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My heart melts. She’s been without a father for eleven years, and now that she has one, she’s holding on to him with everything she has. She’s had Declan, but it’s not the same. Yes, he treated her and loved her as if she were his daughter, but the uncle label is different than the daddy label.
Just as Sierra said, The Hill was easy to find. When I spot Judge’s car in the lot, my anxiety kicks back in. I suck in a deep breath through my nose and exhale through my mouth.
You’ve got this, Ellie. Time to pull up your big girl panties and be an adult.
I park beside Judge’s car and switch off the ignition. Maisy chatters away as we climb from the car. I only half listen. My mind is too wrapped around the fact I’m going to see Judge again.
Walking with her hand wrapped in mine, I lead us to the door. The lighting inside is much darker than I thought it would be. Or maybe it’s because my eyes haven’t yet adjusted from the brightness outside. I squint and look around the room for a head of brown hair. Only a few of the tables are occupied, and a couple sits at the bar.
It’s Maisy who spots her father first. I know this because she squeals his name.
“Daddy!”
I jerk my head around just in time to see Judge whip his head our way. His eyes widen when he spots us standing by the door. Maisy tugs her hand from mine and takes off toward him. He’s out of his seat an instant later, but only manages a couple of steps before Maisy barrels into him. He laughs and scoops her up into his strong arms.
I walk over at a more sedate pace with my insides squirming. I see no difference in his looks from a few weeks ago, but even so, he’s somehow more attractive. The thought annoys me.
“Hey, Mase,” Judge says, a smile stretching across his face. “What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to arrive for another week.”
Her cheeks puff out with her big smile and her arms lock around his neck. Her legs wrap around his waist.
“We wanted to surprise you,” she chirps ecstatically.
“Well, you certainly managed it. And what a great surprise it is.”
His eyes lift to mine, a brow lifted in question.
“I succeeded in getting things settled faster than I thought.” I shrug. “I saw no reason to wait, and I knew Maisy would love to surprise you. I hope it’s okay.”
His gaze goes back to Maisy and he leans down to kiss the tip of her nose. “It’s more than okay.”
I look past Judge and see three women sitting at the table he stood from. All three of them are gorgeous, and they’re currently looking at me. I shift on my feet and cross my arms over my chest, feeling awkward and wondering who they are.
One of the girls gets up from the booth and steps up beside Judge. Her eyes flick back and forth between Maisy and me, openly assessing us both. She has long blonde hair and deep-set light-brown eyes. Is she Judge’s girlfriend? Is she his lover?
She clears her throat, reminding Judge of her presence. Twisting his head to look at her, some of the jubilation fades from his face. He looks behind him to the other women, who’re now getting up from their seats.
When he brings h
is head back around, he suddenly looks uncomfortable.
He clears his throat and the look disappears. He walks over to stand at my side, Maisy still clutched around his neck. The other two women walk up to the first.
“Ellie, I’d like you to meet some friends of mine. Layla, Jamie, and Gillian. Ladies, this is Ellie.” He smiles down at Maisy. “And my daughter, Maisy.”
Friends? Something seems off. Not that men and women can’t be friends. It’s just hard to imagine there’s no attraction between three beautiful women such as them and a man as attractive as Judge. Any one of them would be a perfect physical match for Judge.
I table the thought for now and shake each of their hands. They all smile and seem welcoming enough. The one named Layla turns to Maisy and holds out her hand.
“Hey there, beautiful. We’ve heard so much about you.”
“You have?” Maisy asks, her eyes opening wide.
Layla laughs. “We have. Your dad’s talked about you a lot.”
That must mean he spends a lot of time with her. That thought sours my stomach. Judge is free to see whoever he wants, particularly because I turned him away the day Maisy was released from the hospital, but that still doesn’t mean I have to like it. Of course, I ignore the reason behind that thought.
“Your dad says you’re very special,” the one named Jamie says, smiling gently at Maisy, who smiles back.
