Vulnerable [Suncoast Society] (Suncoast Society #29)(47)

Leo felt his face redden, because he’d been thinking about sending Jesse a text. “Um, nooo. Why? Was I supposed to?”

She frowned, jamming her hands on her hips. “Daddy. We’re going to Mote today. We should invite Uncle Jesse. It’s rude not to invite him.”

“It…is?” This was news to him.

Laurel rolled her eyes at him. “Daddy. Uncle. Jesse.” She stared at him as if waiting for him to connect the dots.

“Um…okay?”

“It’s a family membership, Daddy! He’s Uncle. Jesse. That means he’s family.” She crossed her arms and stared at him.

He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to burst out laughing at her odd emphasis, or stay serious and nod in agreement.

He finally settled for a third option. “Hold that thought. Let me get my phone.”

He made the initial call, just in case Jesse answered with something not exactly PG-rated.

Actually, Jesse sounded like Leo had awakened him from a deep sleep. “Uh-huh?”

“Um, Jesse, it’s Leo.”

“Good morning. Morning? Yeah, morning. Holy crap, it’s still morning. Good morning, Sir.”

Leo managed not to burst out laughing. “Hey, Laurel wants to talk to you.”

“She does?” Jesse sounded more awake now, and wary.

“Yeah. Hold on.” Leo handed the phone to her. If Jesse wanted to be part of his life, surviving frequent mental maimings at the hands of his precocious daughter’s brain would be a top priority.

“Uncle. Jesse.” She said it just like that, for some strange emphasis. “Daddy and I are going to Mote Marine with our family membership today. You are family. So would you like to go to Mote Marine with us today?” She listened. “Okay. We will be there around…” She looked at Leo.

“Ten,” he said, utterly fascinated by this whole conversational twist as well as by her.

“Ten,” she said. “We’ll see you there. Do you know how to find it? It’s called M-O-T-E Marine.”

Leo knew he shouldn’t have been shocked that she could spell it. He’d lost count of how many times they’d been there, and she loved spelling things.

“Good,” she told Jesse. “We’ll see you there. Remember, we won’t tell the lady at the counter that you’re not my real uncle, but I’ll call you Uncle. Jesse. Okay, bye.”

She ended the call and handed him his phone before proceeding to attack what was left of her California roll. “Remember, Daddy,” she sternly warned. “We have to tell them he’s Uncle. Jesse.”

He saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”

He stared at her as he finished his sushi and wondered if there was some sort of test to keep kids from becoming supervillains later in life.

Because if she turned to the dark side when she was older, they were all going to be royally f*cked.





Jesse, never having a child before, hadn’t realized there was a different set of private Suncoast Society parties.

Totally vanilla, family-friendly affairs where they gathered together for pool parties, barbecues, and even beach outings. Not even with kids all the time, but after two months of dating Leo, they’d started getting invites to those events.

Which was a good thing, because their schedule with Laurel—as well as Jesse’s studying and work and school schedules—hadn’t aligned with any of the sexy private Suncoast Society parties as of late. The men had been to the club twice, and over to vanilla dinners—three times with Laurel—at Keith’s.

Every time so far had coincided with Scott having to work, so they didn’t have to explain Noel having two husbands.

Jesse hadn’t spent any overnights with Leo on weekends Laurel was there, but more and more Leo was having Jesse stay until past her bedtime, gradually getting her used to his presence.

She was even calling him on her own now, when with her mom. Just to talk and tell him about her day.

Considering Laurel was the closest thing Jesse would likely ever have to his own child, he found himself falling madly in love with her, too. Not in a creepy way, but as a…

Well, as a parent.

There’d even been an afternoon when Eva got called into work unexpectedly, and Leo was still on a job he couldn’t just up and leave. Jesse had been studying, so Leo called and asked him to go over.

With a stomach full of nerves, Jesse had headed over there with his laptop and textbooks, and he wasn’t sure what to expect when the woman opened the door. He knew Leo had told her about him, obviously, but they’d yet to meet, mostly because of Jesse’s schedule.

Her furrowed brow betrayed her wariness and made her look older than Jesse knew she really was. Her hair was dyed a brassy red that didn’t look good on her at all and harshened her features.

But then Laurel squealed with delight from somewhere in the house. “Is that Uncle Jesse?” She blasted out the front door at supersonic speed, nearly taking out his kneecaps as she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his legs.

Only then did Eva’s expression even approach the hint of a smile. She held out a hand. “Hi, I’m Eva. Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Her voice sounded tired, weary.

He actually felt a little sorry for her as he shook with her. “Jesse Morrow. Same here. Nice to finally meet you, too.”