Daddy in Disguise (Crescent Cove 7)

“You probably overdid it. How about I fix you some breakfast?”

Dani’s eyes lit up. “What kind of breakfast?”

Vee picked up Dani’s crutch. “We have a full kitchen. Why don’t you come help me make something special?”

“Thanks, Vee.”

“Sure.” She glanced over her shoulder at me. “You can get the rest put away before we open.”

“Isn’t that my line?”

“When it comes to you and Halloween, you lose time.”

That was definitely a true statement. I dug out my phone and checked the time with an inward wince. People would be showing up for their morning coffee soon, and I was way behind.

One more thing I could blame on Gideon.

Seven

I was literally dragging when the noon hour came along. Enough that I called in a marker and asked Rylee to cover for me. And because I had to make sure everyone was covered—and I was at least two people’s worth—I called in one of my new part-time girls.

Dani had been remarkably great the whole morning. She’d read in the nook for a good bit of the day. Somehow she ended up starting a children’s book hour and entertained a sobbing set of twins with her hilarious rendition of Where the Wild Things Are.

The frazzled mom had been so happy she’d bought cake pops for the five kids that sat down to listen as well.

My cash register liked it just as much as my throbbing head.

Vee and Dani hit it off so well that she was shadowing my baker more than me. I wasn’t nearly as interesting once the Halloween decorations weren’t a factor anymore. That and I didn’t exactly know what to say to her.

Hey, I’m into your dad—is that cool?

But not too into him. I’m not looking for step-mom status.

I shuddered. God, no.

All I wanted was my bed and perhaps a shower. Between crawling around in the dust and sleep-deprived frustration, I was overdone in the worst way.

And somehow I had a date tonight.

I’d taken my phone out of my pocket to beg off more than once. Instead, I ended up easing Gideon’s fears about my babysitting prowess via text.

Rylee breezed into the café. “I’m here.”

I shoved my phone back into my butt pocket. “About time.”

“Hey, I had to drag Gage out from under his latest pet project.”

“You?”

She gave me a saucy grin. “No, that was this morning. Once I sent him to work with a whistle, he was all about the ’67 Impala he’s doing for some Supernatural ultra-fan. And of course because Gage is Gage, we’ve been watching the show.”

“There’s worse ways to spend an evening.”

She laughed. “That is a fact. He even let me call him Dean and I played his angel.”

“Okay, too much info.” I shoved my frayed braid over my shoulder. “Wait, which angel?” I watched the show. It had my catnip in the title, for God’s sake.

“The redhead. That Castiel dude would be a whole different scenario.”