AllFreeNovel
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“I d-don’t want daddy to g-go,” Helene hiccups.
“Oh my sweet girl. You’ll see him this weekend. Okay? In fact, you three get to have Daddy-Little Monster night on Saturday while mommy goes with Uncle Lane and Auntie Dani.”
“Really!” Hunter asks.
Yeah. Really?I wonder.
“Uh huh,” she replies, then looks to me.
The look she gives me lets me know that this is not up for discussion, and I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“I’ll, uh, get my suitcase,” I whine, hoping the melancholy in my tone will have her changing her mind.
“Ok,” she says, a little too gleefully.
When I enter the room with my empty suitcase, she and the kids are laying out pajamas, undershirts and socks. Helene is organizing the socks by color while Hunter dumps several pairs of lounge pants on the bed.
“Daddy doesn’t need that many pajama bottoms, Hunt,” Luna kisses his forehead then turns her attention to me. “Will you need morecasualclothes for your trip?”
My trip.
“Yeah. Just jeans. I can…” I point to the closet and she nods.
I step inside our shared closet and begin pulling a few pairs of pants from the hangers. I come to the end of my row and look at the neatly organized row of Luna’s dresses.
I finger the different fabrics in all colors and patterns. Each one I can link to a specific event she wore it to. My hand lands on a fitted red dress and memories swirl.
I can picture her, standing at the reception for work in that dress. It hugged her every curve and she wore red lips to match. Her dark hair fell in waves over one shoulder and every man’s attention was on her. She turned the heads of every person within five hundred feet.
My body hums at the thought of that night and I lean in, bringing my nose to the silky fabric and inhale. I close my eyes and picture her wearing that and walking toward me, a seductive smile on her face.
How could I have done this to her?
No woman holds a candle to her. There isn’t another woman in the world I’d want but her and somehow, I let myself fall for the words of a conniving woman.
I’m such a prick.
“What are you doing?” Luna’s raspy voice says from the closet entrance.
I open my eyes but don’t let go of the dress I run between my fingertips.
“Just remembering the night you wore this. You were so beautiful. You’re always beautiful, but that night you looked…magnificent.”
Her cheeks tinge pink and I can see her trying to suppress a smile.
“Luna,” I try to find the right words to ask her-no, beg her, to give me a chance to show her I’ll change. “Can we-“
“I’m going to go start dinner,” she says abruptly and walks out.
An hour later and I’ve reluctantly packed my bag for my stay at my dads for the week. I place it in the mudroom and walk back into the kitchen where Luna and the kids are finishing making dinner and dancing to music playing from the speakers.
“Daddy,” Helene calls. “Come dance with us.” She holds her hand out for me and I happily take the invitation.
She releases her hold on her mom and I take her in my arms. Luna still sways and shakes with Hunter clasped in one hand and Poppy in the other.
I lift Helene off her feet and she places her little hand in my shoulder, her other resting in my bigger hand. I spin her around and she giggles as her long hair still in braids whips around.
“Me, daddy. Me too,” Poppy whines.
