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“I'm sorry,” she said. “To be honest, I didn't like her from the get go. Neither did your kids. I think you made the right choice.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said.
“The right woman is out there for you, Mr. Pratt,” she said reassuringly. “You'll find her, and when you do, all these misadventures will be hilarious stories for you to tell.”
I didn't ask her the question that was rattling around in my head, the question that had been rattling around in my head for the last five years. What if I'd already found my soul mate, the one woman I was meant to be with, and now she was dead? Instead, I teased her.
“Wise words for someone your age,” I said. “Sounds like you have years and years of dating experience under your belt to draw from.”
“Or maybe I'm just wise beyond my years?” she said, smiling. “That's what my dad says at least. I honestly haven't dated too many guys. They're all just obnoxious and immature.”
I laughed. The thought of someone as beautiful as Emma not dating, was funny. She could have her pick of men,
and now that she was in her early twenties, she didn't have to stay home all the time or follow her parent's rules like she did before. She could do what she wanted and no doubt, had a line of guys salivating at the chance to date her.
But I could see what her father meant about her. She actually was wise beyond her years.
“I would like to say that the older you get, the less obnoxious they get, but that would be a lie,” I said.
“See? Even you admit your gender kinda sucks,” she said. “I'm pretty sure I'm going to be alone forever.”
“I doubt that,” I said.
Her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at me. She was a beautiful woman. Sometimes I still thought of her as a child, but she was very much a woman now. I had a hard time taking my eyes off of her, and was somewhat ashamed and embarrassed that I couldn't. She was the daughter of my good friend – a girl I'd watched grow up and blossom into the knockout woman sitting before me.
“Me, on the other hand?” I said, clearing my throat. “Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm going to grow old and alone with only my kids to take care of me.”
“Puh-lease,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You're just too picky. Not that it's a bad thing, but once you're ready to love again, you will find someone and be very happy. I just know it. You're a catch, Mr. Pratt.”
“Marcus,” I said. “Please, call me Marcus. You're an adult now, no need to make me feel like an old man with titles and all that.”
“Marcus,” she said, letting my name roll off her tongue. “Well, Marcus, believe me when I say that you're a catch. You'll find someone worthy of you and your kids.”
She started packing up her things, and as she bent down to put her phone away in her bag, I stared at that tight ass of hers, and then felt ashamed immediately afterward. It had been too long since I'd been with a woman, but that was no excuse to be staring at Emma's ass like a lecherous old man.
“Thanks again, Emma,” I said, getting up to see her to the door.
I paid her as if I'd been gone all evening, even though I'd actually only been gone for a couple hours. She stared down at the money in hand and tried to hand some of it back.
“You gave me too much,” she said. “I wasn't here that long.”
“No, it's fine,” I said. “Consider it a tip for all the advice you've given me tonight.”
I had to admit, I'd enjoyed her company more than Stacey's earlier in the evening. Our conversation had been nice and I found that I was actually sad to see Emma go.
Wow. I really was turning into a creepy old man.
CHAPTER SIX
“It's Saturday, daddy!” Zoey said as she bounded into my room. It wasn't even a six in the morning yet, and there she was, wide awake and ready to go. “Time to go to the beach for our first lesson!”
“Oh honey,” I said with a laugh. “It's way too early. We have an appointment to go later this afternoon, okay?”
She pouted. “How many hours is that?”
“About six,” I said. “Six hours from now, sweetheart.”
“That's too many,” she pouted.
