If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny: a single dad, grumpy sunshine, small town romance

“HEY, MARLOW?”

“Hey, lolabug?”

“Um… Why is Waffles jumping on Daddy?”

What?

I sprint to the window overlooking my backyard, and sure enough, Dylan’s lying flat on his back on the deck. Waffles is standing over him, licking his face.

Dylan got back from New York an hour ago and was eager to have another training session with Waffles. He wanted to do it while the training videos he watched on the plane were fresh in his mind. From what I can see, they’re not proving very helpful.

I open the back door and stick my head outside. “You guys okay back here?”

Dylan props himself up on his elbows to look at me. “Yeah.” He glances at Waffles. “I think we’ve had enough for today, don’t you, boy?”

Waffles barks loudly in response, sprinting toward me. I barely manage to step aside as he runs past me into the kitchen where Lola’s standing with open arms.

“Hey, Waffles. I missed you,” she exclaims.

Based on their reunion, you’d think they’ve been separated for decades, not a few days.

Quinn watched Waffles while I was in New York over the weekend. Thankfully, he was well-behaved, except for an unapproved visit to Main Street Market. He must have had a craving for meatballs.

“How’d it go?” I ask Dylan when he comes inside.

“We’ll get there eventually,” he says with determination.

I have no doubt he’ll keep at it until Waffles learns to follow commands.

“Thanks for your help.” I squeeze his arm in appreciation as he slides past, the desire to touch him—however innocent—is overwhelming. Judging by the banked heat in his eyes, he’s feeling something similar.

“Daddy, Marlow, I have something to tell you,” Lola says, impatiently waiting for us to listen.

“What is it, ladybug?” Dylan asks.

“At school today, Ms. Thornberry told our class that the older kids are doing a play called Allie in Wanderland.”

“I think you mean Alice in Wonderland,” I gently correct her.

Since Dylan had to stay in New York an extra day, Johanna and Mike flew home with Lola yesterday. She spent the night at their place, and Johanna dropped her off at school this morning. I offered to pick her up, giving me a chance to see her and Dylan this afternoon.

Ms. Thornberry sent me home with a newsletter with all the details for the upcoming play the fifth graders are putting on. Their teacher asked the first graders to take part in non-speaking roles.

“Yes!” Lola’s eyes light up. “I’m going to be a daisy,” she squeals with delight.

Her comment reminds me of the painting Dylan bought at my art exhibition. He still hasn’t seen it, but it would be a wonderful surprise if it arrived in time for Lola’s play.

The piece would be the perfect addition to his living room, bringing a touch of color to the space. I don’t miss the irony of shipping the painting to The Artist only for Gavin to have to ship it back to Aspen Grove.

“Daddy, can you help me practice being a daisy?” Lola asks Dylan.

“Absolutely, but considering Marlow’s expertise in flowers, I think it would be a fantastic idea to involve her, don’t you agree?”

“Yes,” Lola shouts for joy. “I can’t wait.”

I offer Dylan a smile of appreciation for including me in this. Since our relationship is new, I’m letting him decide how much time I spend with him and Lola, especially since we’re holding off on telling her we’re seeing each other.

Dylan’s phone buzzes in his pocket, and a serious look crosses his face when he checks the notification.

“Lola, it’s time to go,” he announces. “Nana and Gramps are waiting for you at our place.”

Who are Nana and Gramps?

Lola calls Dylan’s mom and dad Gigi and Papa, so I know he has to be referring to someone else.

“I can’t wait to see them.” Lola runs to the front door and races outside toward her house. Fortunately, I catch hold of Waffles before he can follow her.

“Wait for me, ladybug,” Dylan hollers as he chases after Lola. “I’ll be right back,” he calls over his shoulder before shutting the door behind him.

I’m left standing alone in my kitchen, trying to make sense of what just happened. Dylan hadn’t said he was expecting any visitors today, but then again, we haven’t had a chance to catch up since he got back.

My curiosity gets the best of me, leading me to peek out the window in my living room.

