“Mase, can you pick up the cake before you head home this evening?” Lennox asks while stepping out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.

I lick my lips as I look her up and down. We’re in our early forties now, but every time I look at her, she’s still the eighteen-year-old girl I fell head over heels in love with.

My gaze roves from her long, tan legs to her perfect ass that’s only gotten better with age up her slender neck to her pouty lips. I can feel them pressed against mine just from seeing them.

She points her finger at me. “Stop it. I know what you’re doing, and we don’t have time for it today.” Her eyebrows are arched up, and she has the stick to business look in her bright green eyes. I know that look. I’ve seen it many times over the years, but it doesn’t stop me.

With a couple strides, I close the distance between us and pull her towel covered body against mine. She wraps her arms around my neck while looking up at me. Her green eyes burn even brighter before she sucks her bottom lip into her mouth, between her teeth. The current crackles between us even after all these years. “Do you know how much I love you?”

She rolls her eyes and smiles. “After all these years? Yeah, I think I do.”

A small laugh falls from my lips. “Did you know that you’re even more beautiful now than the day I met you?” I ask while slowing walking her backwards toward the bed.

She slaps my chest playfully. “How do you expect me to believe that? My boobs have started to sag, and I have these little wrinkles around the corners of my eyes.”

I shake my head. “You’re perfect. Just looking at you still gets me going.” I lay her back and cover her body with my own.

“A slight breeze still gets you going.” She laughs.

I take her wrists and hold them above her head with my left hand while my right is free to remove her towel, so I can gaze upon her perfect body. “Nothing gets me going like you do.” My lips crash into hers, sending a tingle throughout my body that lights every nerve ending. Each and every part of me yearns for her, like we haven’t touched in years.

* * *

“Dad, I need a ride to town. The team is meeting up for pizza,” Emma says as she throws her purse over her shoulder.

I turn and set my empty coffee cup in the sink. “How are you going to get back home?”

“I’ll just hang out in town until you get off work.” She shrugs her shoulder before placing her hand on her hip. Her long, dark curls flow around her and her ice-blue eyes sparkle from the sun streaming through the open window. She’s looks so much like Lennox, everything but her eyes, those are all mine.

“Alright, come on.” I nod toward the door and grab my keys off the entryway table. “Mase, don’t forget the cake,” Lennox says as she steps closer to me, placing a quick kiss on my lips.

“I won’t,” I tell her. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” she calls back while walking into the kitchen.

Emma and I step out of the front door, and I hand her fifty bucks. “While you’re hanging out in town today, pick up your birthday cake.”

She laughs and slides the money into her pocket. “I have to pick up my own cake now?”

“Yeah, and if you have any change left over, buy some new shorts. Those are entirely way too short,” I say as I climb behind the wheel of my truck.

“I’ve told you a hundred times, they don’t make them any longer.”

I roll my eyes. “Then go to the clothing room at the church. I know those ladies wouldn’t let something like that come through the doors.” I start the truck and shift into reverse.

“You don’t give Mom shit about the shorts she wears, and most of the time, they’re shorter than mine.”

“First of all, watch your mouth, young lady. And secondly, I like those shorts on your mom. I don’t like them on you.”

Her eyebrow arches while her eyes widen. “I’m eighteen, and I can’t say shit?”

“No, not around me anyway.”

She scoffs before turning up the radio and getting comfortable in her seat.

After a long silence, she asks, “So, am I getting a new car for my birthday?”

I laugh. “If I tell you what you’re getting for your birthday, your mom will have my head. So, No. You’re not getting a new car.”

“That means yes,” she laughs out.

I shake my head. “I swear to God, if you don’t act surprised…”

“I will! I promise.” She wears a wide smile as she gazes off out the window. “Is it the Jeep I wanted?”

“That I’m not telling you. There can be at least one surprise.”

She leans toward me just a little. “It is, isn’t it?”

I place the palm of my hand against her forehead and gently push her back against her seat. “Stop looking at me like that. You know you can extract all my secrets with those big eyes and a smile. It’s not happening this time.”

She giggles and before I know what’s happening, she’s up on her knees, reaching over the center console, giving me a hug. “Thank you, Daddy!”

I hug her back with one arm. “Alright, cut it out and sit down before we wreck. You better be a damn good actress because your mom will kill me for ruining this.”

She takes her seat and pulls her seatbelt around her. “I promise.” She beams her best smile.

I turn to look out my window, so she doesn’t see my massive smile. Making her happy makes me happy, but I can’t let her see just how happy I am. I really didn’t want to ruin the surprise, but Lennox should know better by now. Don’t tell me anything. I can’t keep secrets from my little girl when she bats those big eyes. I’ve always been wrapped around her little finger.

I stop the truck outside of the pizza place, and she hops out.

Before she closes the door behind her, I yell, “Don’t forget the cake.”

“I won’t.” She shuts the door.

“And don’t forget some shorts!” I yell through the open window.

She turns and gives me a dirty look over her shoulder before I drive toward the shop.

Over the past eighteen years, many things have changed, but only one really bothers me: Joey is no longer an employee.

