Daddy in Disguise (Crescent Cove 7)

Holy shit.

I lifted my head to find Jessica’s eyes comically wide. “What?”

“I mean—”

“No, you didn’t. You meant that. You’re going to marry this woman?”

“I…” My heartbeat thundered in my brain and all the spit dried up in my mouth, but then a breath tumbled out. “I love her.”

“Well, obviously. You wouldn’t marry a woman if you didn’t love her. Or k

nock her up.” Her gaze narrowed. “Did you knock her up?”

“God, no. Macy’s not the kind of woman who takes motherhood lightly. If at all. But she loves Dani. I have no doubts there. She just has some baggage. But we all do.”

“You have an irreplaceable ex-wife.”

“Sure. We’ll go with that.”

She raised one golden eyebrow. “Regardless, this woman is going to be in my daughter’s life. I need to know she’s good enough.” She lifted her chin. “For you too, John. We may not have worked together, but I still love you.”

At my started look, she laughed.

“Not that way, darling. More like as a mostly wonderful memory, and of course you did give me Danielle. I’ll never regret that, no matter what you may think of me.”

“I know you love Dani.” As much as she could love someone.

“I do want to see more of her. A daughter should know more than vacation destinations with her mother. That much I do want to change. But that’s more like maybe part of winter break. Next year. This year, I have a new film, possibly the start of a series if things work like we think. It’s a Netflix series, which seems to be the way things are heading.” She reached for my hand again, excitement filling her eyes. “I may be on the cusp of getting everything I’ve ever wanted.”

Relief flooded my system.

I ached a little for my baby girl. No matter what Jessica said about changing her ways, I knew that her career would always be more important than Dani.

Macy was just as driven, but she’d never once made Dani feel like she was a burden or had to be shoehorned into her schedule. And even if Macy never wanted to have a child with me, how much she cared for my little girl would always be more than enough.

Hesitantly, Gina came over to our table. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Jessica accepted the water with lime gratefully and took a sip. “Surprisingly delicious.”

Gina gave me my Coke with a half smile. “Can I get you anything?”

Jessica leaned toward me. “I think I want gravy fries. This is exactly the place I should have them, is it not?”

“We make the best in the county,” Gina chimed in.

“Perfect. My trainer will kill me, but I don’t care. It’s time to celebrate.”

“Burger with the works for me.”

“I’ll go put that in.” Gina winked at me and spun on her heel.

We hashed out a schedule around her new movie and over plates full of carbs. The noises she made over the gravy gave me a few flashbacks of our life before. When we were good. When our values hadn’t clashed yet.

She used to tell me all about her dreams for the future. And I’d listened. I’d always listened. She’d never cared about mine.

Right now, I was sort of glad about that. Because then I’d never have met Macy.

It had taken me a damn long time to get moving when it came to her. But I never had any doubts she was for me.