Page 6 of Holding You
Heck, I sort of want to eat one of those over my own.
“Who else brought cupcakes?” I ask, admiring them.
“Declan. Only he added sprinkles to his to give them more color.”
Ugh.
“He’s such a good dad, making time to bake for his daughter,” she adds and leans over to one of the other moms. “Did you hear that he’s trying to buy out another tech company or something? That man is impressive.”
“And doing it all on his own as a single dad. He’s amazing.”
And that right there is the reason my distaste with Declan resumed the moment I moved back.
The town’s golden boy is even shinier now because he can do all these things as a single dad.
Here I am, a single mom with my own company as well, baking desserts for my kid, too, but that’s okay. I’ll just go fuck off because that’s what’s required of a single mom.
“How lovely.” I force a smile. Then I turn to look out at the students to hide my true feelings.
I’ve been told my facial expressions speak louder than words. It’s something I’m working on.
“Isn’t he dreamy?” Cami Anderson leans in as she sits down. “It was his idea to do the water guns.”
My gaze instantly falls to Declan playing with the kids. There are seven of them spraying him with water, drenching his shirt enough that it sticks to his chest, displaying every hard ridge of his sculpted body and drawing my attention to the full sleeve tattoo on his right arm.
I hate to admit that I like it. I like that it has flowers and trees and that every piece of art somehow comes back to his daughter.
I look to my right and then my left. Every mom around and even a couple of dads are staring at him.
I bite my lip to keep myself from saying something crude.
We are here for the kids, not to drool over one of the fathers. Even if he has a body that belongs on a magazine cover.
I have a grudge against the guy, but I’m not blind to how gorgeous he is.
One might even say sexy, but it won’t be me.
Not out loud.
Suddenly, the laughter of my own child steals my attention. None other than Suzette Young is spraying him with water. We call her Susie, though. She’s the total opposite of her father in every way. She’s also my son's best friend.
She’s the number one reason my son has loved every moment of moving away from his friends to a town he remembered only from family vacations.
You'd think I would have made amends with Declan by now because of our kids, but nope.
I’m an adult. A thriving one, too, but no part of me is ready to cross that bridge. Yet.
I know it’s coming, though. I can't be petty forever.
“I just love that he made time to be here today,” one of the moms says.
Or … can I?
“Mom!” Max runs up to me and I instantly squeal. He’s soaking wet and I know he’s about to come shake his shaggy dark brown hair on me. “Can Susie come over after school?”
Over his shoulder is a blonde girl his height with big blue eyes, grinning at me.
Susie.
