Page 77 of Her Possessive Daddies

"I know I don't deserve another chance. But I want to prove to you - and to myself - that I can be better." His eyes meet mine, clear and determined. "Thank you for not giving up on me, even when I gave you every reason to."

I take a long draw from my coffee cup, feeling some of the tension slip from my shoulders. For the first time ever, I can see my way through to having an authentic relationship with my son.

"And about Abbie..." Chandler's voice trails off, his fingers tracing the rim of his coffee cup. "I really messed up with her."

"You did." No point sugar-coating it.

"She was only trying to better herself - night classes, working hard, planning for her future." He shakes his head. "And all I cared about was having someone to party with. Someone to show off at frat parties."

The admission surprises me. This is a side of my son I've rarely seen - self-awareness isn't usually his strong suit.

"You know what killed me at that dinner?" Chandler looks up. "Seeing how she lit up around you. How confident she was. That's not the Abbie I knew, because I never let her be that person. I always tried to keep her under my thumb."

"Son-"

"No, let me finish." He straightens in his chair. "I'm not going to try to get her back. Not now, not ever. She deserves better than what I gave her. Better than who I was to her."

The words hang between us, heavy with meaning. My chest tightens - pride and pain mixing together as I observe my son finally growing up.

"Dad..." Chandler's voice drops lower, his fingers drumming against the coffee cup. "If you want to pursue things with Abbie, you have my blessing. You're the better man, anyway."

My heart skips. I try to keep my expression neutral, but inside I'm soaring. "You mean that?"

"Yeah." He meets my eyes. "The way she looks at you - that's real. And the way you look at her?" A small smile tugs at his lips. "I've never seen you like that with anyone."

"I care about her." The admission comes easily now. "More than I expected to."

"I can tell. And honestly?" He leans back, some of his usual swagger returning. "She's got you wrapped around her finger."

I can't help but laugh. "She doesn't have me wrapped around anything."

"Please." He rolls his eyes. "You're completely gone for her."

He's right, of course. The thought of Abbie - her smile, her wit, the way she challenges me - sends warmth spreading through my chest.

"Just..." Chandler clears his throat. "Maybe warn me next time before I walk in on any family dinners?"

"Deal." I unlock my phone, my fingers itching to text her. "And son? Thank you."

"Yeah, well." He stands, straightening his jacket. "Don't make me regret it. Now go get your girl, old man."

"I'm not that old."

39

DONOVAN

The steel beam swings overhead with a menacing creak, and I barely dodge in time, my heart pounding against my ribs. Fuck. Get your head in the game, Robinson, before you end up a smear on the concrete.

"Watch yourself there, boss. That was too damn close!" My foreman Jim shouts from above, genuine concern in his gruff voice.

I wave him off with what I hope looks like casual confidence, adjusting my hard hat that's damp with sweat. Third near-miss today, and it's not even lunch break. Can't stop thinking about her - those dangerous curves, that shy smile that does things to my insides, the way she melted in Corey's hallway like she was made for my hands. The memory alone is enough to make my pulse race.

My phone pings for what feels like the hundredth time today. Mindy. Again. She's been blowing up my messages since I ended things yesterday, alternating between angry demands for explanations and tearful pleas. What was I supposed to say? Sorry, but I can't stop thinking about my best friend's girl who happens to be his son's ex? Yeah, that would've gone over well. Corey would probably put me through one of these steel beams himself if he knew where my mind's been wandering.

"Need those specs checked on the east wing," Jim calls down.

"On it." The blueprints blur in front of me. Christ, I haven't been this distracted since grade school. There's just something about Abbie that gets under my skin. The way she smiles when she's a little uncomfortable. How her eyes light up when she laughs.

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