“Oh, yeah.” His beautiful daughter smiles up at me. “Hi, Everly,” she waves.
“Hi Naomi,” I wave back. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Me too. I like your purple hair,” she says.
“Thank you. It’s actually violet.”
Her eyebrows knit.
“It’s more of a deep purple-red tone,” I explain.
She looks up at Holt and says, “Daddy, can I have deep purple-red tone hair?”
“When you’re all grown up, sweet pea. Until then, you’ll remain a blonde,” he tells her.
She pouts.
I bring my hand up to my mouth to cover my smile.
“I’ve always wanted to be a blonde,” I say.
“Really?” There’s that smile again.
“Yup! I love your hairstyle as well. Did your nanny do that?”
Naomi shakes her head. “Daddy did. He does my hair every day.”
I’m sure I misheard her. Naomi’s pullback chignon accentuated by a beautiful braid that runs on the side of her head looks very stylish. My eyes lift to the sexy man with the golden heart.
“More hidden skills?”
“Yeah. It’s part of the package of being a single dad,” he explains.
“Wow.”
“I don’t want her to be scarred for life when she looks back at her childhood photos.”
“That’s funny. Well, you’re really good at it,” I say.
As if he wasn’t already perfect.
“I’ve had a little practice over the years and I have the perfect model,” he taps the tip of Naomi’s nose.
He smiles lovingly at his daughter.
She looks up at him and flashes him a radiant smile.
You can tell there’s a lot of complicity between the two of them.
“You’re going to ballet class?” I ask Naomi.
She does a little curtsy. “I’m wearing my tutu.” She brushes the fabric of her skirt.
“It looks so pretty on you,” I say.
“Daddy got it for me.”
She’s the spitting image of her father all the way down to the huge blue eyes. My God, the man makes beautiful babies. She’s the most adorable child I’ve ever seen.
“She should only wear it for recitals, but it’s impossible to convince her not to leave the house without it on Saturdays. We’ll remove it when we get to class,” Holt explains.
I laugh. “Are you going to dance in those?” I point to the most adorable pair of tiny pink high top Chucks dusted in silver glitter.
“No,” she giggles. “I wear ballet shoes. Luna doesn’t wear anything. She just wears a tutu.”
I look up at Holt. He jerks his head towards the window. That’s when I see a dog decked out in a pink tutu, a white t-shirt and a tiara.
“We’re celebrating two years since we adopted Luna. So in essence, it’s her birthday… and someone insists on dressing her up,” he says.
“But she looks pretty,” Naomi protests.
“Yes she does, sweet pea.”
I fight off a smile.
He shakes his head.
“Your donuts are the best,” Naomi says, tapping her little fingers against the glass.
I have a new fan.
“Would you like one?” I ask.
She purses her lips, looks up at me, frowns and scrunches her nose. It seems she’s deep in thought. She’s too cute. Eventually, she shifts her attention to her father. “Is it okay, Daddy?”
“You can’t have one before class, but we can buy some for movie night tonight. How does that sound?”
“Okay,” she answers with a firm nod.
“I was just about to come out with a new batch of our flavor of the day. I think you’d like it.”
“What is it?” she asks.
“This one.” I point to the last special of the day. “It’s a chocolate donut with white glaze frosting and coconut shavings.”
“Oh!”
“Does she have any allergies?” I ask Holt.
“Thank God, we’re allergy free,” he smiles.
“Great! In that case, I’d go with that one, but I have another one for you.”
“More?” Naomi’s eyes widen.
“I also have a white custard cream vanilla glaze topped with coconut shavings. We make those for people who don’t like chocolate, but it’s pretty amazing,” I say.
Naomi scrunches her nose again. “Everybody likes chocolate,” she argues.
I lean against the counter and pretend to whisper. “Well, between you and I, not everybody does. I see it every day.”
“That’s crazy.”
“I totally agree.”
“Can we have both, Daddy?”
“We’ll take two of each and we’ll ask Everly to add another one of her favorites.”
“I can manage that,” I smile. “I’ll be right back with your order.”
Under Callum’s amused gaze I rush to the kitchen. A few minutes later, I’m back out carrying Naomi’s order.
“How much is it?” she asks.
I look up at Holt.
He grins back.
“It’s my treat. You don’t have to pay,” I say.
“I have money. I can pay,” she insists.
Holt’s grin widens.
“Okay.”
I tell Naomi how much she owes me and she opens her little palm and produces a ten and a twenty-dollar bill.
“You put her up to this?” I ask.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Holt says, slipping another twenty in the tip jar. “I’m sure the fanny pack must be empty by now.”
And just like that, I’m transported to the first time he walked into my shop.
I shake my head. “You’re impossible.”
He winks.
I rush to grab her change.
“Here you go—”
“For the tip jar,” she says.
I just laugh.
“Don’t tell anyone, but you’re my favorite customer,” I say, handing her the bag.
“Thank you,” she beams.
“We’re off, sweet pea,” Holt says before shifting his eyes to me. “We’re still on for tomorrow?”
“Absolutely.”
I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
“I’ll pick you up at three-thirty, if that works?”
“It does.”
We just stare at each other for a few long seconds, before I pull my attention away from his handsome face. If I don’t, I’ll melt. His intensive gaze is far too mesmerizing. “Wish Luna a happy birthday for me,” I tell Naomi.
She nods. “Okay.”
“Maybe one day I’ll have to bake her a doggy donut.”
“Really? You can make that?”
“I can make anything,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest and flashing her a cocksure grin.
Naomi bursts into laughter.
“Luna would like that,” she says.
“Deal!”
“You have a new friend for life,” Holt laughs.
I wink at him.
“See you tomorrow,” Holt says.
“Yes!” I smile. “Bye, Naomi,” I wave.