Chapter 49
I say, “Well, she’s a horse.”
Riley gives me an insufferable look. “Daddy, no. It’s because she’s not real. Duh.”
Yet if I said that, I’d never hear the end of it. “Just…go brush your teeth.”
Of course, she balks. “I have to pick up my clothes—”
“I’ll do it,” I tell her.
Otherwise we’ll be here all night, and damn it, I want to spend sometime with Derek if I can. This is officially the last date she’s going on until she gets a boyfriend of her own. 20
When Riley is finally tucked in—teeth brushed, pajamas on, covers up to her chin, and her favorite bedtime story read—I hurry back downstairs to spend what little remains of the evening in Derek’s company. Alone. I’ve had my fair share of dates over the years, but Mrs. Duran was always on hand to take Riley for a few hours or overnight if I needed some privacy. It’s going to take me awhile to get used to her not being around.