Daisy (lashton)

Chapter 19

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." The words were out of Ashton's mouth before he could think twice and he slapped a hand over his mouth as the mothers around him shot him dirty looks.

"What?" Calum started to look around wildly and Ashton slapped him.

"Stop that! He'll notice you!"

"What the hell are you... oh, OH!" Calum whipped around to stare at Ashton with a broad grin. "Pretty boy really stepped up, huh?" The blush rising up Ashton's neck made Calum laugh as he chanced another glance across the room and to the tall blonde who walked into the studio.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Ashton attempted to hide behind Calum, but it was no use.

"LUKEY!" Ashton cursed as his daughter launched herself into Luke's arms.

"Maybe he took what you said to heart?" Ashton rolled his eyes at Calum's optimism, but he couldn't help the slight smile on his face as he watched Luke hug his daughter back.

"I don't know, Cal. I honestly doubt it."

"Why else would he willingly show up to your daughter's 'Mommy-Daughter event? That's a pretty serious thing to do for just a hook up." Ashton went to respond, but he had no words, so he shrugged.

"No clue." Ashton watched as Luke's eyes roamed the room before coming to land on his own. The older man squirmed where he stood, the heat rising under his collar as Luke stared deeply into his eyes and smiled. Ashton's breath caught in his throat and he looked away to where his daughter was now grabbing at Luke's wrist and beginning to drag him over to the food table.

"Speaking of Mother-Daughter events," Ashton's gaze broke away from where Luke and Daisy stood talking to a group of girls to land on his friend, "where is Mallory and why are you here instead?"

Calum took a sip from the cup of punch he held in his hand before speaking. "Last minute emergency at work, she felt so bad she was crying as she left this morning, which of course then made me cry. Wasn't about to let the girls miss this, they'd been looking forward to it all month." Calum shrugged. "Plus, I knew you'd be here so I figured we could fight off the cougars together."

Ashton laughed, getting ready to respond when a small voice caught his attention, "You're just saying that because your Mommy is dead!" Ashton's eyes widened as he whipped around to see some little brat talking back to his daughter. His blood roared in his veins and his heart cracked in half as he took in the sight of his little girl with tears in her eyes as someone made fun of the fact she didn't have a mother. Ashton knew kids were cruel, he knew it was just a matter of time before Daisy was confronted with this, but he had hoped he'd have a few more years before he had to endure this type of heart break...

"Woah, hold on," Calum held Ashton back as he took a step towards the table.

"What the fuck, Calum, let go of me!"

"Wait, look." Ashton looked over to see Luke cradling Daisy in his arms, stroking her back soothingly as he murmured to her softly. Ashton's stiff jaw slacked a bit, and he watched curiously as Luke made up a plate of sweets for Daisy before leading her over to sit on his lap at a table across the room. Ashton was quiet as he watched the way Luke spoke to Daisy, smiling himself as Daisy giggled, nose now covered in pink frosting. The gentle way that Luke was talking to his daughter made Ashton's heart throb in his chest. It was a completely different image to the cocky boy who had propositioned him on Monday.

"Ashton?" Ashton's focus on the pair was broken when a few of the older mother's from Daisy's class approached him.

"Oh, hi Carey, Maria, Nicole." Ashton greeted each woman with a head nod and smile before letting his eyes drift back over to where Daisy and Luke sat talking.