Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(70)

He had a bad feeling her reason was the latter.

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259

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage





Chapter Sixteen


Eight days later, Cassidy had her first weekend with her father. While Ellie was ripe with apprehension, her daughter was beyond excited. Boston must've been a jumble of both emotions, because he called Ellie three times during the week, asking question after question. First he wanted to know if Cassidy had any allergies or phobias. Then he wanted to know about her sleeping habits, her bedtime and if he needed to get her a nightlight.

Ellie couldn't help but melt every time she heard his nervous voice. And, in truth, spending most her time answering his questions and soothing his nerves eased her own worries. At least he was going to try to do things right.

Dealing with him also took her mind off the fact she'd be completely without her baby girl for a full forty-eight hours.

She needed to get a life. Letting her world revolve around her daughter had been all good and well until the girl went and deserted her every other weekend. Now, she just felt useless and lonely.

It was pure providence when Ted Barnaby came into her office one day. Ted was a partner in Barnaby & Murdock, an advertising firm in Lawrence. He kept Ellie's boss on retainer as their legal advisor. And every time he popped in for Winston to look over a contract, he had to stop by Ellie's desk to flirt. For the past three years since Winston had been dealing with him, Ted had asked her out on an average of once every two to three months.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

So, when he perched his hip on the corner of her desk, stole a mint from her candy jar and asked her what she was doing that Friday night, Ellie stared at him and thought, Why not? Cassie would be with Boston for their second weekend together, and she'd be all alone.

She'd been out of the dating world for so long, she didn't even know the rules anymore, but going out with a man she'd known for a few years seemed like a nice safe place to start.

Besides, it was way past time to spend a little social time with an adult of the opposite gender.

Before she could rethink her decision, she said, "Well, I hope I'm going to dinner with you."

Though he hadn't been moving around to do so, Ted fell off the corner of her desk. He caught himself before tumbling all the way to the floor and straightened instantly, tugging his suit jacket back into place as he did. Then he stared at Ellie in blunt surprise before saying, "Really?"

She laughed. "Was that not what you had in mind?"

"No!" he blurted out before he realized how unstylishly he was behaving. Then he cleared his throat, fiddled with the knot of his tie. "I mean...yes, that's what I had in mind. A nice, quiet restaurant with a little wine and candlelight was exactly what I had in mind."

Slipping right into flirt mode, Ellie twined a piece of hair around her finger. "And what time will you be picking me up Friday evening?"

"How does seven sound?"

Seven o'clock. Boston would be gone by six with Cassie.

That would give her an hour to prepare. Perfect.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

"It sounds great," she answered.

"Then...great," he said, pitching his voice even lower as he grinned at her. "I'll see you Friday at seven." He turned to leave then but drew short at the last seconds, swinging back to eye her peculiarly for a moment. "Just curious, but what changed your mind?"

Ellie didn't figure she should tell him the truth— it was either you or no one, bud. Sorry. Giving him one of those Mona Lisa smiles, she grinned and said, "I just thought that after all those mints you stole from my jar, you probably owed me a full-course meal by now."

His gaze slid slowly to her candy jar and then back to her.

She could see by the gleam in his eyes how her comment delighted him.

"Well now, ma'am," he told her in a silken voice, "I'll do everything in my power to make sure you get your money's worth."

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262

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage





Chapter Seventeen


Ellie gnawed on her bottom lip and stared impatiently at her wristwatch until the phone rang. She yelped, not expecting the sound, and pressed a hand to her heart.

It was finally Friday, the day for her big date, and Boston hadn't shown yet. Okay, to be fair it wasn't even six o'clock, but the man was usually so impatient to get Cassie, he showed up obscenely early to fetch her. But tonight, it was two till and he was nowhere around. It was as if he knew she had plans for once in her life and was doing everything in his power to keep her nerves rattled.

"Hello," she answered, hoping it wasn't Ted to cancel. After borrowing a dress from Nora, she was actually excited for a fancy night out.

"Ellie." The voice calling through the crackling phone lines sounded as if it came from a long distance. Her stomach tingled in apprehension. In the background, she heard traffic noise and occasional honking.

She pressed a hand to one ear, hoping to hear him better.

"Boston?"

"I'm sorry," he gushed. "I'm stuck in a major traffic jam on the interstate. There's some kind of wreck up ahead and no one is moving."