He had a little girl, which meant there had to be a mother somewhere out there. When I started wondering if she was in the picture or not, I decided her comment had to have been nothing more than one of those things people say in passing.
Because there was no way—no way—life could ever be that funny. Even if I was desperate for a partner, I sure as heck would never be desperate for him.
Chapter 8
Jacob
The weeks after Halloween passed in a blur of work, preparing for Thanksgiving dinner, and making sure Allie was ready for the play they were putting on at the school. She had been cast as a pilgrim, and she’d been talking my ear off about it all week.
There was only one more week to go until Thanksgiving, and the night of the play had finally arrived. She only had a small part, but I was looking forward to her scene. The rest of the kids? Well, I wasn’t very excited about having to sit through their parts.
Attendance wasn’t optional, though. I had to be there for Allie and I would never let her down. If that meant watching everyone else’s kids to see her performance, I supposed I’d just have to grit my teeth and bear it.
I arrived at the school early, parking near the exit so we’d be able to make a quick getaway after the show. On my way over, I’d stopped to buy flowers for her. It was a bouquet that might’ve been more suited for the lead actress in a Broadway show, but hey, she was the lead actress in my life and she deserved all the roses I could buy.
There was still almost an hour before the show was supposed to start, but there were a lot of parents already present. The building housing the school hall where the play was being held was covered in creeping vines. Judging by the amount of people taking pictures of their kids there, it made for a good backdrop to a photo.
I’ll have to take a few for Shannon later. She’d never stop pestering me if I didn’t. I’d have put up with the pestering if I hadn’t known that Allie would want her mother to see her in her costume. I’d even already ordered Shannon a professional recording of the show that would be sent to her once it was ready, but I’d also record it myself so she could see our daughter acting her heart out without having to wait so long. Hmm. There’s an idea. Maybe I can encourage Allie to become an actress instead.
I scrapped the idea almost immediately. No. Nope. There’s no way she’s ever moving to a big city like Los Angeles or New York by herself.
Several of the teachers tried to sneak in a word with me when I made my way backstage. I overheard one, a middle-aged woman who’d gotten divorced last year, gossiping about me to someone I didn’t know.
“He’s a hot commodity around here. Single, successful, and a wonderful father. It’s too bad he only ever has eyes for his daughter when he’s around.”
I smirked and pretended I hadn’t heard her, looking around for the only girl I had eyes for instead. It was good to know that word was finally getting around that I wasn’t interested.
A friend had once told me that I sounded like an ungrateful, immodest dick when I’d told him that I was tired of being flirted with, but after Shannon left, it had been nearly unbearable. Give a guy a break.
I was trying to raise a little girl by myself, like actually raise her instead of hiring the job out, and I somehow had to fit in working at least fifty hours a week. My reply had been simple. Just because I sounded like an ungrateful, immodest dick didn’t invalidate how I was feeling.
Finally spotting Allie with some of her friends, I successfully dodged several more people trying to make conversation and finally got to my girl. Bowing down in front of her, I lifted the flowers and flashed her a grin.
“For you, milady. Break a leg out there.”
Her face split into a wide smile as she took the bouquet from me. “Thank you, Daddy. You’re staying for the play, right?”
“Of course.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’ll take some pictures for Mom later, okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed, eyes shining with joy as she lifted the flowers to her nose. “I love roses. Thanks, Dad.”
“I know, and you’re welcome.” Giving her a last hug when someone announced it was time for them to start getting changed, I said good luck to her friends as well and then went to find my seat.
It was near the front row, on the aisle so I wouldn’t have to do the awkward scooting dance, only to have my knees crushed by the chair in front of mine. I’d asked for the front row, but the tickets had already been sold out.
If only I’d known then that I’m a hot commodity in Savannah. I snorted at the thought, shaking my head as I walked into the auditorium.
Unfortunately, when I’d come up with my plan of being early so I could see Allie before the play and give her the flowers, I hadn’t taken into the account that it also meant I’d be waiting at my seat for the show to begin.
My ass hadn’t hit the chair yet when the first of the lionesses descended, her eyes zeroed in on her prey. Me.
Dorothy Carter and I had gone to high school together, which now appeared to make her think that she had some kind of claim on me. She was gorgeous. I had to give her that.
Pitch-black hair framed her heart-shaped face. Her deep blue eyes were alert and intelligent. Somehow, even though she was now a single mother to four kids, she always looked like she’d stepped out of a high-fashion magazine and had spent hours on her makeup.
I don’t know how she does it. Honestly, even just the thought of having four children under the age of thirteen exhausted me, yet Dot made it look like it was no effort at all.
“Jacob,” she practically purred when she bent down to brush a kiss against my cheek. “How are you? Where have you been?”
“Allie decided ballet was too boring for her, so she’s trying fencing these days instead.”
Her brow furrowed at my blunt statement before she blinked it away and smiled demurely. “Marie misses her at the studio. We should arrange a play date for them sometime. A sleepover perhaps? We’d be there to chaperone, of course.”
She lifted a hand to drag her nail over my chest, and I shuddered. Definitely not the pleasurable kind of shudder.
Thankfully, Allie didn’t like Marie much. I knew she wouldn’t want to have a sleepover with her any more than I wanted to have one with her mother.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass. Allie’s schedule is so full these days. It’s hard to keep up with everything, you know?”
Undeterred, she took the vacant seat beside me. Her smile didn’t even falter. “I’m sure we’ll find a suitable time soon. Now, tell me, how is Shannon? Are you still struggling to get over her?”
I nearly choked on the next breath I took. “She’s good and no, I’m not.”
She scooted even closer, the corners of her mouth tipping up as she brought the red-painted talon to my chest again. “You won’t believe how happy I am to hear that.”
A shadow fell over us, and I looked up to see yet another of the moms who always approached me at these things. I actually liked this one, though. Not to date, but at least she wasn’t only interested in my money and my dick like dearest Dot was.