Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(27)

He's too smart for his own good."

Ellie nodded sadly. "He probably should've skipped those grades when the principal came to talk to you about raising his level of education."

Nora sighed. "I know, but when he found out Cassidy wouldn't be coming with him, he refused. He won't do anything without her."

Ellie had to agree. "They are quite a pair."

Nora nodded, and the two fell silent. Ellie realized they'd drifted off onto the same thought pattern when Nora sighed and asked, "So, what're you going to do about Mr. Daddy?"

Ellie let out a breath. "I have no idea."

Her first instinct was to pack up Cassie and get them as far away as they could go. But her daughter would hate her 104

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

forever if she did that. And Ellie knew the child needed a male figure in her life. But did that man have to be Boston?

"I'm kind of hoping he forgets about us and never comes back again."

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105

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage





Chapter Seven


Boston took off work early in order to spend more time with his daughter at Chuck E. Cheese's. But when he reached Ellie's place and knocked on the door, no one answered.

Immediately disappointed, he shoved his hands in his pockets and scowled at the entrance as if it was personally keeping his child from him.

It was a Wednesday afternoon, and Cassie should've been out of school by now. She hadn't mentioned any after-school activities she had to be at today when he'd talked to her last night, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be at one of them.

Moodily wondering what he was going to do until five thirty, he toed a brown, wrinkled leaf off the porch and watched it flutter into the yard. He didn't want to skulk around Ellie's house two afternoons in a row. It reminded him too much of the days when he was so anxious to see her, he'd always show up early for their dates only to wait in the hall outside her dorm room until she was ready.

Boston groaned and ran his hands through his hair, feeling an antsy trepidation. He just wanted to see his daughter, damn it. He didn't want to think about her mother.

"Hey, Cassie!" a boy's voice yelled from the next door neighbor's backyard as if answering Boston's unspoken prayer. "Watch this."

The sound of his daughter's laugh followed moments later.

Amazed he could actually discern her laugh, Boston stood in frozen wonder for a second. Yes, that was definitely his 106

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

little girl howling with giggles. As euphoria filled him, he leaped off the cracked, uneven steps and started off.

Following the sounds of Cassie's voice, he strolled back between the two houses.

In the neighbor's backyard, he found Cassie and her friend, Keller. Sitting on the deck at the table under a large umbrella and reading a book lounged the nosy neighbor who'd come over to grill him the day before.

Boston stopped and took in the scene of Cassidy climbing a ladder to a huge tree house. Keller had already reached the top and was watching her ascend, waiting impatiently from the looks of it.

As Boston moved closer, no one noticed his presence. He was fully in their yard before Cassie finally glanced over and saw him. She'd just reached the top of the ladder and was about to disappear inside the tree house when she glanced back.

"Dad!" she screamed, her excitement lighting up her entire face.

Nora lifted her face and let out a startled yelp. Dropping her book, she leapt to her feet and started off the porch just as Cassie scurried back down the ladder.

Being called "Dad" for the first time sent a shiver though Boston. Good Lord. He really was a dad. And he kind of liked it. He'd never thought he'd cherish the idea of having children. Sure, he'd figured he'd probably get married some day and eventually start a family. But he'd just thought of it as part of life. Now, here he was, a father, and he loved the sound of Cassie calling him "Dad."

107

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Forgetting about the babysitter, Boston started toward his child.

Nora reached the edge of the porch just as Cassie reached him. His daughter ran toward him full force and threw her arms open as Boston swooped down to catch her.

It felt good to hold her. Incredibly good. He couldn't help but wonder what it would've been like to hold her the minute she was born, to feel how weightless she was and look into her newborn eyes. A bitter resentment filled him, but he pushed it down and focused on appreciating the nine-year-old she had grown to be.

"You came!" she said, burying her face in his collar a second before pulling back to beam up at him. "You really, really came!"

Boston laughed at her obvious excitement. "I said I would," he answered, a little upset she had to doubt him.

If only Ellie hadn't sent him away, his daughter would never have any reason to think he couldn't keep his word.

Cassie glanced over at the two on the porch. Her friend, Keller, had climbed down the ladder as well and hovered next to his mother.

"Keller," Cassie called. "Nora. This is my dad."

Boston set Cassie down and turned to the woman.

The regal-looking lady stared back, blinking repeatedly.