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“It’s beautiful!” Zoey whispered and shifted her wrist left and right to admire the corsage. “I love it.”
I held out my arm. “Are you ready for our date, princess?”
“Yes, tonight is going to be so much fun!” She slipped her hand in the crook of my elbow. “Do you think you’d ever go on a real date?”
I opened the car door for her to climb into her seat. “I thought this was a real date,” I teased.
She rolled her eyes, giving me a glimpse into her future as a teen. “Daddy, come on. You know, a date with a girl.”
I was starting to understand where she was going with this. “You are a girl.”
Zoey let out an annoyed sigh. “A girl your age, Daddy. Do you think you might do that?”
I sat in my seat and took a second before answering. Heather and I hadn’t been in a relationship when we conceived Zoey. We’d decided we were better off as friends and had worked hard to create a cohesive parenting style while living in different states.
I’d dated in New York, but never when Zoey was around. “Why are you asking this now, Zo?” She’d never been interested in my dating life before.
She twirled a piece of brown hair streaked with natural golden highlights between her fingers. “I’m not looking for a new mom.”
“Okay.” This was a minefield I wasn’t sure how to navigate.
“A few of my friends have a step-parent. I think I’d be okay with that.”
I didn’t bother to start the car and twisted in my seat to face her. “Where is this coming from, princess?”
Her big blue eyes, the one feature she’d inherited from her mom, stared at me. “I want you to be happy, Daddy.”
“I am happy, sweetheart. I don’t need anyone else but you.”
“But someday, I’ll be older and will live on my own. What about then?”
She was far too perceptive at her age.
“That’s not going to be for a very long time. And you let me worry about stuff like that.” I wasn’t interested in long-term relationships. My priority was Zoey.
“Well, if you do decide you want to go on dates with someone, I’m okay with that,” she responded seriously.
“Thanks, princess. I’ll keep that in mind. Now are we ready forourdate to begin?”
She smiled. “Yup.”
Throughout the drive, I listened with one ear about Zoey’s day and what she did with her friends while still fixating on our conversation. I was being truthful with her about not dating. I didn’t need anyone else in my life and had no intention of ever settling down. By the time we arrived at the parking garage next to the restaurant, I was no closer to figuring out why she’d brought it up.
Zoey held my hand as we walked through the garage. She curtsied as I opened the glass doors leading into the restaurant for her.
“Hello and welcome to Hemmings,” greeted our hostess. “Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes, for Beckett and Zoey Hunter,” Zo replied, her hands folded in front of her.
The hostess smiled at her and checked the reservations. “I see your names right here. Let me grab menus for you, and I can take you directly to your table.”
Zoey frowned and craned her neck. “You mean we can’t just pick the one we want?”
“Why don’t we see where we’re seated first before we make any decisions, kiddo,” I suggested.
“Fine.” She followed the waitress as we walked between a row of tables, every so often her head turning to search the restaurant tables we passed.
“And we have this lovely table by the window where you have a gorgeous river view.” The hostess smiled and gestured to our seats.