CEO Daddy Read online

  “No,” I murmured.

  Sharing penny candies while sitting in my miniature rocker at his side when I was a boy. Laughing as we sat in a fishing boat in the early morning fog and waited for tugs on the line. Perching on his lap and pretending to drive his big old Oldsmobile in the driveway when I wasn’t more than five.

  No, I would not forget.

  “But there’s ways you can honor his memory other than working yourself to the bone. Times are changing, honey, and you can’t reverse the clock. Much as you might want to. Much as I might want to, matter of fact.” She laughed, but I could hear the sadness just beneath it. “He would want you to be happy most of all. In your early days of running the business, you were. Now? Not so much.”

  “I’m happy spending time with you and Lily. She makes me laugh every single day.” That was sterling truth. “Even more now that she’s starting to crawl. Heaven help me.”

  I still didn’t have the faintest idea how to be a parent of a baby. A little girl, no less. But Lily was not listening to my pleas to stay small and safe in her crib. She was determined to walk, whether or not I was ready.

  In the meantime, I was setting out quilts for her to crawl on and covering up every outlet I could find with safety covers.

  Or at least I had managed that in the bachelor pad I currently lived in. But I’d decided shortly after the new year that Lily could not grow up in an apartment in the city. Well, she could, but I had plenty of money, so what was I saving it for if not to spoil my loved ones? She was my daughter now, and I didn’t want her to lack for anything. She deserved a big backyard in the suburbs with a giant swing set and room to run.

  Hell, perhaps someday I’d even get her a pony. Wasn’t that every little girl’s dream? I’d need acreage for that.

  Someday. Maybe.

  In the meantime, I’d recently closed on my dream home for now in Crescent Cove. It boasted five bedrooms—although I didn’t quite know why I needed so many—along with a fireplace in several rooms, including the master bedroom. It also had four bathrooms, a huge backyard, and a Jacuzzi tub among other amenities.

  It was a lot of house for one man and one baby. Unless I managed to convince my gran to move in, which was doubtful because she claimed to need privacy for her and her “boyfriend.”

  Yes, my sixty-seven year old grandmother was getting way more action than I was.

  “All the more reason you need some help. I don’t know why you see hiring a nanny as admitting failure. You simply can’t be everywhere at once, Snug.”

  “I’m well aware of that fact. As I’m about to be late for a meeting with the advertising director of athletics at the university.”

  In truth, I wasn’t late yet. I added in extra time before and after every appointment, just in case. I was the kind of guy who preferred my dates—back when I’d had some—to be on a form of birth control while I used a condom, because ample protection was best.

  And birth control related to the current line of conversation, how? Jesus. My brain was everywhere at once lately.

  I rubbed the knot in my forehead. I blamed Hannah for this. She was the reason I had sex in mind so often nowadays when I’d once relegated it to the shelf where it belonged.

  Even thinking of her name made me shift in my chair.

  Over the past two months, I’d worked fucking hard at erasing that word from my thoughts. Every time memories of that night we’d shared plagued me, I threw myself into work or into tending Lily. Eventually, the flashbacks disappeared, even if now and then, I had to use a scotch chaser to rid myself of them.

  She’d had no use for more of me, and I didn’t have time for a relationship, even a casual one. Not that anything between Hannah and myself would ever be casual.

  It simply wasn’t possible.

  “Why don’t you let me handle the next few nanny interviews? I know you met with a couple of women and they weren’t quite right, but let’s be real. I know more about what you need in a nanny than you do. Besides, I can help screen for any of those DILF hunters.”

  “Say what?” I let out a baffled laugh. “What is a DILF hunter?”

  “A DILF is a dad I’d like to fuck.”

  “Gran!” There was no questioning my face being hot now. I was tempted to stick my head in the vase of fresh flowers my secretary had placed on the corner of my desk just to get some cool water on my flushed skin.

  “Don’t ‘Gran’ me. As I’m your grandmother, that means obviously I’ve had sex at least enough to produce your father. And I kept going after that, trying to get it right. Some was just for practice’s sake.”

