Page 20 of Pucking Daddy

I glance toward the hallway, in the direction where Lily is asleep in her room. The whole reason any of this matters.

“No chaos,” I mutter.

“What?”

“I said,” I look back at her, “I can’t afford chaos right now.”

Something in her expression softens. Just a fraction.

“You won’t get that from me,” she says. “You don’t have to worry about me coming on to you, behaving inappropriately, or ending up in your bed one day.”

I huff out a quiet breath, weighing it.

This is a terrible idea.

Every instinct I have says this is complicated. Risky. Messy in ways I don’t have time for.

But—she’s right. I can’t just fire her over this.

Not when Lily already likes her.

Not when I need stability.

Not when she’s standing here looking me dead in the eye, promising she won’t make this harder than it already is.

I nod once. “Fine.”

Her shoulders lower slightly. Not relief exactly—but something close.

“Fine,” she echoes.

“We keep this professional.”

“Strictly.”

“No blurred lines.”

“None.”

“No more… situations.”

Her mouth almost curves at that, but she catches it in time. “None.”

Another beat of silence.

Then—

“Okay,” I say.

“Okay,” she agrees.

We stand there for a second longer than necessary.

Then she straightens, smoothing her hands over her jeans like she’s resetting herself.

“Great,” she says lightly. “So… would you like a cookie?”

God, yes. My mouth is already watering. I glance at the tray. The chocolate chip cookies look as good as they smell—golden edges, soft centers, packed with chocolate.