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“What does Sam say?” I turned to face her.
“He said it’s her decision as long as it’s okay with me.”
“And it is.” There was no question that Alice adored Maggie, and she had from the beginning when she took the job as Sam’s nanny. We teased Sam that he wouldn’t be able to resist his young, hot nanny, but Alice was so much more than that. She was exactly what Sam and Maggie needed in their life.
Alice patted my shoulder. “Have fun tonight. Treat Delaney like a princess.”
“Oh, I intend to. I have a bouquet of flowers and a corsage. Hopefully, I didn’t forget anything.”
“What about the necklace?” Alice asked as she opened the box for the corsage.
Panicked, I asked, “What necklace? Was I supposed to get something?”
Alice laughed as she lowered the box and closed it. “No, silly. I was just teasing.”
“That wasn’t very nice,” I grumbled. I wanted the evening to be perfect for Delaney. I didn’t want her to have even a moment where she wished her father were present.
Alice sat on the bed while I searched the closet for my dress shoes. “You’re really invested in her, aren’t you?”
“Delaney?”
Alice smiled softly. “Did you think I meant Natalie?”
“Of course not,” I said from the closet. I grabbed the shoes I wanted and sat on the foot of the bed to put them on. “I found Delaney crying about the dance one day, and I couldn’t not say yes to going with her. Besides, I’m excited about it too. It will be fun.”
This was what I envisioned when I thought about being a dad. Doing this with Delaney fulfilled that need for me. At least that’s what I told myself.
“You want a family,” Alice said, picking at the stitching on my comforter.
“Sure,” I said, standing in front of the mirror to pull on my suit jacket. I didn’t get many opportunities to dress up. I usually saved suits for fundraisers the company was invited to, and I was expected to appear with my dad. My younger brothers usually didn’t attend those events.
“If you’ve bonded with Delaney, does that mean you’re interested in Natalie?”
“Being interested and acting on something are two different things,” I said gruffly.
“So you are interested, but you’re not going to make a move?” Alice asked, disbelief tinging her words.
I nodded, my jaw tight. “That’s right.”
Alice’s forehead wrinkled. “Why not?”
My jaw felt tight. “I’m not the right guy for her.”
“You want a family, and I’m sure she wants the same. She wants to be with a guy who loves her and her daughter.”
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“If it’s so complicated, explain it to me.”
I stretched my neck to work out the kinks and sighed. “Women don’t see me as a family guy. I’m just a way to pass the time. I’m a good boyfriend but nothing else.”
“Bullshit.”
I startled at her curse. I didn’t think I’d ever heard her swear before. She’d spent a lot of time with her niece, Amelia, and now Maggie. But I think it was something she was raised not to do. She was born into a rich family and called herself a socialite. Not that she was anymore. You don’t break old habits like those.
“You’re making excuses without even trying.”
“That’s not it,” I said, even though I suspected she was right.
