Page 31 of Yours To Hold
“Is that the answer you always give her?” Ivy asks, leaning next to me. Her warmth spreads through me at the slightest brush of her arm against mine.
I smile down at her. “Of course. Have to keep the mystique that I’m the greatest dad ever.”
“Willow would think that even if you didn’t have all the answers.”
“You think so?” I ask.
She nods. “That girl thinks you hung the moon. No matter how much she says everyone else is her favorite.”
I want to puff out my chest at her words. I shouldn’t want to, but I do.
Ivy sees me at my worst. So those words mean more to me than she could ever know.
“What will it be?” the kid behind the counter asks.
“Mint chip and rocky road with sprinkles, please!” Willow gives her order.
Ivy follows suit, and I give my order. Willow and Ivy collect their cones from the woman working behind the counter as I hand over the money.
“What a beautiful family you have.” The older woman hands me my change.
All I can do is smile my thanks. Because honestly? Today has been the perfect day.
I wish the three of us could have more days like this. But Ivy isn’t ours.
No matter how much I wish she could be.
ChapterNine
MASON
Finally.
A night of peace all to myself. No unicorns to watch on TV or hearing about how Ivy is the coolest person in the world.
I can finally quiet my brain.
All week—all damn week—I’ve been trying to avoid Ivy if at all possible. Kind of hard to do when she’s the one watching my kid, but the less I’m around her the better.
After we spent the day together with Willow, I was feeling too many things. Things I have no right to be feeling.
I push my arms up, doing another set. The one place I can shut my brain down is at the gym. Otherwise, it’s filled with glitter and rainbows from the seven-year-old that is my entire world.
The one who is completely taken with the nanny I hired for the next few months.
I push the weights up again, growling as thoughts of Ivy enter my brain.
That smile.
The way her eyes trace over me whenever I enter a room.
Fuck. Could she be feeling the same thing as me?
Damn it. I’m too old to be feeling like a high schooler with a crush. I have a daughter, for fuck’s sake. I shouldn’t be pining after a woman who is ten years younger than I am.
I drop the weights down on the floor, shaking my arms out. Sweat clings to my skin as my muscles burn from the exertion.
It feels good.