  Her bawdy laughter made me grin despite my embarrassment. “I don’t get the dad thing. Aren’t most of the men you meet dads?”

  “Not me, silly. At my age, children are a liability, not an attractive feature. I’m not looking to score with any Tony Randall types. Have your kids at an appropriate age, for pity’s sake.”

  I couldn’t argue there.

  “But yes, it’s an actual thing in the dating world. Women are out there hunting down non-suspecting single dads like bucks on the first day of target season. Their camouflage clothing is miniskirts and push-up bras.”

  “What? Why would any woman get excited about a man with a child? Doesn’t that mean less time for them?”

  “In theory, but women are primed to find good protectors. It’s in our DNA, much as we may hate it. Plus, some find single fathers working hard on behalf of their children as sexy. You’re a double DILF.”

  “Come again?”

  “You’re working hard for a baby you didn’t even have yourself. So, during DILF open season, bagging you would be like getting a huge-racked buck. And they won’t use a tree stand to take you down. More like a burp cloth and some Ravish Me Red lipstick.”

  “You aren’t making sense, but yes, fine. You can meet with the next nanny interviewee. Assuming there are any. No one has answered my ad recently.” No one suitable anyway.

  “Maybe it’s time to look beyond ads. I’ll see what I can come up with.”

  “No weirdos,” I admonished. My grandmother was a sweetheart, but she had a tendency to pick up stray humans just as she did with stray animals. “Keep in mind, this nanny will be influencing Lily, and it’s important that she—”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’ll make sure to keep the felony convictions to a minimum. Have fun at your meeting. Ciao, Snug.” She hung up before I could do more than stare in exasperation at the phone.

  I was truly afraid to find out who she would come up with.

  But I couldn’t worry about that now. I was really almost late, thanks to our extended phone call.

  I grabbed my jacket off the back of my chair and shrugged into it, cursing the latest snow warning to flash across the corner of my computer screen. The end of February meant they were pretty much constant nowadays.

  And snow made me think of Hannah. How she’d touched the window as if she wanted to feel the cold flakes on her skin.

  Shut it down.

  I grabbed my Day-Timer on my way out the door. I had my meeting to concentrate on.

  I’d also probably have to meet with a new nanny candidate sooner than later. Then there was everything I had to deal with when it came to moving Lily and I into our new house.

  The one thing I didn’t have time to think about?

  Hannah.

  I wasn’t ever going to see her again. Just the way she wanted it.

  Just the way I wanted it.

  Five

  March was coming in like a lamb. It was deceptive, because storms were forecasted for later in the week and into next. But for now, me and my cardigan were taking it.

  I looked down and smiled at the tug on my charge’s bright purple leash. Latte, a Yorkie with some other mixture in his bloodline, was the newest client in my recently hatched dog-walking business.

  So, he was my only client. It still counted. I had a client. I had a business other than my fledgling food delivery operation. That was a
bit more off the ground, but not by much.

  Along with those two income streams, I also had a weekend job at Crescent Cove’s coffee shop. That was new too. I could’ve had more hours if I wanted them, but I wasn’t the best at working for someone else. Hence, my own tiny businesses.

  In time, I hoped to be able to support myself entirely through my own efforts. I was good at budgeting, so I could make do on little. Until then, a couple of weekend shifts as a pastry maker helped fill in the gaps.

  And walking little Latte while his people parents were at work—one of them at the same coffee shop where I worked—gave me a chance to get some exercise. Good thing too, since I’d noticed this morning my jeans were a little snug. I’d had to suck in a breath or two while I was tugging up the zipper.

  Too much sampling my own goodies probably. Hey, being a cook-slash-baker had to have some perks, right?

  Latte led me over to a patch of grass near the pizza shop. My mouth watered at the thought of a slice. I was about to dig in my pocket to see if I’d remembered to tuck a few dollars in there when Latte dragged me on to the next patch of lawn to sniff, this one in front of the real estate office.