She came back to work for a while but had to finally call it quits after she fell down the few steps out front and broke her ankle. She’s never quite recovered after that. It breaks my heart she’s getting old and can’t be at the shop anymore. But I stop by her house every evening and make sure she has everything she needs for the next day.

I’ve managed to keep the shop up and running, even after all these years. And it’s doing better than ever. Most of the time, I don’t even need to come in. But what else would I do?

I think back on all the ways I’ve filled my life — working in the shop and touring with Lennox many times, even bringing the kids along with us. Hell, we actually lived on a tour bus until Emma started school, and Lennox decided she needed a normal life, so we went back home.

Our lives have been crazy but extraordinary. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Since the kids are practically grown now, she’s been taking gigs here and there. Nothing big, just guest appearances that only require us to be away from home for a couple nights.

And now that Emma is turning eighteen, she’ll be leaving for college soon. We’ll only have Preston at home, but not for long because he’ll be leaving for college in two years. We haven’t talked much about what we’ll do when the kids are gone, but I’m looking forward to it just being us again. When’s the last time it was just us? Mentally I rewind…

When Lennox came back after launching her career, everything in our lives went crazy. There was Ashley. And Nicole. And Chris to deal with. So many people to deal with. And then when they were out of the way, we found out Lennox was pregnant.

It’s never really been just us for very long.

Shifting the truck into park, I switch off the ignition, but I don’t move to get out yet. Instead, I sit and look out over the ocean. It’s always been a part of me, even back when I could only think of Lennox when I looked at it. Looking at the waves, every memory Lennox and I have had on that ocean washes over me: the day we met, our first boat ride, the first time we made love on my boat, me sitting out there alone after she left, wishing the water would open and swallow me up, the day she came back and we got closer than we should have, and every little moment after that. It’s all ingrained deeply inside of me.

I jump when someone pounds on the side of the truck. I look over and see Trent. He’s motioning with his hand for me to roll the window down.

I shake my head and open the door, climbing out. “What are you doing? You scared the shit out of me.”

He lets out a laugh as he leans against my truck and pushes his dark hair out of his eyes. “I don’t need anything. I just wanted to escape. It’s crazy in there.”

I look over at the shop which looks completely peaceful. “What do you mean, it’s crazy in there?”

“We’ve been slammed all day. Not to mention, you have double employees on every position.”

I groan and run my hands through my hair. “Fucking Stacy.”

He lifts his eyebrow. “You let Stacy make the schedule?”

I nod and rest against the truck. “Yeah, she wanted more responsibility. I figured she couldn’t screw it up too badly. I mean, one person per position. What’s hard about that?”

“The girl smokes more weed than your brother on 420.”

I laugh. “Let’s send some people home, then we can go fish or something.”

“Now you’re talking,” he says, slapping me on the back as we make our way around the truck.

I step inside the shop, and Trent’s right. The place is crazy. There are two people behind the checkout counter, even though there’s only room for one. I look over to my left where the rental station is, and Steve is sitting behind the counter with his phone in his hand. Since Trent is here, I’m sure he was doing the same thing until he noticed me pull in. I turn and look around the store area. I usually have one person on the floor to stock shelves, help customers, and make runs. But today, there are two people walking around aimlessly.

“Alright, who wants to go home for the day?”

They all stop what they’re doing and raise their hands. I roll my eyes. “One person per position. So, some of you will have to stay.”

I point to the people who need to clock out and tell them to go home, leaving one person for each job.

Once they clear out, I move into my office and take a seat behind the desk. Trent follows and sits across from me.

“How’re the kids doing? Are you guys coming by later for Em’s party?” I ask him as I look through the stack of mail on my desk.

“Yeah, we’ll be there. I can’t believe she’s eighteen. I remember when they were all running around in the yard, eating dirt.”

I laugh. “Yeah, I know. It’s going to be weird not having her home when she leaves for college. How did you talk Macy into staying home?”

He lets out a long breath and sits back in his seat, crossing his ankle over his knee. “We didn’t talk her into staying. She threw everything away for some stupid ass guy that ended up cheating on her and breaking her heart.”

My head pops up. “Dillion cheated on her?”

I see his jaw flex before he nods. “Yep, but don’t worry. I took care of it.”

“What do you mean, you took care of it?”

“I sent the boys over to rough him up a bit.”

I rub my forehead and sigh. “Is that why Preston came home last week with his shirt torn?”

Trent just smiles.

“Damn it, Trent. You can’t do that shit. If Lennox finds out…”

He sits up, resting his arms on the desk. “Chill, she won’t find out. I’m pretty sure Jax took care of most of the heavy work anyway.”

“Jax too?”

He lifts his brows. “Who did you think I meant when I said boys?”

“Mine and yours. You got my son and nephew in on your little mafia hit?”

He waves his hand through the air. “Don’t say it like that. I didn’t have him killed. I just taught him a lesson is all. I paid the boys for their time.”

“You paid them? What the fuck, Trent?” I throw myself back and close my eyes while rubbing my temples.

