Page 86 of Mr. Almost

Of course she would notice. In my panic, I didn’t think to put any on.

Thankfully, Mason is on top of it.

“She wore a dress yesterday and didn’t have any. How about you and I go wash up while Mommy finishes breakfast, then we can go home and change?”

“Okay, Daddy.”

Watching them walk out of the kitchen together, my heart clenches.

This is what I always wanted for her.

So why can’t I trust that it’s real?

MASON

“Daddy, watch me,” Ari calls as she goes down the slide for the hundredth time.

I would never tire of this.

Today is one of those days where the bank, schools, and day care take off, but no one else actually considers it a holiday. Normally, I wouldn’t either, but Ari needed someone to watch her. Olivia had requested the day off, but with them being short-staffed, Max asked if she could possibly come in. He even told her to bring Ari.

I scoffed at them both and said I would take care of her. I can do my work from anywhere. Hell, I’m the CEO. I could not work at all, and everything will be fine.

That’s how we ended up here. My little girl loves the park, and I couldn’t deny her pouting when she begged to come.

“Look at you go. You are flying down that thing,” I encourage her.

She giggles before running back up to the top. She goes down several more times before moving to some bug-looking thing on aspring. I don’t quite like the look of it, but she seems to know it well. She climbs on and starts shaking back and forth.

I take a few photos of her before sending them to Olivia.

I know she won’t respond. Not right away, at least. She takes her work seriously. I love that about her. Her work ethic is like mine. She wants to do her best at what she does. She isn’t there to just collect a paycheck. She’s trying to make the place better. I have stayed very hands off with the whole situation. I came in to help Max, but as soon as I found out about Olivia, I’ve been distracted. I’ve left it all up to Max and Eli.

They have done an amazing job of it, though. They have already minimized the turnover rate and started establishing new rules for everyone. So when Max told me about some of the changes Olivia suggested, I was impressed. She really knows what she is doing. I think she will go far in the hospitality industry. I hope she plans to stay at my hotel, but even if she doesn’t, she will be an asset wherever she goes.

My phone rings, drawing my attention away from Ari for a moment. I cringe when I see my mother’s name. She has no room in my life right now. I can’t deal with her shit. I decline the call and pocket my phone at the same time I hear Ari scream.

My heart is in my throat in a second as I rush over to her. She’s on the ground, crying as she holds her knee.

“What happened, baby girl? Where does it hurt?” I start to look her over.

“I fell. My knee hurts, Daddy.” She’s bawling her eyes out.

I can feel tears in my own eyes as I look at her knee. It’s scraped, but as I move it, she doesn’t seem to hurt anymore. I hate that she’s hurt, but it doesn’t seem like it needs a hospital trip.

“I’m so sorry, baby girl.” I feel guilty as hell for not watching her better. “Let’s go get this cleaned up, and then Daddy will take you for ice cream.”

I pick her up in my arms, her little ones going around my neck thebest they can. Then she lays her head in the crook of my neck, sniffling, her sobbing having subsided.

“Promise?” she asks.

“I promise. Let’s go get some Band-Aids,” I tell her, carrying her to my car.

Thomas opens the door as I approach, his eyes taking in Ari. He looks worried.

“Is she okay?” he asks.

She looks at him. “It hurts, but Daddy is going to get me a Band-Aid and ice cream.”

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