Page 44 of Hello Single Dad

As I swept the chips toward me, I replied, “We’ll find out whether or not I’m lucky today. But so far, it’s not looking great.”

Chris raised his gray eyebrows. “Seriously? You just won.”

“And last night, I got shut down by Birdie yet again.”

“That blond?” Steve asked.

“Wait, wait, which blond?” Jonas asked, which led to an explanation of Birdie and why she didn’t want to date me. They were all good reasons.

“I don’t know,” I said. “I should just back off. Try again in a couple years.”

Steve snorted. “A girl like that’s not going to be free in a couple years.”

He had a point. But I gave him a look and said, “I thought you didn’t see anything since you were married.”

“Bingo,” Chris said.

Steve ignored me.

Jonas was a little quieter than the rest of us, but he said, “Maybe she just doesn’t understand how much it matters to you.”

All of our heads swiveled toward him.

Looking a little hesitant, he explained, “Well, you met her at a bar. She probably doesn’t want to risk anything on a fling.”

“How do I show her that? If I ask her to be my girlfriend, she’ll run,” I said.

Jonas shrugged. “Hell if I know. I’m not the one with a ring. Or a divorce for that matter.”

I turned to Chris and Steve.

Chris leaned forward. “Do something special for the girl. Show her you’ve been paying attention to more than her body.”

I thought for a second, then took the deck and shuffled. “I’ll figure something out.”

I didn’t want to lose a chance with Birdie Melrose.

* * *

Linda had called in a favor with an inspector who worked on the weekends, so I cut myself off after one beer and grabbed lunch after poker. I kept hoping that the inspection went well. Despite Ollie’s reaction to the house, I had to believe he was reacting that way because of whatever was going on in his personal life. At least, I hoped so.

On my drive from the bar to the house, I imagined what my commute would be like. Now I was pretty close—just fifteen minutes, so it would be adding time. But I found I didn’t mind. When I had a million things to think about, it seemed to fly by.

The grass and weeds had been mowed since the last time I was here, and the sight made me grin. Growing up without much and then having a house practically bought by my ex’s parents made the idea of owning something that was really, truly mine even better. Sure, I owned the bar, but tons of us had come together to make it work. This would be something all my own.

Linda pulled in behind me and got out of her purple car. “How’s it going, honey? Did you and Ollie work things out?”

I shrugged, turning away from the house and the yard. “He’s not talking to me much lately.”

“Ah, the teenage years.” She winced and shook her head. “Can’t say I miss that.”

“Your kids behaved like that?” I asked.

“Oh yeah. If we went a day in my house without a yelling match, it was a miracle.”

“I’d take that over the silent treatment,” I replied. “I have no idea what’s going on with him.”

She patted my back. “It’ll be over before you know it and he’ll be inviting you to his first crappy apartment, wondering why he ever complained about a good home.”

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