Page 54 of Hot Dad Summer

The rest of the day was spent thinking about that sign. By the time Wes shut the bar and grill part of the marina so everyone could enjoy the fireworks my brain was practically smoking.

“Hey, sweetheart. Did you miss me?” Flynn had just come back from picking up the kids from Charlie’s mom’s house. They were already exhausted from a full day and struggling to keep their eyes open.

I smiled at the way the kids were all piled into a wagon with Hank on top of them. “I missed all of you, of course.”

He dropped the wagon handle and wrapped me in a tight hug. “But me more, right?”

I rolled my eyes and let him hold me for a few moments longer. I’d worked myself up all day and I needed to be held in a soothing embrace. Not that I thought Flynn would appreciate his hold being called soothing. Enticing, maybe, but not soothing. “Of course, I missed the kids more. Duh.”

He tugged the end of a curl and winked. “Sure.”

I got the kids settled in a more comfortable position in their wagon, with Hank squeezed in beside them instead of on top of them. He was even sitting up like they were. While I handed them juice boxes and headphones that Wes had insisted on Max showed up with Wes right behind him. We were sitting on the dock in front of the shop, set up in the only private spot that hadn’t been commandeered by others. Because of where we were, though, I felt like we were on display.

I sat in my camping chair and stared at the darkening sky. I was feeling melancholy after thinking and overthinking about the shop closing in town. It forced me to really consider how I felt about the guys and how they felt about me. I was being insane by even considering thinking about that soon to be empty shop. I had no business imagining something permanent. No one had mentioned anything about what happened after the summer ended. Yet…the hope that had been blooming inside me was loud about not wanting to leave.

I’d grown attached to the kids, to their fathers, and to Calloway Cove. It was hard to imagine waking up alone in my home without morning cuddles from still sleepy kids. I’d miss working across from Wes each morning. I’d miss Max just showing up with something I hadn’t even realized I needed yet. I’d miss Flynn insisting on coming home before his brothers to have more time with me than they got.

“Hey. What’s wrong?” Wes sat down beside me and made a face before standing up and pulling me to my feet. “Your chair is the good chair.”

I thought he was going to put me down in the other chair but he surprised me by pulling me down into his lap. I gasped and then buried my face in his neck when I felt people staring. “Wes!”

He wrapped his arms around my waist and grunted. “It’s fine, Daisy. Now tell me what’s wrong.”

I lowered my voice to an urgent whisper. “What are you doing?”

“Staking my claim?” He laughed at the sour face I sat up to shoot him. “If you hadn’t noticed, baby, I’m letting you and everyone else know that you’re mine.”

Flynn grunted. “He means ours.”

I looked to Max for some normalcy but he just winked at me. “Get used to it.”

I had to be dreaming. I reached down and pinched myself just to wince when it hurt. Definitely awake, then. How were they the same men from earlier in the summer? Was it all about the sex for them? I didn’t understand.

Wes pressed my head back down on his shoulder and took slow, deep breaths until I had no choice but to relax. “You feel right, Daisy. Right in a way that made me try again, that made Flynn decisive, that showed Max he could be happy without blowing his life up. Right enough that sharing you is better than missing you.”

My heart expanded in my chest and cracked itself open for them. The tiny bit of hesitation that had been keeping me from falling completely for them went up in flames. Afraid of how much I’d confess if I opened my mouth I just pressed into him even tighter.

They were claiming me. And I was going to let them. I was brave. Brave enough to take the leap. That closing bakery suddenly felt very important.

42

***Max***

Icould smell the spent fireworks in the air mixing with Daisy’s sweet scent. I was supposed to be focused on the road back to the estate but she’d slid closer to me on the golf cart’s bench seat without me having to reach for her. I could see the lights of the other carts and vehicles ahead of us as everyone headed home for the night. Wes and Flynn were somewhere in the mix with our kids and Daisy’s dog. I’d managed to snag Daisy all to myself and I was going to make the most of our time together.

She’d had a slightly restless energy all night and I knew that she’d been worried about everyone seeing the way the three of us Calloway boys were all over her. She hadn’t stopped us, though. She’d leaned into our touches and tipped her head up so prettily to smile. I thought maybe a few minutes away from everyone would be calming. I wasn’t including myself in that. I wasn’t going anywhere.

She sat up when I turned off the road to the house. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” There was a road only locals knew about that wound its way down to a private cove that was as wild as it was hard to find. It was a well-guarded secret that I wanted to share with Daisy. I found myself grinning when the cart jolted from side to side because of the old ruts left by previous visitors on muddy nights.

Daisy braced herself and shot me a wide-eyed look. “I’m trusting you to not get us killed, lost, or maimed. And to not ruin my dress.”

“I’ve got you.” As I said the words I realized just how much I meant them. A lifetime as the fuck up had taught me that no one relied on me or expected much but I wanted Daisy to feel safe with me. “I promise.”

“I trust you, Maximillian.” Her laugh at my pained groan was so worth hearing that laughable name.

The cart struggled to get through the thick grass that acted as the last barricade separating us from the little beach area. It made it, though, and then we were there. Tucked in on both sides by bluffs, the cove really was the most private place around. Even Calloway Cove was open to the rest of the lake and anyone riding by on their boat could see the house. One of the bluffs hiding the private cove stuck out and cut across the water, making the cove feel like a small lake of its own.