Daddy in Disguise (Crescent Cove 7)

“Good, then she’ll probably only be slightly high on chocolate by the time you get her later.”

“Well worth it. My dad will be back this afternoon. He’s a long haul trucker and will be making a stop in.”

Hmm. Interesting tidbit of information there. And spoke volumes as to why Gideon was so…Gideon. Isolated sometimes, even-tempered most of the time, and affable always. He was a chameleon of sorts, and this past week had taught me more about him than the two years we’d spent sliding around one another.

I drifted toward the kid since she was in my box of favorite decorations. Gideon checked that Dani was busy and quickly spun me around to him one last time. The kiss was as fast as a rattlesnake and left my mouth just as swollen as a bite.

Then he was striding across the room without another backward glance, leaving me just as unbalanced as the day before, dammit.

I shook it off and headed over to the corner. Dani had a dozen skulls set up with little trios of decorations around each one. Kind of genius. Like little triptychs.

“What made you do that?”

She peered up at me. “Bit of glitter on this one looks like it would go good with—”

“Well,” I interrupted instinctively. Jesus, I sounded like my mother.

She gave me her father’s inquisitive eyebrow raise, only hers was a golden strawberry in hue.

“Go well. Grammar is important.”

“Grumps says the same thing.”

“Grumps?”

“Yeah, my grandpa. He’s grumpy like you.”

I laughed.

“Okay, so these go well together.” She pointed to the little bit of pink and black in one of the skull’s teeth. “So, that one looks cool with the pink and black boa with the bats.”

“I like it. Take a crack at it, Ash.”

She preened at the nickname I’d used before and went to work. I picked up the remote control and beefed up the music. At least things would move along a little faster.

And maybe a little different than last year.

She boogied to “Give Me Shelter” as she hopped around on one foot and moved books and mugs around to turn her skulls just so. I climbed the ladder to do the higher shelves, and we met in the middle.

Finally, one box was empty. I stood back and she hopped after me, mirroring my crossed arms as I took in the various shelves. “You have a good eye, kid.”

“Yeah? My teacher says that too. I like to decorate.”

“Guess I have to introduce you to my friend, Dahlia.”

“Oh, I’ve met her. She works with my dad.”

“She worked with me first.” I moved to the water station and filled a mug with lime water before grabbing my own tumbler. I handed the mug to Dani. “You can pick a tumbler to drink from if you want. But for now…”

She took it and peered inside. “Water?”

“Hot chocolate is earned.”

She gave me a gap-toothed grin. “Guess I need to do some more work.”

“Guess you do.”

She took a gulp and her eyes went wide. “What’s in it?”