I laughed. “Of course you want to be a rock star dad. You don’t even have a kid yet, and you’re already competing to be the best.”
“You’re pretty damn impressive, especially when you wear those little pigtails.” He used his hand to cover his mouth to keep from laughing. “And that was blue glitter, right?”
“Damn straight, asshole. And you’ll do the same thing. In fact, I’m going to wish three daughters on you now.”
He chuckled before he straightened his face. “If I had a little girl like Harper, I’d let her do whatever she wanted to do to me. You’re the standard, Charlie. If I’m half the dad that you are, I’ll be winning.”
My eyes widened just as Benji set our drinks down. “What’s going on here? It looks serious.”
“I think this broody bastard just complimented me, and I’m processing it.” I smirked.
“I don’t think anyone in town would argue with the fact that Charlie’s a damn good dad,” Myles said.
“I have to agree with that one. And now he’s practically married, and he’s living the dream,” Benji said.
I rolled my eyes and acted annoyed, but I couldn’t hide the smile spreading across my face.
Because Iwasliving the dream. I’d become a big sappy bastard, and I wasn’t even denying it.
And I couldn’t wait to get home to my girls.
Chapter Thirty-One
Violet
Charlie was working late, and I’d gotten off work early today, so I was happy to go get Harper from school. Jeanne had texted me, and we were going to take the girls for ice cream, since the weather was so nice.
When I arrived at Rosewood River Elementary School, Jeanne was already there, and she didn’t look happy.
“What’s wrong?” I whispered. The girls were still getting their backpacks from the classroom.
“Denise Quigley is the problem. She’s calling the girls ‘babies’ because a few kids in the class went down the demon this week.” She shook her head and rolled her eyes at the same time.
“What is the deal with this slide?” I chuckled. “I keep hearing about it. And Charlie said she needs to be ten years old to go down it. Is it that big?”
A loud laugh escaped her mouth. “No. Charlie and I went down that damn thing when we were in kindergarten. It’s just old and the sides aren’t super high, but I was thinking of going down with Lily, so I could hold on to her.”
Denise’s mom stood a few feet away from us as her son ran in and out of the classroom, and she just talked on her phone. Mrs. Wharton did not look happy as she escorted him out for the second time since I’d arrived.
Harper and Lily came walking out with frowns on their faces, and Denise hurried out after them.
“You two really can’t go? I can’t believe you’re afraid of a slide,” she said, and my hands fisted at my side.
“I’m not afraid, it’s just my dad’s rule that I can’t do it,” Harper said, hands on her hips, head high.
Attagirl.
“My mom said I could go if I want to, and I’m not afraid at all.” Lily glared at Denise.
“I bet you’re too much of a baby to go down, even if you go over there.”
“How about you take care of yourself and mind your own business?” Jeanne said to Denise as she took Lily’s backpack from her.
“Poor Harper is the only one who isn’t going,” Denise said before sticking her tongue out and then laughing. “Maybe we should call you ‘scaredy-cat baby Huxley.’”
“Denise, why don’t you go help your brother. He’s licking the pavement again.” I bent down and hugged Harper. I was definitely going to ask Charlie to speak to the school about this. Denise was clearly bullying Harper at this point, and the school needed to get involved. “Hey, Harps. How was your day?”
“It was fine. Can we go with Lily and Jeanne to the demon and watch Lily go down before we get ice cream?” She blinked a few times, and I could tell she was fighting back tears.
