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Madeline: Keep in mind I’ve seen the first set…
Milo: Yeah, but they all tie together more now. We’ll have to start from the beginning. Captain America, the First Avenger it is!
I laughed. He was way too into this for his own good. But this was something I loved about Milo. His little quirks, the things he enjoyed that made himhim. I let out a restful sigh and typed.As long as it means I get to spend those nights with you, I’m game for whatever.
The three little dots appeared and danced up and down on my screen. Normally, those dots didn’t last this long…or maybe I just was never anticipating what he was going to say next. Finally, my phone made a small ding, and his text bubble appeared.
Milo: It’s a date. We have our next thirty odd dates planned. I hope you don't get sick of me.
I licked my lips, hoping the taste of Milo is still there somehow.Never in a million years,I responded.Sleep well, James….I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Already missing you.
Milo: Ugh…I should have never told you that. Goodnight, Maddy.
I pressed my dark phone to my chest, giving a foolish grin before shaking the feelings away—not completely, of course—and then placed it on its charger, picking up my book to read the love story that unfolded on the pages.
Chapter Eighteen
-Milo-
Picking up Holly was always a process. Our custody agreement stated that I had Holly every other week, and I had to pick up and drop off when we switched. Where I picked Holly up depended on the time of year, and whether school was in session—but the switch always occurred on Friday. I had taken every Friday off for that reason alone. Holly and I always did something together. If it was a drop off day, we ate a special breakfast, and if it was a pick-up day, we ate at her favorite restaurant, Olive Garden, and had a daddy-daughter date. We saw so many movies. It brought me so much happiness to know she loved Marvel as much as I did, but we did sneak in a few family movies every now and then. I always enjoyed my Friday evenings with her, and I always had it laid out perfectly in my head how pick up would go, but the plan never really worked.
Today was an exception. Today, Holly had a dentist appointment, and since Madeline was her hygienist, I was in charge of those appointments. She didn't mind the dentist, and I just was excited to see Madeline again.
Madeline and I had an amazing week together as an actual couple. We ate dinner together each night, alternating who’s house we were at. We talked and laughed, we danced in her kitchen and kissed whenever we got the chance. Each night, I would leave her, kissing her until she pushed me away, reminding me we were taking things slow. Every night, with every dance, every touch, every kiss, taking it slow was getting harder and harder.
We had agreed not to tell Holly we were dating yet. Since we hadn’t exactly made it official with anyone else yet, we both decided it was important Holly knew first, and that we would tell her together when the time was right. I knew she would be ecstatic. After all, it was her idea, but waiting to tell her felt like the right thing to do.
With a skip in my step just thinking of Madeline, I went to get Holly’s suitcase, noticing Donald standing with his stoic glare in the door frame, his arms crossed and his frame larger than I remember. He wasn’t a large man, just tall, and his width was more than mine, making me seem small. He was probably the average one of the two of us. I was the little nerd.
“Hannah needs to talk to you,” he grumbled.
I grabbed Holly’s suitcase and looked back at her in the truck. “Right now?” I asked, turning my attention back to him.
He dropped his arms and shook his head. “She’s not here right now.”
I scoffed. “Okay. Then have her call me.”
“This really needs to be discussed in person.” Donald shifted his weight and looked behind me to Holly. As much as I didn't like the man, when he smiled and waved at Holly in the truck his entire demeanor changed. He was a good stepfather to her, there was no denying it. “She wants to meet with you sometime soon…really soon.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I brushed him off. If it was really that important Hannah would have tracked me down by now. I wasn’t that hard to find. “I’ll give her a call. I have to get Holly to her appointment.”
Donald glared at me, blinked his eyes to a kind and loving expression and waved once more at Holly. I ran back to the car, tossing her bag in the bed of the truck before climbing in.
“Bye, Don!” Holly called out the window.
“Bye, Holl. See you Friday,” he called back to her.
I turned the truck on and looked over at Holly as she settled back into the seat. “Since when do you call him Don?”
“Since this week. He told me it was okay to call him Dad…”
“Eesh…” I clenched my teeth.Iwas Dad.
“Yep.” She turned to look over at me, her brown eyes matching Hannah’s in every way. She had my nose, that I was thankful for. “I told him I wasn’t ready for that, so we decided Don was better than Donald.”
“Well, as long as I stay Dad, I don't mind what you call him.”
“You’ll always be Dad.”
