Page 104 of Daddies' Holiday Toy

It’s nice to hear there’s no jealousy in his voice.

Just a quiet confidence in what he’s built with his ex.

That’s a rare thing these days. Especially living so far away from each other.

He continues, “I see the kids on breaks, and they stay with me all summer every year. We’ve got a really good thing going, which is a total blessing.”

“That actually sounds…really healthy,” I admit, a smile tugging at my mouth.

“It is. Doesn’t mean I don’t miss them when they’re not around, though. But yeah…” He gives a small nod. “I’m really fucking blessed.”

The way he says that makes something in my chest squeeze.

I don’t expect a guy like him, with that smile and that swagger, to be so open about missing his kids.

Or feeling like he’s been blessed with the circumstances he’s been given.

We end up splitting a tiramisu, and there’s something almost absurdly intimate about sharing the same dessert, our knees brushing under the table now and then from leaning closer together over the table.

By the time Reece pays and we finally step outside, the air is crisp enough to make my nose prickle.

Maybe it’s the wine, or maybe it’s just him, but this is the lightest I’ve felt in a long, long time.

We start toward his car, our steps falling in sync on the sidewalk.

“So…” I glance over at him, a teasing edge slipping into my voice. “My place is actually nearby. You wanna see what you’re paying for?”

His eyebrows lift, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Pretty sure I’ve already seen?—”

I smack his arm before he can finish. “My bakery, smartass.”

He laughs. “Alright, alright. I’d love to see where my investment money is being spent.”

Ten minutes later, we’re stepping through the glass door of my little shop.

The lock clicks behind us, and the quiet settles in.

The warm, sweet scent of the place hangs in the air, a comforting mix that always makes me relax instantly.

The lights overhead cast a soft golden glow when I flick them on, bouncing off the polished glass of the display cases.

“This is it,” I say, my voice light with pride as I spread my arms. “My empire. Where the magic happens.”

I sweep one arm toward the glass display case next to the register, though it’s empty from being purged before I closed the shop today.

Reece strolls forward slowly, hands tucked in his pockets.

He scans the shop like it’s some private gallery, pausing to look at the chalkboard menu and letting his gaze slide over the little seating area and the potted plants in the windowsill.

“Wow,” he says after a moment. “It’s…very you.”

I tilt my head at him. “Meaning?”

“Warm. Inviting. Makes you wanna stay a while.”

I give him a skeptical look. “You’re laying it on thick.”

His smile curves just enough to show he knows exactly what he’s doing. “You love it.”