front of Charlie.
“We haven’t ordered yet,” Charlie said, only to frown when cashier said, “The gentleman in front of you took the liberty of buying you lunch.”
“He bought us lunch?” Ben asked, sounding just as confused as she was only to chuckle when the cashier said, “No, he only bought lunch for her.”
“He did?” Charlie asked only to once again find her lips twitching when the cashier turned the bag around and she saw “The desk goes,” written across the back.
Chapter 5
“Don’t you love us anymore, Daddy?” Abbi asked, her bottom lip trembling as she glanced up from her plate to look at him.
“Are you mad at us, Daddy?” Dustin asked with the saddest fucking expression that Devin had ever seen as he pushed a broccoli spear off his plate with his fork.
Sighing, Devin reached over and scooped more broccoli onto his son’s plate. “It’s good for you,” he promised his son as he glanced over to find Abbi dumping the fish that he’d baked for dinner, into her napkin. When she saw him watching her, she dropped the napkin on the floor, cleared her throat, shifted, cleared her throat again, tried to discreetly kick the napkin filled with fish away from her chair all while trying to appear innocent.
Narrowing his eyes on her, Devin pushed his chair back and-
“I don’t know how that got there, Daddy,” Abbi said, making his lips twitch as he picked up the balled-up napkin filled with fish that he’d accidentally left in the oven too long and tossed it in the trash.
“I bet you don’t,” Devin murmured, scooping more fish onto his daughter’s plate as she narrowed her eyes on him.
“Why are you doing this to us?” Abbi demanded, folding her arms over her chest as she sat back in her chair.
“Because I love you and I want you to be healthy,” Devin said, gesturing for her to eat.
“I see,” she murmured, looking from her untouched plate to his with a pointed look.
Eyes narrowing on his daughter, he took a bite of fish and forced himself to keep chewing the tasteless dry flakes and swallow before he popped a lukewarm piece of broccoli in his mouth as he kept his gaze locked on his daughter. “Delicious,” Devin said, popping another piece of broccoli in his mouth.
“Why must you lie to us?” Abbi demanded as she reached over and pushed her plate away.
“Why must you make everything so difficult?” Devin countered back as he pushed her plate back in front of her.
“Because it’s my job,” she said, pushing her plate away again and then for good measure, she reached over and pushed her brother’s plate away as well.
“I thought you said Blackjack’s wouldn’t deliver here,” Dustin said, drawing his attention to find his son watching a kid wearing a Blackjack’s tee-shirt and carrying a large delivery bag walk up their driveway before cutting down the small walkway that would take him to the in-law apartment where the woman that he refused to think about, lived.
“Another lie?” Abbi said with a sad shake of her head.
Narrowing his eyes on the little troublemaker, Devin reached over and added another spoonful of broccoli onto her plate.
“Please don’t make me call Grandma,” Abbi said, which earned her another piece of the fish that he was probably going to end up throwing out after dinner.
“Daddy, I have to go potty,” Dustin said, worrying his bottom lip as he shifted in his chair.
“Go, but be quick or your food will get cold,” Devin said, biting back a sigh as he reached over and pulled Dustin’s seat out for him.
“Thank you, Daddy!” Dustin said as he raced for the door, leaving Devin with his daughter as she narrowed her eyes on him.
“I’m not eating that,” Abbi informed him.
“Then I guess I won’t be able to check your room for monsters tonight,” Devin drawled, watching as a look of pure panic took over before she managed to pull it back with a shrug.
“I guess you won’t.”
“Good,” he said, nodding as he forced himself to eat more fish.
“Good,” she said, keeping those beautiful baby blue eyes locked on him.
“Can I have the salt, Daddy?” Dustin asked as he climbed back onto his chair and reached for the saltshaker.
“Just a tiny bit,” Devin said, keeping his gaze locked on the stubborn little girl glaring at him, knowing better than to look away first. He’d learned that lesson well during potty training and it wasn’t something that he was going to forget anytime soon.
“Thank you,