The Daddy Box Set

“Is that a problem?”

“A problem?” Mom asked. “It’s not a problem, love. I’m a little surprised is all. You’ve never brought a man home with ya.”

There was a reason for that. Mom could be a little over the top even for an Aussie bloke.

“It must be serious between you two,” she continued.

“It is,” I said. “But his daughter, Gina, doesn’t know about us yet. So, I need you to be on your best behavior.”

She let out a snort. “I’m always on my best behavior.”

“Mom,” I warned.

“All right, all right.”

I detailed the trip to her and told her I’d see her next week. I was sure to hear from her on Sunday, and I’d be offering up another warning to remind her that Noah was also my boss. But I had a feeling he would take anything she said in stride. At least I hoped.

Chapter Twenty-One

Noah

The thirteen-hour flight to Sydney wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Having the five-hour layover in Los Angeles had helped us adjust before the long stretch. Jess had the forethought to pack Gina a bunch of activities, coloring books and the like, so she was distracted for most of the time.

Though the flight crew did a fantastic job of preparing us for jet lag by turning the lights down low, synchronizing us with the Australian time zone. And our first-class tickets gave us enough room to wander around when we needed to stretch our legs.

When we landed, I was happy to be grounded in this new and exotic place.

Jess’s shoulders visibly relaxed when the wheels of the plane touched the ground.

I looked forward to getting to know the place where she grew up and how she turned into the woman she was today. Gina and I were taking a deeper look into Jess’s life, drawing her closer, turning our tight-knit duo into a trio. At least that’s what I hoped for.

When it was time to disembark the plane, Gina shuffled down the aisle. She zapped her energy around the three-quarter mark of the flight, yet she still hadn’t recovered. I’d have to ask Jess how to get Gina back on a regular time so she could enjoy our stay. A tired Gina was a crabby Gina. And a grumpy Gina was more of a handful than normal.

I ruffled Gina’s hair, and she leaned back, nearly falling over. I took her hand a guided her down the jet bridge into the airport.

I sneaked my other hand behind me and took Jess’s in mine. I squeezed it lightly. We hadn’t breached the topic of our budding relationship to Gina yet, but I still had the urge to touch Jess whenever I could.

“How does it feel to be home?” I asked.

Jess sighed, clearly affected by the long flight as well. “Good. I haven’t been home in a while. I suspect Mom will bring that up as much as she can while we’re here. The guilt can be unbearable sometimes.”

“She probably just misses you,” I said.

“Yeah,” she said dismissively.

“Does she know about us?” I asked in a low voice.

“I had to tell her,” Jess said, her cheeks turning a little pink. “She has a knack for digging around where she doesn’t belong, and I didn’t want her to say something in front of Gina.”

“Good call,” I said.

“Are you mad about it?” she asked, chewing on her lower lip.

“Not at all,” I said. “I want to tell more people about us.”

“It’s too complicated right now,” she said, finishing my thought.

“I know,” I said. “But soon.”