  I glanced up at the stately columns that framed the wide porch, smothering a sigh. It must be so fun to find a house that had everything you’d ever wanted. To figure out every detail and make sure every bit was to your liking.

  Not quite the same as living in the too big cookie-cutter house that had belonged to my parents. It wasn’t really that big, but it was a lot of house for just one woman living on her own. My sisters hardly ever spent time at home anymore, if they could help it. Even on breaks, they tended to be out with their friends or picking up a shift or two at the pizza shop for some extra spending money.

  Finding new accommodations—a fresh start—as soon as my businesses started turning a profit was at the top of the list.

  Latte walked over to the nearest bush and cocked his tiny leg. Whew. No need for the plastic bags tied to his leash yet. Then he made a liar out of me by walking over a few feet and squatting dangerously close to the sidewalk.

  “No, no, Latte, not in this town. There’ll be none of that.” Discreetly, I tried to nudge his brown rump toward the center of the lawn. He would not budge.

  Let the poop commence.

  I sighed again and closed my eyes for a second, focusing on the warmth of the sun on my back instead of the pile of steaming poo awaiting me. I turned my head and shielded my eyes to look across the lake, taking in the rays shimmering off the still icy water. Chunks had broken free near the shore, but out in the middle, Crescent Lake was still frozen solid, unexpected warmth or not.

  A sudden yank on the leash had me reeling forward. I did a fancy two-step to avoid the present Latte had left me and nearly tipped over into the baby stroller wheeling up the block in our direction.

  It wasn’t operating under its own steam, thank God, but it took me a minute to realize that. All I could see was the cherubic little girl in the seat, clapping her chubby hands and reaching for the dog now straining to get into her buggy.

  “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. He’s friendly, as you can see. Latte, no.”

  I scooped him up and cradled him to my chest, hoping like hell the older woman manning the stroller wasn’t the litigious sort. Latte hadn’t bitten the little girl, but some people were far too eager to start trouble. Especially in prissy small towns. Crescent Cove seemed to contain a lot of kind, friendly people, but one could never be too sure.

  “Oh, don’t worry about it. Lily was enjoying him. As you can see.” The woman laughed and slipped off her funky purple and pink sunglasses, then reached around the canopied top of the stroller to ruffle the baby’s russet curls. She was still straining toward Latte, her little mouth screwed up in a pucker.

  Latte was straining just as much in my arms. He’d definitely made a new friend. But I wasn’t going to push it.

  “Go ahead and set him down again.” The other woman tucked a file folder under her arm bearing the words Hamilton Realty. Must’ve just come out of the real estate office, which was why she’d seemed to appear out of nowhere. “Go on now,” she urged when I hesitated. “They’re about the same size. They won’t do each other any harm.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  I set down Latte and he scrambled toward the baby, popping up on his hind legs for the little girl to awkwardly pat his head. The dog’s tongue never stopped flicking out over her arm, which only made her laugh.

  “This is the perfect day for a nice walk, isn’t it?” The woman shielded her eyes and glanced across the street to the lake. “Now that we have this business done, we’re headed over there. Maybe you too, with your handsome little gent?”

  “Oh, he’s not mine. I’m a dog-sitter.” I bent to remind him I was close by, just in case he decided to get too frisky. “His name is Latte. And your little girl, she’s Lily? She’s a beauty.”

  She let out a rich laugh. “Mine? Hardly. This shop’s been closed for years. This is my great-granddaughter, Lily Louise. Prettiest little girl you’ve ever seen, isn’t she?”

  “Great-granddaughter? You can’t be serious.”

  Upon closer inspection, the other woman did appear a bit older than I’d guessed from my first fast glance. Grandmother, all right, I suppose I could see it. But great-grandma? Wow. I needed to invest in her skin care regime. She looked fabulous.

  “Oh, I’m very serious. Turning sixty-eight this year.” She tilted her head. “And you, you’re just a youngster.”

  “Not that young.” I threw back my shoulders and drew myself up to my full height. Average all around, that was me. “I’m twenty-three.”

