“He askedme,” Mae shot back, her words full of sass. Whatever Keyes and Abi were watching had come to an end. Keyes murmured something softly to Abi and earned a giant hug.
“I’m Cash Ryan,” Cash crossed the kitchen toward the table.
Since he’d started this case and built a relationship with Dev, he could feel fundamental parts of himself changing. One being the appreciation of the love these two men obviously felt for one another. It was remarkable with how different they looked from each other yet fit so right.
“Daddy, you’re not listening to me,” Mae said sternly.
“Who’s here with you?” Dev asked.
Cash shook Alec’s hand, then Keyes’s before looking back at Mae, wanting to know the answer.
She pointed to the sitting room off the kitchen. He leaned around the corner and was surprised to see his former nanny, Ms. Phiri sitting quietly on the sofa with a book in hand. She gave him a warm, familiar smile. He’d called her Dragon Nanny. She loved everything to do with dragons, but that wasn’t why he’d given her the nickname. Instead, it had to do with her ability to yell at him, singeing him in his tracks, without ever raising her voice.
“Ms. Phiri,” Dev said sweetly and nodded to her. “I’m glad you’re with my girls.” He guided the next question to Mae and Abi. “Did she tell you she used to babysit me when I was y’alls age? She makes the best chocolate chip cookies.”
“Daddy!” Mae hissed and balled her small fist, pounding on his chest.
“What, Mae? What?” Dev finally gave her his undivided attention by way of a disapproving look. She didn’t care about his glare in the least.
“I told Uncle Keyes how to spell my name the right way,” she said.
Whatever that meant had Dev casting a quick glance at Keyes who lost all the love and humor he’d had with the girls. His brows knitted together fiercely.
Abi started to laugh.
Alec’s concern faded. He squeezed Keyes’s shoulder then took the seat next to him.
“What the fuck, Devilman?” Keyes burst out, patting Abi’s back as he carefully moved her out of the way so he could throw his hand out in disgust. “It’s been five fuckin’ years.”
“Six,” Mae corrected.
“We didn’t know how to tell you,” Dev started to explain. “I figured you’d figure it out.” Dev moved Mae to his other hip and tossed out the arm he had inked with Abigail’s and Mae’s names.
Keyes shook his head as if that meant nothing. “Do you know how trashed you were when you inked that on your arm? I figured you’d figure it out someday.” Keyes tossed his hands in the air. “Why Mae with an e? Where does that name even come from? Mae is spelled M-A-Y. Like the month.”
The two men silently squared off until Abi snickered. “Uncle Keyes isn’t wrong.”
=♥=
He'd known for a long time that when Keyes learned the truth, Dev was never gonna win the argument. Keyes tried too hard to be a special presence in the girls’ life. He’d consider this a fail on his part. Dev cut his gaze to Alec. As much as he’d learned about this man, having seen dozens and dozens of photos, he was only just now meeting him face to face.
Though she resisted, he placed Mae on her feet and went Alec’s direction. “I’m Dev.”
An instinctual move had him running a palm over his T-shirt, something he’d been doing since he first began inking professionally and stuck out his hand to Alec. Keyes stepped back, out of the way. Most likely, the moment was as important to him as it was to Dev. He needed Alec to like him, not become a roadblock between him and Keyes.
“I’m Alec.” The cultured voice spoke of wealth and an easier life. Alec got to his feet and shook Dev’s hand with a strong, sure grip. “I have to say I’m very uncomfortable being here. This puts Key in a perilous position.”
Dev glanced at Keyes who stayed silent, letting Alec voice his concern.
He should probably learn those lessons with Cash, not belittle or bulldoze over his opinions.
“Let’s talk in private,” Dev said.
“Momo said y’all are going to the guest house,” Mae said, jumping onto the chair between Keyes and Alex.
“Because ears here can’t keep a secret,” Abi added dryly.
Dev assumed a fight was on its way. Mae surprised him when she agreed. “I can’t. It’s too hard. It just comes out of my mouth.” She nodded her truth, looking between all the men surrounding her.
