Page 52 of Broken Daddy

Sometimes, he wasn’t sure what kept him going. But he couldn’t seem to give up on life just yet.

Maybe the universe had something in store for him yet.

Perhaps it was this girl.

No. Nope. There was only one woman for him. And he just had to get to the end of this life to be with her.

“Feeling sassy tonight, huh? You wouldn’t be if you could see what’s inside my head.”

“What’s inside your head?” she asked. “Is it how to be mean to poor servers who are just trying to make a living?”

“Poor servers who are just trying to make a living?” he asked incredulously. “Are you really saying that I’m being mean to you?”

“Well, yeah. I thought that was obvious.”

“Again, we can circle back to my ruined americano. That I paid for. I don’t remember ordering a dash of salt.”

“Yeah, it was more than a dash,” she muttered. “I am sorry about that. I’ll pay for your next americano.”

Pay for his next americano? He didn’t think so. He didn’t give a shit about the ruined coffee and she didn’t seem like she had much money.

Plus, that wasn’t what he wanted.

“Hmm. I don’t think so. That’s getting off too easily.”

She narrowed her gaze at him. “Getting off too easily? Exactly what do you think would be suitable reparation?”

“Reparation? I was thinking more punishment.”

“Punishment?” she squeaked.

“Yeah, if my wife had done what you did, she’d find herself getting her bottom reddened.”

Her mouth opened and closed. “You have a wife?”

He’d deliberately worded it that way. To make it sound like he was married. He often spoke about May as though she was still alive.

Maybe wishful thinking.

Also because he still considered himself married.

Interesting that she focused on that part. “I do,” he said, watching her closely. She seemed to close down on him, her shoulders slumping slightly. “She died from an asthma attack a few years ago while I was overseas serving.”

And it was his fault.

Her entire face filled with horror. “Oh no. I’m so sorry.”

“May is the love of my life. I’ll only ever be married to her. I can only ever love her.”

“I can understand that.”

“Most people don’t. They think I should move on.” He inwardly winced after saying that. Why was he saying these things to her? For some reason she was easy to talk to.

Strange.

He’d never talked to anyone like this about May. Not even Zeke or the guys in his squad who he had known for years and had considered close friends.

But this sweet, gorgeous, sassy girl just seemed to make him chatty.