single dad: v.h

chapter ten

"Want a drink baby?" Vinnie asked, pulling away from the Starbucks line.

"Yeah, I want a juice." Bear said, playing a game on her tablet.

"Alright. Let's go in this gas station and get one." Vinnie said, turning the car off and getting his daughter from the backseat and carrying her inside.

They both picked out a drink and a donut and Vinnie payed for it. Bear happily skipped behind her dad back to the car with her bug juice and pink sprinkle donut in hand.

"Let me hold your stuff while you get in." Vinnie said, taking her food from her so she could crawl in the car.

"Daddy buckle me?" Bear asked, handing her the stuff so he could buckle her.

Vinnie smiled at her, kissing her cheeks and forehead as she giggled. He took his donut and drink back before getting into the drivers seat and starting the car.

"I don't want you to go to school today." Vinnie fake whined.

"But you want an excuse to see Miss Aaliyah don't you?" Bear asked, taking child sized bites from her donut.

"Yes, but I want an excuse to keep my baby even more." Vinnie said, reaching back once they were at a red light to rub her leg softly.

"What about tomorrow?" Bear asked, taking the last bite of her food.

"Deal." Vinnie answered.

They finally arrived at the school and Vinnie grabbed the coffee and Bear's book bag. The two walked in and went straight to Aaliyah's classroom.

"Vinnie!" Aaliyah beamed, not actually thinking that he would have shown up with coffee.

The fact that he stuck to his word made him 100 times more attractive than he already was. Aaliyah couldn't help but feel lucky to have met him when she did.

"Hey." Vinnie said, handing her the cup, totally disregarding his daughter whispering about him and their teacher.

"Thank you. I definitely needed coffee." Aaliyah said chucking, giving him a side hug where she let her head linger on his chest a bit.

Before Vinnie could say anything back a random little girl from across the classroom yelled a question to Aaliyah.

"Miss Aaliyah? Is that your boyfriend? Cause he's hot." She yelled.

"Don't call my daddy hot Sofia. That's disgusting." Bear said back.

Vinnie turned to hide the fact that he was laughing because if he'd shown that he was it's have ended in a full on fucking take down from Bear in front of a classroom of kindergartners.

"No Mr. Hacker is not my boyfriend. We're friends." Aaliyah answered, smiling up at Vinnie.

"They're in love guys." Bear corrected.

"No we're not, we're frie-"

"That's why you said in the car that you only wanted an excuse to see her this morning." Bear interrupted her dad.

"Bear Elizabeth Hacker if you ever embarrass me again-" Vinnie said, pointing at her but she knew he was only joking.

Vinnie's face turned bright red as he shook his head and wiped his face as the entire class called him a simp. How a bunch of 6 year olds knew that word he'd never understand.

"Don't worry, I secretly hope you'll walk inside and see me." Aaliyah said quietly not to further embarrass the 22 year old blushing man in front of her.

"Well that's sweet. I'll have to walk her in every morning." Vinnie said, giving the much smaller woman a quick hug.

"Bye Aaliyah." Vinnie smiled as she gave him a small wave.

Vinnie walked past Bear's table where she was sat with a bunch of girls.

"Daddy are you mad at me?" Bear asked.

"Honey no, I'm not mad at you." Vinnie said, crouching next to her chair and rubbing a hand over her curls.

"You're sure?" She asked.

"I'm sure. But I have to get revenge, so Papa Nate will be picking you up today. Have a good day baby." Vinnie laughed.

"Daddy no! He only listens to old people music and tells me I have to be a mini Babe Ruth! Don't do this to me!" Bear said as Vinnie walked out of the room waving to her and the class laughed at what she said.