The Hot New Single Dad Next Door (Welcome to Kiss County #2)

Chapter 13

13

LOTTIE

Two Months Later

W ith Liam’s hand in mine and Sonya’s in the other, the three of us walk toward the newly opened barbershop down the street. The sign comes into view and I smile as Sonya tugs on my arm to move faster.

Small Town Barbershop.

“Come on!” Sonya says. “Come on!”

“We’re going!” I laugh. “We’re going!”

We shuffle a little faster, passing by groups of tourists as they sneak kisses and take photos in the town square.

Summer has officially arrived in Kiss County.

We reach the entrance. The exterior is charming and inviting with a large, beaming window framed by a crisp white trim. A striped barber pole stands next to the door, the red, white, and blue spirals gently spinning in the breeze.

A bell chimes over our heads as we walk inside. I haven’t seen this space since before Mark destroyed it. Scott insisted I should wait, wanting to surprise me once it was finished.

Finally, I get my first look at it.

The inside is just as inviting, with polished hardwood floors that gleam under the soft lights. Photos of Small Town line the walls, many of them taken by myself and Scott over the last few weeks together. The main cutting area has a row of three classic burgundy leather barber chairs set against stations with large mirrors that make the space look larger than it is.

It was larger, right?

“Hello!” Kyle, Scott’s new and only employee, steps out of the back and smiles. “Oh. Hey, Lottie!”

“Hi, Kyle!” I greet.

“I’ll tell the boss you’re here.”

“Thank you!”

I walk the kids to the cozy chairs by the door and sit them down. Not a minute goes by before Scott steps out of the back, already grinning as he makes his way toward us.

“Daddy!” Sonya says, pushing off her chair to race into his arms.

“Hey, sweetie,” he says. He picks her up and covers her cheeks with kisses.

I greet him with a kiss of my own. “How’s it going so far?” I ask.

“Well, we’ve been open five minutes and my first customer has already arrived,” he says. “So, it’s going great!”

“Liam’s very excited about his haircut,” I say. “Aren’t you, Liam?”

Liam doesn’t answer. He just eyes us nervously through his overgrown bangs.

“Oh, it’s gonna be great, buddy!” Scott says as he sets Sonya down. He takes a knee and smiles playfully as he rubs Liam’s head. “Trust me. It won’t hurt and you won’t even miss it once it’s gone.”

Liam grins.

Scott stands up. “So, what do you think?” he asks me.

“It looks incredible, Scott!” I say, admiring it again. “Though...”

“What?”

I squint in thought. “It’s smaller than I remember.”

“Not too big for a barbershop, after all?” he teases.

“I guess not.”

He kisses me again, his smile wide and proud. “I have a surprise for you.”

“For me?”

“Kyle!”

Kyle pokes his head out of the back. “Yeah, boss?”

“Please get Mr. Linney prepped for his haircut,” Scott says. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Sure thing!”

I arch a brow as Scott takes my hand. “What’s going on?” I ask.

Scott kisses my fingers. “Come with me.”

I go with him. I’ll let Scott Smolders lead me anywhere.

The past two months have been... life-changing. Mark is long gone, up to his elbows in enough legal trouble that’s sure to keep him out of the picture for years — and then he’ll have the restraining order to keep him away for good.

Scott and I are official and nestled into a routine that feels like it’s always been this way. We’re still neighbors, but we spend enough time in each other’s houses that we might as well build a tunnel to link them together. Our kids get along like siblings. I adore Sonya. And Scott adores Liam.

It’s the family I’ve always wanted.

I follow Scott as he leads me through a dark wooden door to the right of the entrance into a large and empty room. For a moment, I pause, my brain struggling to make sense of it. The space would easily double the size of his barbershop. In fact, I’m pretty sure this door and the connected wall weren’t here before.

“What is this?” I ask.

“This...” Scott faces me. “This is your bakery.”

I blink. “What?”

“The day we met, you said something that’s stuck with me,” he says. “You said this place was too big for a barbershop.”

“I did, yeah. But…”

“And you were right,” he says, holding my hands. “I didn’t need that much space. So, I hired some guys and they?—”

“Oh, my god,” I whisper.

“They put up this wall.” He bobs his head toward the back. “And built the kitchen in the back.”

“Scott.” I force myself to breathe. “Why?”

“Because I felt bad,” he says. “You saved up for so long only for me to swing in and steal it from you. That wasn’t fair.”

“You didn’t steal it.”

“I did, but now it’s yours.” He smiles. “This town deserves your bakery, Lottie. You deserve to have your dream come true.”

I look around, my eyes full of tears, and I see it already. Small tables and chairs. A cute chalkboard listing today’s specials. Muffins and cupcakes and fresh-brewed coffee.

“Are you sure?” I ask, my voice breaking.

Scott smiles. “Yes. And the best part? Is that I get to wake up next to you each morning and walk home with you each night. You’ll always be right next door.”

I laugh as a tear falls down my cheek. “Scott, you are ridiculous.”

“No.” He wipes the tear away and cups my face. “I’m a man in love with you.”

He kisses me softly as my heart pounds with light and love. “Really?” I ask.

“Yes.” He gazes into my eyes. “I love you, Lottie Linney.”

“I love you, too,” I say.

Scott holds me tighter, his kiss deep and true. “And I really love the scent of your mini muffins baking in the oven, so this is gonna be awesome.”

I laugh and throw my arms around him, my dream coming true.