Page 60 of Dating the DILF

Lulu looks at her sister, shaking her head. “Nope, you’re too young.”

Juliet scrunches her nose up and glares at her. “I’m six, that’s not too young.”

“J, I’ll take you and Caleb to a movie while Lu goes with her friend.”

My little man grins at Charlie around a mouthful of pancakes and syrup, looking at her as if she hung the moon.

I know the feeling well.

“Don’t you have a meeting with the shelter supervisor today?”

Charlie has been the lawyer for a nonprofit animal shelter for the last five years. She got out of corporate law after Juliette was born, wanting something more flexible. The shelter job has been a dream come true for her.

“I can drop the girls off.”I watch in disgust as Charlie and Lulu both smother their pancakes in ice cream and maple syrup. Ice cream. Onpancakes. Sometimes they make it difficult to love them.

“No way,” Lulu barks. “The last time you took us to the mall, you scared my boyfriend.”

I take a gulp of orange juice and shake my head. “You don’t have a boyfriend, Tallulah. You’re too young.”

“Daaaad.” She groans before throwing Charlie a pleading look.

“Relax, Lu. I’ll take you.” She turns to me. “The meeting was rescheduled to Monday, so I’m all yours, all day.”

“Really?” I waggle my eyebrows at her, loving her giggle.

“Stop it,” Lulu demands. “There are children here,” she chastises us, nodding pointedly at Juliette and Caleb.

“Huh?” Caleb looks up from his Spiderman book.

“Nothing, sweetheart.” Charlie leans over and kisses his head, earning her another grin.

I sit back and observe everyone laughing and teasing around the table and it’s like watching my heart beat outside of my body.

Ten years ago, my life changed irrevocably. It hasn’t always been easy, but when I look at the family we’ve created, I know that every single moment of battle and redemption has been worth it and—

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

“Tallulah!”

THE END.