Daddy in Disguise (Crescent Cove 7)

She activated the puppy dog eyes.

“Nope. Don’t give me that look, kid.”

“Well…”

I gave Kinleigh a bland look. “You don’t think you’ve caused enough issues?”

“Well, come on. I mean this is your thing, right? But I saw this thing on Instagram. Galaxy pumpkins.” Kinleigh gave me a hopeful grin. “I kinda wanted to try it.”

Dani started bouncing next to me. Her sprain was getting better every day and I knew she was bored as hell. It was almost time for the kids to go back to school and the holiday weekend would be in full swing in mere days.

But there were still two more days left in the week.

“Well, you started this insanity.” I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my credit card. “If your dad’s cool with it, you can go with Kinleigh to get some supplies.”

Dani threw herself at me, hugging me around the middle. She tucked her chin into my ribs as she peered up at me. The child had no concept of personal space. “You can talk to dad, right? I mean, he listens to you.”

And that was a fallacy if I’d ever heard it. Gideon hadn’t listened to me at all this week. I should actually charge the craft supplies to him, but I wanted the pumpkins for my window. And dammit, galaxy sounded cool and witchy.

Dani linked her arms at my back. “Please.”

“You are an evil child.”

She rolled her eyes. “Dad says the same thing. Not that he calls me evil though. He likes brat.”

“Fitting.”

She squinted her eyes at me. “So, is that a yes…”

I sighed. “You don’t have to sit in a weird seat or anything, do you?”

She let me go, her face affronted. “No. Just have to ride in the backseat.”

“How am I supposed to know? Rules have changed since I was a kid.”

Dani let me go and jumped around Kinleigh. “Can we go to Michael’s?”

“How did I get roped into this?” Kinleigh sighed, but I knew it was all for show. Her eyes were already sparkling in that way she had when she had a new project.

I made a Vanna White wave over the pumpkins.

“Right. Hmm. Do I have a budget?” Kinleigh tucked a wild strawberry curl behind her ear.

I sighed and took my phone out of my back pocket to text Gideon.

I’m sending your kid off to the salt mines of Michael’s with Kinleigh for some crafty shit. Is that cool?

Does she have outstanding warrants?

Dani? Not sure. She’s kinda shifty.

I got a middle finger as my reply. I laughed. Another message came through a second later.

That’s fine. I’m sorry it’s taking so long today. Karen still isn’t cleared to watch her by her doctors.

We’ll figure it out. By the looks of the crowd gathering around this new craft situation, I think she’ll be busy for awhile.

Thanks. I’ll make it up to you.