Love You Hello (bk2)

Chapter Fourteen

Nic's POV
"Daddy?" Addie poked at my cheeks.
"What?"
"It's time to wake up."
"Why?"
"Because I have school!" she said loudly.
I opened my eyes and looked at the clock.
"She's right, Nic. She has school and you and I have work."
I sat up. "Damn it. I hate work."
"Daddy!" Addie scolded. "You swore!"
"Sorry, princess." I chuckled.
"That's a dollar in the swear jar!"
I looked at my daughter, "We don't have a swear jar."
"We do now!" She cheered and ran out of the bedroom.
I looked at Josie. "What did you do to my child?"
Josie shrugged, "I thought you had one. She scared me when I went to get a glass of water like an hour ago. I said shit and then when I apologized I told her I'd put a dollar in the swear jar. She'd never heard of it so I explained it to her and then she wanted me to make her one."
I groaned. "Crap, now I owe my child money every time I swear. She usually doesn't even care when I swear."
"Sorry."
I shrugged and got up, crossing the room. "Come here." She met me halfway and I held her close. "As long as you don't teach her to kill anyone or steal or anything, then don't apologize. I want her to trust you, okay?"
Josie nodded. "Okay."
I kissed her lips and then her cheek.
"Daddy!" Addie scolded.
"What, princess?"
"You always told me no kisses until we're all ready to go!"
Josie laughed out loud. "You did not!"

I sighed, "It was one time and now that's the rule. We get one kiss when she first wakes up and then no more until we're ready to leave for school."
"Wow. I guess I have a lot to learn."
"Josie?" Addie asked.
"Yes, Addie?"
"I can teach you everything you need to know about our house if you want!"
"Yeah? You'll do that?"
"Uh-huh! I can tell that Daddy really likes you, so that means that you'll be here a lot! Like Uncle Cee and Uncle Lukey! So I will teach you aaaaalllllll the things you need to know. Come on, you can help me get dressed for school and I'll show you my room."
Addie took Josie's hand and led her out of the room.
*************************
"Wait, so Josie met Addie last night?" Cade asked at lunch."Yep.""And she told you that Josie could stay the night so she did?"
I nodded, "Yep."
"Wow."
"Yep."
"Did anything else happen after Addie went to bed?"
I glared. "No."
Cade put his hands up in defense. "Okay, okay, I was just asking. I mean, I didn't think so, but with the way you look at her, people could talk, mate."
"What are you talking about?"
"Yesterday, at lunch, Nic." Luke answered. "You look at her like she's a goddess, like she's the queen."
I shrugged, "I love her a lot. If you two would find girlfriends instead of sleeping around, you might know what I'm talking about."
"Hey, now." Cade nudged my arm.
"Sorry, Cade, but seriously, she's amazing you guys."
Luke chuckled, "But seriously? Something had to happen. You're different today than you were yesterday. You're not so jittery. Or maybe you're more jittery, I don't know."
"I gave her my book."
Their eyes went wide. "You what?"
I shrugged, "What?!"
"You gave her your book that isn't published yet?" Cade asked."
Yea. What's so wrong about that?"
"It isn't published, Nic!" Liam exclaimed.
"Calm down, you guys. It's not like she's going to give it to someone else or lose it. She's just reading it."
"She could lose it! You don't know that for sure!"
"I can guarantee she won't lose it. It's on my dining room table so she can read it after work."
"After work?" Cade questioned.
"Yeah, I have a thing with Elise at Addie's school so Josie is going to watch her. What's the big deal?"
Luke and Cade just shrugged with smirks on their faces.
"I literally hate the two of you. You're awful."
"Mate, look," Cade said concerned. "we know you love her, but don't move so fast that you lose it before it starts. Introducing Addie and Josie is one thing, allowing Josie to watch her alone is something completely different. We don't want to see you hurting like you did with Elise, okay?"
"Guys, it's not like she's pregnant or has a kid of her own. We're talking about Addison James, one of the smartest little girls on this planet. If she didn't trust and like Josie so much, I wouldn't allow this."
"Nic. It's not about Addie. It's about you!" Luke pushed. "This is all about you and your feelings for her! Don't push her away. Give her space and options."
"She offered, Luke! And I don't make her stay, she wants to stay! I can barely look at her, let alone touch her, knowing how badly I hurt her before. I'm doing everything I am not to lose her, but I'm not forcing her to do anything. I promise that I'm doing this for me too, because I don't want to fall so far in and not be able to get back out. Never again will I do that."

Josie's POV
I rang the doorbell and waited for the door to open.
"Hey!" I looked behind me to see Nic and Addie walk up.
"Hi, I thought you two would be home by now."
"Not today. This one decided she would drop her book out the window while I was driving so we had to go back and get it."
Addie sighed, "I'm sorry Daddy."
"Well, now you know why I always say to keep your hands in the car. Come on. Let's go inside. I have to get ready to go meet your mum."
"How come, Daddy?" Addie asked.
"We're going to your school to talk to the teachers."
"Why?"
"Because we're new, Ads."
Nic unlocked the door and then surprised me by handing me the key. "Here. Just in case you have to go somewhere while I'm gone." He left a kiss on my cheek and then walked inside ahead of me.
"Wait!" I called after him. I closed the door and then followed him up to his bedroom. "Nic! Wait!"
"Sorry, babe, I have to change." He said as I walked into the room.
"Okay, well can we talk?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Why the key?"
"I told you. It's just in case you have to take Addie somewhere tonight. I haven't made a spare, but I can get the one from Elise."
I plopped on the bed and huffed, "You're confusing, you know that?"
He snuck a quick glance before continuing to get ready. "Why do you say that?"
"You say you love me, but you won't touch me, you entrust me with your daughter, but you're sneaky and just confusing about it."
I heard a low chuckle come from the closet, "Josie, love. I spent four years as a single parent, two years as a co-parent. Putting my trust for my daughter into someone else's hands is not an easy task. And what's more, is putting my life in their hands as well. It's all very nerve-wracking for me too." He stepped out of the closet in dark wash jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt. "Jos, the key is simply so that you can properly care for my daughter while I'm away. Everyone important has one. The only thing that is significant is that it's my key, from my key ring."
I sighed and met his gaze. "Sorry for overreacting. This is all really new for me."
"I know, love. Now, I have to go but you know where everything is and so does Addie." He crossed the room and kissed my forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too."
As he left the room, I got up and followed him. Stupid me for overreacting and letting my feelings get in the way of a simple thing like watching his daughter.
"Addison! Daddy is leaving!" Nic yelled.
Addie came running down the hall and slid on her socks into his outstretched arms. "I'll miss you, Daddy."
"I'll miss you too princess. Be good for Josie and make sure you help her out."
"I will."
He kissed her cheek one last time and then left.
Addie looked up and met my gaze with a smirk. "Wanna play tag?"
I smirked back, "You're it."