"I'm sure you'd be fine. But it's nice to be here to support you and Lilliana."
"While Lilliana is at Oakley's, we can work on those shelves to hold her canvases and the ones in your room. Then we'll make sure to be seen around town as a couple."
"Everything will work out," Blake said, and I hoped she was right.
I couldn't imagine a life without Lilliana in it. Now that I'd gotten a chance to be her father, I wasn't ready to give it up. I wanted to be the man in her life, the one she could count on.
I was starting to feel the same way about Blake, but she wasn't here to stay. She could leave at any point to continue her education. This situation was temporary, and I'd have to make the most of it.
Chapter Ten
Blake
On Monday, Dalton got Lilliana up early to take her to Oakley's before work. After Dalton handed Lilliana to her mother, he told her that he was dating me. He said she was upset, but he refused to tell me exactly what she said. I could only imagine how nasty she could be when she thought someone else had what she wanted.
The rest of the week, I watched Henry in the afternoons for Ivy so she could work. In the mornings, I painted, and in the evenings, Dalton built the shelf for the playroom. He'd decided to make one long ledge so we could rest the canvases on them. On the other side of the room, I suggested a string with clips where he could hang her other artwork that she'd bring home from preschool when she was old enough to go.
When he finished the ledge, I set the canvases on them, admiring how they brightened the room.
Dalton clapped his hands. "Now that that's done, we're going out to dinner."
It was Friday, and somehow the subject of us going out as a couple hadn't come up. We'd both been busy between work and building the shelf. I'd even done research on options for teaching art classes.
Tonight, I had to go out to dinner with Dalton and pretend to be attracted to him. That part wouldn't be hard. I was more worried about how the situation might mess with my head. What if I thought it was real?
I was worried that I'd be the only one having an issue with this arrangement. "Where do you want to go?"
"Let's do Trader's."
It was a date place. I'd spent enough time on the island to know that. I went to my room and changed into a longer maxi dress and sandals. I tamed my ever-present curls with a styling cream and swiped mascara on my lashes. I didn't like to wear too much makeup at the beach. I preferred the natural look.
Satisfied, I headed into the living room where Dalton was already waiting. He wore black dress slacks, shoes, and a blue button-down that had me swallowing hard. He was handsome.
He lifted his gaze from his phone and stood. "You look beautiful."
"So do you." When his lips twitched, I realized what I'd said. "I mean you look handsome."
He raised a brow. "Are you ready for our date?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." I was nervous as if this was a real first date, which was ridiculous. This was supposed to be an acting job. I wasn't actually going on a date with Dalton Kingston, one of the most eligible bachelors on the island.
In the cab of his truck, I asked, "Have you heard from Oakley?"
His jaw tightened. "When I dropped off Lilliana, I suggested an every-other-week situation."
I turned slightly in my seat so I could see him easier. "That's a good solution. Equal time for both of you. What did she say?"
"When I left, I told her I'd pick Lilliana up on Sunday night and followed up with a text. She didn't respond, so I sent Ashton an email."
"What do you think will happen?"
"I'm not sure. I don't have any legal right to demand her back, but my attorney wants me to establish a pattern of behavior to show when Oakley isn't cooperative. I'm supposed to be reasonable, so her behavior looks ridiculous in comparison."
"What are you going to do if she doesn't allow you to see Lilliana?"
"Ashton said I could file an emergency petition for custody, saying she's keeping Lilliana from me. It will essentially give us a hearing. My attorney said it wouldn't make her look good."
"Is it a good thing if she keeps Lilliana?"
