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“Areyou sure she’ll like it?”
I clutched the shopping bag in my hand. The paper twine dug into my palm.
“I promise it’s what she would’ve picked for herself.”
“And the initials?” I groaned. “This giving-a-shit thing is hard.”
JoJo patted my shoulder. “She won’t say anything, but it will mean something to her.”
I stopped in front of another store. “Am I going too fast? I don’t want to scare her, but we have so much to catch up on and I’m just an old fart and I don’t want to ever make her feel like my dad makes me feel.”
It was official. I was losing it. When did I start speaking in run-on sentences? When did I worry over every little detail? Would I ever be cool, calm Kane Zegas again?
If it meant giving up Penelope, I didn’t want to be.
JoJo swallowed hard. “She’s so lucky to have you.”
“I told her I want her to meet her grandparents. But I almost would rather her meet Nancy first. If my parents judge her about anything, we’ll leave.” They could condemn me all they wanted, but not my daughter.
She placed a hand on my heart. “One step at a time.”
“Will you go with us? To meet my parents?”
I hadn’t even introduced Alma to them before we were engaged. And I had no idea how I’d describe who JoJo was to me. I hadn’t figured it out myself.
“You want me there?” She seemed stunned.
“I asked, didn’t I?”
“I’d love to.” She pulled me in the direction opposite my office. “I think you need a laundry room. You’re too stressed.”
“I have a mountain of files to go through—”
She put a finger up to my lips. “If I can take a day off, you can.”
“Barn, I’m not trying to diminish your work over mine, but—”
“Don’t say something to start a fight . . .” She looked at me over her shoulder and there was something flirtatious in her gaze. “Unless you want to make up.”
“The planet can wait one more day if another car puts out more exhaust than it should. My clients are facing life or death, literally,” I said.
“So all of the human race, the animals, plants, and seas are inferior to your clients?” she asked haughtily, though the usual bite wasn’t there.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. And now I have a daughter to provide for.”
“I’ve been doing that just fine without you,” she snapped.
I snagged her by the waist. “Well, it’s making me feel like less of a man.”
She groaned. “By all means, how can I fix that?”
I grinned. “I can think of a few ways. Like that nightgown you had on when you chased me—”
“I didn’t chase you.”
“Oh no?”
“No.” Her cheeks turned red.
