Those Three Words: A Single Dad, Billionaire Boss Romance(69)

“What’s your favorite color?” she asks between bites of pancake.

“Hmmm, probably orange. It reminds me of a pumpkin and I love fall and Halloween.”

“Halloween is scary, but candy!” She goes back to chewing and then perks up again. “Do you like butterflies?”

I giggle and nod. “I do, very much.”

“What about snails?” She crinkles her nose up when she says it.

“I don’t think so; they’re pretty slimy.”

“Uh-huh.” She nods her head in agreement.

I make myself a cup of coffee and look through today’s schedule. Eleanor doesn’t have any classes today. We’ll have a music lesson after breakfast and work on our flash cards later for colors, animals, and the alphabet. She has a late birthday so she won’t be attending kindergarten until this fall.

“How about some pool time today?” I ask, looking up from the iPad, and she cheers. That always tires her out pretty successfully after a few hours and she tends to need a nap after. Which is perfect for me so I can get the laundry done and clean up her playroom.

“Do you love Daddy?”

The question takes me by surprise.

“What, sweetie?”

“You and Daddy are in love.”

I can’t tell if she’s teasing, but I knew that her seeing us in his bed would lead to this. I close the iPad and place it on the counter as I lean forward on the island.

“Your daddy and I are good friends. I care about you and him so much.”

“But you had a sleepover?”

I drop my head forward between my shoulders. Part of me feels like this is something her father should discuss with her, especially since he didn’t seem to mind her seeing us. But then again, I’m the other part of this equation.

“How about your daddy talks to you tonight and you can ask him all the questions you want about it?”

She cocks her head to the side, and I’m fully prepared to bribe her, but she shrugs and says, “Okay.”

If only if it were that easy to convince Graham…





Eleanor can barely keep her eyes open after our late lunch. The two hours we spent in the pool completely wore her out.

She’s snoring softly before I even finish one book. She looks like a little angel. I tuck her in and plant a soft kiss on her head as I tiptoe out of her room just as my phone buzzes.

I pull it out and slide the screen open to see a text from Shelly. I smile as I click the image attached to the message. It takes up my entire screen.

Shelly: Greetings from Mexico, bitches!

It’s her and Hank, their sunburned faces smooshed together as they hold up brightly colored cocktails that are overflowing with fruit.

I don’t know the details about this getaway, but they look incredibly happy. Honestly, with how in love they are, I wouldn’t be shocked if she came back with a ring on her finger.

I send back a kissy emoji and wish them all the fun. A slight tinge of jealousy shoots through my chest but I ignore it.

I head downstairs to clean up Eleanor’s lunch mess and make myself a cup of tea. A few cozy episodes of Schitt’s Creek are in order to help cheer me up.

I’m reaching for a tea bag when I see something drop onto the counter out of the corner of my eye. I glance to my right and see Miss Perry casually strolling past me.

“I believe those are yours.” She spins around to face me, her eyebrow arched almost comically high.

I look at the measly scrap of material on the counter.

“No, afraid not.”

“You sure? I found them while tidying up Mr. Hayes’ office this morning.”

“I’m positive. There’s a little more material to my underwear and I don’t own any in a bright red like that.”

My stomach tightens. I don’t know what kind of game she’s trying to play, but I’m not in the mood for it. I turn my attention back to the box of tea, pulling out a bag and placing the box back in the cabinet.

“Oh, silly me, they must be—” Her words trail off. I turn back around to see what she’s up to. She grabs them, a smile on her lips as she stuffs them in her pocket.

“Dear me, I guess you’re right. I should have looked closer.” She shakes her head with a skin-crawling laugh before muttering under her breath… “I would have recognized them as my own.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yes?”

“What did you just say?”

She waves a hand at me like I’m an insignificant nuisance and I snap. I slam my hands down on the counter and shout, “What? If you have something to say to me, Fiona, then say it!” I make sure to use her name just to turn the knife a little.

She scowls at me before her stoic mask slips back into place. “Why, whatever do you mean?”

I laugh out of frustration. “Seriously? Don’t you ever get tired of playing this twisted game? It’s exhausting, honestly. You have had animosity toward me since the moment I met you and I did nothing wrong. I’ve been polite and respectful.”

“Respectful?” She spits the word out in mockery.

“Yes, I’ve been respectful.”

“You call parading around here, throwing yourself at Mr. Hayes respectful? Lying across his desk spread-eagle?”