Hired by the Single Dad (The Single Dads of Seattle, #1)

by Whitley Cox

But he didn’t kiss her. Instead he whispered, “It gets better. Right now, I know it hurts. Right now, you hate men. Possibly even the world. But one day you’ll wake up and realize you’re so much better off. It does get better.” Then he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, pulled away, winked, and was gone.

Mark managed to grab Gabe’s flailing arms and brought them into the child’s chest, applying deep pressure. Then he scooped Gabe up and drew him into his arms, holding him tight to his own chest, eventually maneuvering his son so that he was straddling his father’s lap, one leg on either side of Mark’s torso, Gabe’s arms pinned between their chests. His little boy’s moans slowly began to ebb, and his breathing grew deeper and less erratic.

He switched off the light and knelt down next to Gabe’s bed, his face mere inches from his son’s. Brushing the sweaty hair off his forehead, he leaned in and kissed Gabe twice. Once because he was Gabe’s father and a second time for the mother that he no longer had. “I love you,” he whispered before standing back up and moving to the door. “She may have found you too difficult, too much to handle, but to me, you’re perfect just the way you are.”

He’d missed coming home to someone. Someone he could share his day with, share his home with, share his life with. He missed the banter over the dinner table, the quiet chit-chat once Gabe was in bed as they just vegged out in front of the TV for the rest of the night. He missed falling asleep next to someone. He missed love.

Did she feel it too? The pull? The draw? The need to be near each other? Or was it all entirely in his head?

“I want to apologize for Gabe scratching you. He really isn’t normally that aggressive.” Her smile was demure, and long lashes fluttered against her cheek. “I know that. He’s a fantastic kid. I know he didn’t mean to hurt me. Transitions are hard. And he’s very attached to Mrs. Samuelson, so to walk in and see the substitute teacher, I knew we were in for a bit more of a challenging day.”

“Let’s go,” Isobel said softly, urging Tori to turn around. “They’re not yours anymore.” Nodding reluctantly, Tori turned around, only to hear one last long, low moan of her name as Mark pulled his sobbing son out into the parking lot and out of her life for good. “Tooooooooooooooorrrrriiiiiiiii!” Her heart shattered.

“I want you. I want you in my life. My house. My bed. My arms … my heart. I need you. Gabe needs you. I need you to come back to us. If more children is what you want, then we can discuss it. Or we could adopt. If marriage is what you want, then I want that too. I want you, and I’ll do whatever I have to to get you back.”

“I was afraid. And I let that manifest into anger, and I reacted irrationally. I said some horrible things to you, things I take back, things I never meant. Not for one second.” His eyes met hers. “Tori, I am so sorry. Please, give me another chance to prove to you how much you mean to me. To us. We need you.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “I need you.” Her fingers bunched in the front of his shirt. His lips brushed against hers. “I love you.”