“You’d do the same thing for Emma. Don’t act like you wouldn’t.”

He’s got a point there. If some kid hurt my little girl, I’d make sure he learned his lesson. Only difference is I’d do it myself, not send a bunch of kids.

“You’ll never guess what I walked up on the other day,” Trent says, changing the subject.

I power on my computer and look over at him, almost afraid of his answer. “What?”

“Levi and Emma, in a lip lock.” He’s grinning widely.

I stand up suddenly. “What?”

He laughs while watching me pace. “What the hell’s going on with that? They’ve been friends their whole lives. They can’t date!”

“What’s the big deal, man?” He’s still laughing. He did this on purpose. He knew I wouldn’t be cool with my little girl dating his son. His son who’s the same way he used to be.

Suddenly, I’m hit with a flashback of Trent being chased naked from a motel room when the husband of the woman he was sleeping with came in. Then it shifts to a daydream of his son, Levi, being chased out of the same motel room by me when I walk in and catch him with my daughter.

“Chill, I don’t think they’re dating. I think they were just messing around,” he says all chill like.

I stop dead in my tracks. My heart is pounding, my chest is heaving, and it feels like I have a fire burning beneath my skin. “I’m going to kill your son if he touches my daughter again.”

He rolls his eyes. “Nothing’s going to happen. I think they both know that. Emma will be leaving for college in a couple months, and Levi still has two years of high school. She’s too old for him anyway. I get why he had to try for the older girl though.” He smiles.

I fall back into my seat, trying to calm my erratic heart. “Go grab a cooler, and we’ll head out as soon as I finish replying to these emails,” I tell him while not bothering to look at him. I don’t want to see his smug grin. Right now, I need to process this new information and cool off.

“Alright, man. They’re just kids. Don’t freak out,” he says as he stands and heads for the door.

He opens it and says, “Speak of the devil.”

I look up to see Emma walk in, holding a big white box. “Why did Mom order this big of a cake? I mean, it looks like a damn wedding cake.”

“Watch your mouth,” I tell her as I pull the top off the box and look inside.

She’s right. It does look like a wedding cake. All it’s missing is the bride and groom on top.

I put the lid back on the box and notice the words, “Raspberry filling” and laugh. “I know why your mom bought this cake.”

“Why?” Emma asks.

“Because she knew I’d eat it all,” I joke.

“So, she got your favorite cake for my birthday?”

I laugh. “Have you tried this cake?”

She shakes her head.

“It’ll be your favorite too.” I pick up the cake and set it on top of the filing cabinet, so it won’t be disturbed.

“I’ll catch up with you later, Dad,” Emma says, heading for the door.

“Hold it.”

She spins around to face me.

“Have a seat.” I sit back down and wheel myself back up to the desk as she takes a seat across from me.

“What’s up?” She pushes her long, dark hair away from her face.

“What’s going on with you and Levi?”

She laughs. “Nothing. Why?”

“Trent was just in here and filled me in on what he saw the other day.”

She rolls her ice-blue eyes. “It really was nothing, Dad. We’re not seeing each other if that’s what you’re thinking. I mean, he’s two years younger than me. And he’s Preston’s best friend.”

“I know all of this, but it didn’t seem to stop you from kissing him.” I train my eyes on her.

She takes a deep breath. “Okay, look. Levi and I aren’t dating, but we do hang out sometimes.”

“And by hang out you mean…”

She shrugs. “We hang out. We watch movies and go places together.”

“And where does the kissing come in?”

She rubs her temples. “Do we seriously have to talk about this? Can’t you just take my word that nothing is going on?”

“No, I can’t because this whole time I thought nothing was going on. But finding out you two are kissing, that’s not nothing. That’s something.”

“He took me out to dinner, and we went bowling. It was a nice night. I was dropping him off at home, and before he got out of the car he leaned over and kissed me. It was nothing.”

“Was this supposed to be a date?”

“I didn’t think it was. I just thought we were hanging out. I thought that Preston, Macy, and Jax would be there. I think maybe it was a date, but he made it seem casual. I know he likes me, and I like him, but he’s too young for me. I’m leaving soon. I don’t want to hurt him.”

I let out a breath of relief. “Okay, you just need to sit him down and tell him nothing can happen. Just ignoring this whole thing will lead him on, and you’ll end up hurting him.”

She nods. “I know. You’re right. I was just trying to hold off for as long as possible.”

“Well, they’ll be at your party this evening, so I think your time’s up.”

“Alright. I’ll figure it out. I’ll be back at closing time.” She stands and moves toward the door.

I don’t stop her from leaving, but I stare after her. When did my baby girl get so big?

I miss her playing Barbies and telling me make-believe stories, not going on dates and kissing boys.

I know I’m being stupid by refusing to believe she’s an adult now. But she’ll always be my little girl, and I’ll always protect her, whether she wants me to or not.

“You ready?” Trent asks, sticking his head inside my office.

I haven’t gotten to reply to the emails yet, but after that conversation, I need a break. I push away from the desk. “Yes. Let’s go drown our problems in the ocean.”

He grins. “And beer.”