Page 54 of The Single Dad Dilemma

It would be impossible to rule out the idea that this could all work out. There’s a small part of me that thinks,Damn everything and let’s just go for it. Then those secondary voices who sound nothing like Lyric chime in and whisper of a ten-year age gap, a full college load, and a little girl who deserves someone who can give her more than I will be able to for the next year.

Watching Ridge cook is like watching him make art. I don’t know if it’s the way his arms flex when he’s flipping things about or the confidence he has that never disappoints, but it’s hot as hell. It makes me think that watching him tattoo would be even hotter. Especially if he were to tattoome.Yowza.

Jesus, did I just think yowza?

After dinner, Lou asks for a movie night. We’ve already gone to the park, played basketball, stopped for ice cream, went to the petting zoo, and gone to the store so she could pick out a new animal-fact book, but sure, a movie night is obviously what we’re missing. How she finds the energy for all this is beyond me.

“Lou, how about you start the movie. I’m just going to step out on the back patio with Darcy to talk to her about something, okay?” Ridge tells her. “Grab your blanket and stuffies and pick a movie, and when we come back in, I’ll get us some snacks.”

Lou runs off to her room to grab her stuff while we step out the back door and take a seat on two lawn chairs. It’s a nice night, warm with a gentle breeze. Summer is in full swing, and Lou and I have soaked up every minute we could. We’ve spent our days at the zoo, the water park, and having picnics in the backyard.

Ridge takes me by the hand and rubs his thumb over the back of my knuckles. His touch is warm and familiar.

“I had fun with you today,” he says. “I think Lou did, too.”

“I had fun with the two of you as well.” I lean back in my chair, closing my eyes and soaking in the calm.

“And I want you to know that I’m falling for you,” he says.

He says it so plainly, so sure of what he’s saying that it’s hard not to believe him. I mean, I definitely believe him. I don’teven know if I’m all that shocked. But I can’t bring myself to say anything for a moment. He doesn’t rush to say the next thing, though. He wouldn’t. He always seems to know when to let his words linger.

“Ridge, I?—”

“Don’t say you don’t feel it, too,” he says.

“No, I do. I do feel it, too, and that’s what scares me.”

“Why?”

“Because when I go back to school, I’ll be a zombie.” I huff. “My course load is next-level hard, and I’ll eat, sleep, and breathe my classes.”

“You’re doing something important, Darcy,” he says, gripping my hand tighter, imploring me to make eye contact. “I would never want to stop you from finishing school.”

“I know that, but you and Lou are going to deserve way more than I can give you for the next year. I never have time to cook. Me and Lyric always meal prep. I spend my days writing papers and reading the latest studies on the effects of various teaching techniques in different populations. And I sleep like three hours a day.” I blow the air from my lungs.

“What if I cooked for you? Meal prepped for you? What if while you’re writing all those long papers and reading all those, frankly, boring-sounding studies, your amazing boyfriend brought you snacks and caffeine?”

I laugh at his classification of the studies as “boring,” knowing he’s right but also that they fascinate me. “Your focus should be on your daughter, not taking care of a college student.”

“My focus will always be on what’s best for Lou. And I think she’s better off with you in her life than not. Even if you’re a little busy for a while,” he says, his dark eyes ensnaring me.

“It’s just not fair.” I sigh. “For you to have to do that.”

“I don’t care about fair, Darcy. I care about what I want. And I care about you. Which, funnily enough, those two things are the same,” he says, squeezing my hand again.

“I care about you and I care about Lou. So much. I just never want to be a burden when you already have so much resting on your shoulders.”

“But you’d be sleeping in my bed. And for all the shit I deal with during the day, you can’t imagine the peace that simple act alone would bring me.” He stands from his chair and comes to kneel in front of mine. He caresses the tops of my thighs, and I cup his face in my hands.

“I’ll beg if you want me to beg,” he whispers, his hands sliding higher to my hips.

“Well…” I let out the word on a long breath. “I mean, I won’t stop you if that’s what you want to do.”

“Because you want me?” Ridge nips at my mouth.

“I do.”

“And you want to sleep in my bed?” he asks, eyebrows raised.

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