knowing look and a small nod.

Harry looks back at me as if suddenly everything made sense. “I don't mean to get deep here and bring the mood down, but you know how short life is, more than most people, the stuff we've seen, the things we've done.” Harry pauses.

“It's why we got out. You've changed since you’ve been around her. I’ve never seen you happier. So, if you love her, tell her, don't wait. Don't spend another ten years pinning for her.”

“Well, shit, who knew Harry had it in him to talk sense?” Brad mutters.

He’s right, I know he is.

“Who do you love?” Lexi asks, lifting her head up from the coloring she's been concentrating on.

Shit, how much has she heard?

Before I can think of a way to answer that question I am saved by the sound of my office door opening. I whip my head round to see Ria stood in their, mouth wide open, eyes bulging out her head, taking in the scene before her.

“Mommy, look I did a picture,” Lexi shouts excitedly from the only corner of my office that's untouched from the diaper mission.

“What happened?”

“Your baby took a shiii—poop in her diaper,” Harry says dryly.

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