  “Yes, definitely a youngster then.” But something in her smile grew sly.

  I didn’t know why, so I leaned down and smiled as Lily stuck out her gummy hand to me. She’d just had it in her mouth, then Latte’s, but who was I to stand on ceremony? I pretended to shake and she giggled, her deep brown eyes dancing. “Hello there, Lily Louise. Pleased to meet you. I’m Hannah. You’ve already met Latte—and Latte’s tongue.”

  Latte turned his head to give my wrist a lick in a show of solidarity.

  “He’s quite the spiffy little guy. With surprisingly large gifts to leave behind.”

  “Oh, God, I forgot. Sorry.” I stumbled up and turned around, wrinkling my nose.

  “Here, let me help.” Before I could say a word, the chic older woman hustled around the stroller to take the leash from me. “Look at that, we match.” She held the leash up against her purple sweater and motioned down to her purple suede boots.

  “Oh, those are killer.” I stared down at them wistfully and hoped she didn’t check out my ratty tennis shoes. My budget didn’t extend to such hot boots. “Thanks—”

  “Bess,” she filled in when I paused, holding out her hand for a quick shake. “Sorry I didn’t introduce myself sooner. Usually, the kid gets all the attention. As she should. Look at those cheeks.” She reached down to pinch the baby’s ruddy cheek and Lily giggled, clapping her hands.

  “She’s gorgeous. And um, sorry, but I have to…just one second.” I shifted to scoop up Latte’s little present and tied off the bag. Then I glanced around for a place to dump it off. Discreetly.

  Bess cleared her throat and nodded to a small green receptacle for just such items to the side of the pizza shop, right above a bowl of water on the ground for their “canine customers.”

  “Thank you,” I mouthed, jogging over to dispose of the baggie. I’d have to remember that was here, especially if I expanded my dog-sitting business as I hoped to.

  Multiple ways of making a living. That was the ticket. And a sure way to stave off boredom too.

  As well as thinking too much about sexy men I’d slept with a mere block away from the spot where I was now standing.

  Nope, I was definitely not thinking about that.

  After spritzing my pocket bacterial spray on my hands, I hurried back to Bess, Lily, and Latte, the l
atter of whom was now leaning against Bess’s leg and gazing up at her adoringly.

  Miniature con artist.

  “Looks like you’ve found a new admirer.” I smiled and accepted his leash, although the furry beast was in no hurry to leave Bess’s side.

  “I have. And so has she.” Bess chuckled as Latte pitched himself at Lily’s lap yet again. The baby giggled and slapped her hands, reaching for the dog over the stroller barrier that separated them. “She so would love a pet. Snug would too, if he’d let himself.”

  “Snug?”

  Bess grinned. “Oops. He would kill me if he knew I was using his nickname in front of strangers. Not that you’re a stranger. You’re a friend now. So, friend, feel like a stroll?”

  Maybe I should’ve felt a little bowled over by her take charge attitude, but I didn’t. Friends were few and far between in my life, and ones who could spend some time walking with me and my canine companion in the middle of a weekday were even scarcer.

  Besides, one of the things I loved most about Crescent Cove was the small town atmosphere. Everyone was so welcoming here. So, why not?

  I smiled as she tucked her arm through mine and we started walking up the street in the direction I’d just come from. With her other hand, she pushed the stroller while I held onto Latte, who seemed equally excited to have added on to our walking party.

  We crossed at the crosswalk to the lake, making small talk about the surprisingly nice March weather, our strides keeping pace despite the difference in our ages. Clearly, Bess was used to a walking regime and I so was not.

  That needed to change. My slightly too tight jeans agreed.

  We wandered up the sidewalk along the wide swath of still ice-encrusted grass. Stubborn pools of snow remained, seemingly impervious to the warm sun. But the sound of melting icicles grew near every building and everyone we passed on the walkway wore a smile.

  Spring had sprung. Or at least that was what we were all pretending today, before the next storm arrived.