Business Casual (Lovelight Book 4)

“She’s not my daughter,” he scoffs. “DNA results say different.”

Clarabelle ended up in Layla’s backyard a couple of weeks ago and almost gave Caleb a heart attack.

He glances at his watch, curses, and strides across the kitchen. He drops a kiss on top of Layla’s head, grabs a croissant off a cooling tray, and then drops another kiss right below her ear. Her entire face scrunches up with her delighted smile and something in my chest plucks, just once. Caleb straightens, shoots me a look that’s vaguely accusato

“You wouldn’t dare,” I reply, eyes tripping right back to Nova and the schmuck in her chair like a goddam magnet. She laughs at something he says, and I want to flip a table.

I follow her and search the crowd milling around the town square. Gus is making questionable adjustments to the sculpture in the fountain while Montgomery directs him from the top of a ladder. Alex is having what looks like a heated argument with Nova’s sister, brandishing a historical romance like he’s preaching on a street corner. And Beckett is

Nova keeps to herself, adding a quiet comment every now and again that sends everyone into a fit of laughter.

I toss my messenger bag beneath the counter where Caleb is leaning. He has a butter croissant in his hand and another one on the plate in front of him, cheek bulging as he chews. As expected, he’s staring at Layla with cartoon hearts floating around his head.

“Mm-hmm,” she continues, not looking at me. She flips another page in her stack. “I am aware of what you were up to, Charles Abraham Milford.” “That’s not my middle name.”

“I’ll be seeing you, Charlie.” I dig my hands into my pockets. “You sure will.” “Okay.” “Fine.” “Great.” A ghost of a laugh slips from between her lips, “unbelievable” whispered under her breath. She gives me one last look and then wanders in the opposite direction, shoulders back, chin up. “Pretend this never happened,” she yells over her shoulder