Fake Daddy (The Single Brothers 2)

The realization that it was a week day and that Chad never seemed to be at work, hit home.

He laughed as we walked on the street and I was following his lead.

“I’m between opportunities,” He said proudly.

“You’re unemployed? With a brand new jeep and a watch that probably costs more than my house?”

I started feeling nervous. The only men that had that type of money in Chicago were involved in drugs or top bosses of companies. Chad had just said that he wasn’t one, but he could be the other.

“My Rolex doesn’t cost that much. No, I just sold my dating app and I’m trying to figure out my next step.”

“Nice,” I said, relieved knowing that he wasn’t a drug lord or anything in the illegal sense.

“Which one?”

“Love at First Sight.”

I screamed, thinking about the times that I debated about signing up for it. A couple of my friends got married using the app. They said that it was the new dating age and the man next to me was the one that developed it. I was too impressed.

“You’re kidding right?”

He shook his head, “Why would I lie about something like that? Besides, I didn’t do it alone. My business partner helped. We went to college together. He found his wife through the app and dumped me.”

I laughed at the irony of it, but I could tell by the dark look that came on his face, that he was serious about it.

“Really?”

“Yes, so as I said, I’m between opportunities. Besides, I’m still waiting for you to tell me why a sexy, hot good looking woman like yourself is still single.”

That question, one thing about him. He didn’t seem to forget a thing.

“I was hoping that you’d forget about that.”

He shook his head, “Maybe the Starbucks picnic basket would change your mind.”

“You bought everything from Starbucks?” I said as I raised my brow.

“Not everything. The napkins were free.”

It didn’t take long for us to find a free picnic table in the park. I erased the idea that he had been busy preparing sandwiches for our picnic. It was still a sweet gesture. One that I was happy to have because the alternatives for my day were beyond staying awake for the rest of the day.

*

**

I couldn’t believe it. I agreed to meet him at my house. The last few days, he’d been meeting me for lunch and the only thing we didn’t do was talk about preschools or even think about it. He’d been hurt. He’d said it a couple of times, Joshua’s mom gave birth and then left. What kind of woman does that?

Asking Chad to come to my house was just a recipe for disaster. I didn’t even know why I said it. I did it for all the wrong reasons. If I’d told Willow, my best friend, the reason why I wanted her to babysit for me tonight, she would have refused. She would have told me that there was no way that this guy was just coming round to talk about babies. Then she would ask where I met him and told me that this was wrong.

I’d been here before.

I had a sexy red number. I treated my body like a temple. Always making sure I ate the right thing and exercised like crazy. I wished that I felt the same way about my heart. I seem to give it away as if it’s nothing and that’s the reason that I get in trouble. Maybe I should change my dress. Or even tell him that I’ve changed my mind. As I hear the doorbell ringing, I know that I was too late. We had a few days in the park, but then it felt crazy doing that with a six-month-old baby and an ten-month baby. They weren’t playing, and we weren’t talking about going to more preschools. Both of us have a chemistry that was so strong that no amount of fire could blow it out.

“Hey,” I said as I opened the door. His blue eyes lit up the moment they met mine.

“Hey, yourself.” He said as he moved closer and gave me a red rose.

“A flower. Wow, I wasn’t expecting anything.”

He nodded his head, “Well, I thought that I’d surprise you.”

“But what about Joshua, did you get a sitter?”

He smiled, “My sister, Olivia. She wasn’t doing anything, and she loves spending time with him. Besides, Joshua likes going there to play with his cousin.”

I shrugged, “You’re lucky. Mine loves partying and doing everything else but babysitting.”

He cleared his throat as his lips brushed my cheek. I was too afraid to ask him to come inside, so he was still on my doorstep.

“You look hot!”

He had me at Hey but telling me that I looked hot didn’t hurt. I really shouldn’t invite him inside.

“Can I come in?”