The Single Dad (The Dalton Family #3)(6)

“She’ll be starting kindergarten in the fall. Won’t that new schedule make it easier on everyone?”

She shook her head. “Everly needs someone there consistently, someone she can really bond with and learn from rather than bouncing between three people. This will be the best thing for her, I promise.”

“All right,” I agreed. “I’ll talk to my assistant. We’ll get someone hired soon.”

She finished the cookie and grabbed another. “I appreciate it. My waist appreciates it too.”

“Stop. With how much you run, you can afford to eat that entire tray.” I guzzled down the rest of the beer and set the empty on the counter. “I’m going to head out. You two be good tonight.”

“Always.”

As I was leaving the kitchen, I said over my shoulder, “She can have one cookie.”

“That really means two.”

I chuckled and turned around. “You sure you don’t want me to give Declan a message from you? Possibly tell him how much you love—”

“You’re a dick.”

I smiled. “See you in the morning, Hannah.”

I hurried out the front door and into the driveway, where my driver was parked and waiting. I climbed into the back of the SUV and wished Stan a good evening before I took out my phone and called my assistant.

“Hi, Ford,” my assistant said as she answered.

“Remember that conversation we had a few months back about hiring a nanny, and we did nothing about it?” I stared out the window as Stan pulled onto the road. “Well, it’s time we do something about it.”

“If I remember correctly, I found an agency that came highly recommended. How about I go that route and place an ad on one of the childcare websites, and I can vet the applicants before I send them to you?”

“I can probably squeeze a few more weeks out of Hannah. Will that give you enough time?”

“It should.”

I leaned my shoulder into the door. “Then, that sounds perfect.”

“I’ll get started first thing in the morning.”

I thanked her and hung up, and my phone instantly rang with Jenner’s name on the screen.

“I’m on my way,” I said after connecting the call.

“I was worried your ass was going to bail.”

“Because I’m fifteen minutes late?”

I didn’t bother to look at my watch.

I knew exactly how late I was.

“Try thirty,” he replied.

“Dude, relax. I get an Everly pass.” I felt Stan begin to slow as he approached the entrance of the bar. “You can yell at me in person. I’m about to walk in.” I hung up and returned the phone to my pocket.

Stan pulled up to the front. “I’ll be in the parking lot on the east side of the building whenever you’re ready to leave.”

“Thanks, bud.”

I hopped out and made my way inside, seeing the crew had taken over the entire back corner. Dominick was the first to approach, man-hugging me the moment I got within reach.

“Thought you weren’t going to show,” he said as he patted me on the back.

“Jenner bitched about the same thing,” I said. “You guys know I wouldn’t ever bail. But once you knock up Kendall, you’ll learn that it isn’t always easy to get out the door on time.”

He pulled away and walked with me toward the tables they’d reserved. “Slow your roll. There’s no knocking up. We’re just getting in a shit-ton of practice.”

“Then, maybe it’s Jenner’s turn,” I said, moving over to my middle brother, hugging him the same way.

“What are we talking about?” Jenner asked.

“You and Jo having kids,” I replied.

“Please don’t put that into the universe,” he shot back. “We’re staying in the engaged phase for a while. If Jo gets the baby bug, we’ll steal Everly for a few days.”

“According to Eve, she’s no longer a baby.”

“That’s my girl, full of sass,” Dominick said.

I shook hands with Brett, one of our best friends, who happened to be the top entertainment agent in the country. I then moved on to his partners, Max and Jack, who were also agents, before finally making my way over to Declan.

“I brought you a little gift,” I said to him and took the napkin-wrapped cookie out of my pocket and set it on the table in front of him.

“What the fuck is this?” Declan asked, unwrapping it.

“Hannah made it.” I smiled. “You know, the girl you’re driving into the fucking grave.”

“Jesus Christ.” He held up his whiskey. “I need ten more of these just to deal with her. If she wasn’t a Dalton, I would have fired her ass a long time ago.”

For some reason, I doubted that.

I nodded toward the dessert. “Eat the cookie. Trust me, it’s one of the best you’ll ever have.”

He inspected the top and bottom. “You’re sure she didn’t poison it?”

“She doesn’t know I brought it for you.”

If she had, she would have set the whole tray on fire.

I wouldn’t tell Declan that. He didn’t need the ammunition to make her life even worse.