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The door opens again and the man I hate to see walks in, his eyes solely focused on me and April. I ignore him like always as I rub my nose with my girls and whisper, "I missed you, baby girl."
She grins and states, "Missed you, too, Momma. Gammy Rose made me cupcakes." She leans forward and whispers, "Don't tell her, but you's are better."
I grin and correct her, "Yours, baby."
She giggles as Smokey rasps in her ear, "I heard that, Little Red," before he takes her from my arms, throwing her in the air, making her giggle, and I swallow hard. Normally, Phil picks her up from him, or his father drops her off to me. He's upping his game.
After that day at his club, I didn't want anything to do with him, nor did my girl. Still, Phil being Phil, decided to let the cat out of the bag and tell Smokey the truth about him and our relationship. Since then, he's been trying to convince me to give him another chance, but I won't.
He broke my heart and hurt my girl. There's no coming back from that for me. April may be an innocent, little four-year-old girl, but not me. I tend to hold grudges; you know, that whole, your first boyfriend is gay thing, kind of hardens you a little, plus he's taken, always has been, apparently.
After about three months of not really seeing him, April started to cry for him. Phil convinced me to let him see her, so now he has her a few times a week, last night being one of them. She turned four last week, and his club wanted to do something special for her. She calls Rose, Gammy, and Rock, Grandpa Rock. She adores them, and I wouldn't take that from her.
Normally, if Phil can't pick her up, Rock will bring her to me in his truck, but not without trying to convince me to give his son another chance before leaving.
This is new.
Florence clears her throat, making me roll my eyes.
"Smokey, baby."
Smokey rolls his eyes, not hiding it like I did. He gently kisses my girl's forehead, making my heart flutter. The man hasn't been playing fair. For two years, he's tried to use my gullible little girl to get me back, but he hurt me, and well, he’s married, so it kind of confuses me as to why he keeps trying. He’s got to know I’d never be okay being “the other woman.”
"What can I do for you, Florence?" he asks as he places April back into my waiting arms, but not without touching the little flesh showing on my stomach between my top and jeans with the tips of his fingertips.
Another of his unfair advantages is that he tries to touch my skin any chance he can get when he's around, and lately, it seems to be more and more. Momma is now on his side, especially when he showed her the harness on the front of his bike near the tank. He had it made and then installed for my girl to ride on. Momma completely disregarded my “he’s married,” speech, claiming his wife is most likely lying and that I need to just speak to him about it.
Traitors, the lot of them.
Florence smirks. "Well, I'm waiting for our date, baby."
I kiss April's head, trying to hide jealousy I have no right to feel. He can date whomever he wants, although his wife would not be too happy.
Smokey snorts. "It's never going to happen."
Flo stomps her foot, "Seriously, why are you still waiting around for her? She has her own date tonight."
I wince as his piercing blue gaze comes my way. He narrows his eyes and snaps, "You have a date tonight?"
I clear my throat. "It's none of your business, Smokey."
He growls at my using his road name; I haven't called him Jonny in two years.
He steps closes and states, "Answer the fucking question, Freckles."
I swallow hard. "Fine, yes, I have a date tonight. Momma is going to watch April."
Harris is a banker in town, who asked me out a few weeks ago. I finally decided it was time to move on, even though I felt nothing for him, not even attraction. Nope, the man in front of me has all of me; he has for years, but I can't keep holding out hope that my pride and stubbornness will disappear.
I haven't even held Harris' hand, or even let him kiss me. Just the thought makes me want to gag.
Smokey nods, anger shining through his eyes before he looks at April, who instantly holds her arms out for him. His eyes soften before he takes her from me, her head going into the crook of his neck as his nose goes to the top of hers, taking in her strawberry scent. He kisses her crown before he whispers, "I'll see you in two days, Little Red. I love you."
I look down. Two years ago, I would have loved hearing those words from him, but then he hurt me…and I had found out about his wife.
"Love you's too, Daddy Two."
He chuckles before handing her back to me, his piercing eyes staring into mine.