A couple, who appear close to Dylan’s parents’ age, are standing in his driveway. They warmly embrace Lola, and as they talk with Dylan, his posture becomes noticeably rigid when the woman gives his arm a squeeze.

Lola hops into the backseat of the car, and Dylan buckles her in while the couple gets into the front seat. They must have had a booster seat installed already because Dylan wouldn’t let her go without one. Once he’s finished, he closes the car door and waves goodbye as they drive away. I wonder where they’re taking Lola.

When Dylan heads back toward my house, I rush over to the couch and plop down. I don’t want him to think I was intruding by watching his interaction with them.

He knocks once before coming inside.

“I’m in the living room,” I call out.

He walks in and takes a seat on the couch next to me.

“I’m assuming you watched from the window?” he asks with a hint of amusement.

“Maybe.” I shrug. “You ran out of here without an explanation, and I was curious about who those people were.”

“They are Maddie’s parents,” he explains. “I forgot to tell you earlier that they were stopping by tonight to take Lola out for a few hours.”

”Do they live around here?”

He shakes his head. “No. They moved to Michigan after she graduated from high school. They fly in every three months to visit friends and now to see Lola. They usually take her out to dinner and a movie.”

I give him a puzzled look. “I didn’t think Maddie was in Lola’s life.”

“She’s not,” he says quickly.

“I don’t understand.”

He scoots closer until our legs are touching and looks me in the eye. “Maddie was inconsolable when we found out she was pregnant with Lola. She said she wanted to have the baby, but when Lola was born, she withdrew completely.” His voice lowers as he continues. “I came home from work one night to find Maddie waiting for me with her packed suitcases by the front door of our apartment. She said that after several conversations with her parents and therapist, she decided that she needed a fresh start that didn’t include me or Lola. That’s the last time we saw her.”

I can’t imagine what that must have been like for him. One day thinking they were a happy family, and the next, he was navigating the challenges of being a single dad.

“If Maddie’s parents influenced her decision to leave Lola, why would you want them to spend time with her?” It doesn’t make sense.

“It’s not that simple,” he states with deep-rooted frustration. “Her parents never explicitly suggested that Maddie leave us; they simply listened and acknowledged how she felt about the situation. They were just as shocked as I was when she left.” He rakes his fingers through his hair. “As a parent, I can appreciate where they were coming from. They called shortly after and expressed an interest in spending time with Lola whenever they came into town.”

“But aren’t they still in touch with Maddie?” I ask with apprehension. “Aren’t you worried about what they say to Lola when you’re not around?” I could be overreacting, but the idea of anyone making that little girl feel unwanted or undervalued concerns me.

“They’ve agreed not to discuss Maddie with her. If, in the future, Maddie expresses a desire to reconnect with Lola, her parents will tell me, and we’ll discuss the next steps. But I don’t anticipate that happening anytime soon.”

“Does Lola ever ask about Maddie?”

He shakes his head. “No, not often.”

“Don’t you think she’ll ask more questions as she gets older?”

Like how I’m doing now.

“Probably, but I’ll address it when the time comes.” He heaves a sigh. “Marlow, I appreciate your concern, but I’m doing my best, given the circumstances. You might disagree, but I want Lola to have a normal childhood, including having relationships with both sets of her grandparents. It doesn’t matter if it’s challenging for me; it’s what’s best for her.”

I nervously tuck my hair behind my ear. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you think I was questioning your choices. You’re an amazing father, and I know Lola will appreciate you giving her the chance to have a relationship with her grandparents as she gets older.” I give him a tentative smile. “I get overprotective of the people I care about and should have expressed my concerns differently.”

I often struggle with reading social cues. I get so caught up in my own emotions that I miss how others interrupt my words or actions. This often results in me unintentionally saying or doing the wrong thing.

“Hey.” Dylan clasps my hands in his. “I’m not upset,” he reassures me. “I’m just not used to explaining my decisions regarding Lola to anyone, but I value your concern. The fact you care so much means the world, and we’re lucky to have you.”

“We, huh?”

“Yeah, Lola isn’t the only one grateful you’re in our lives.” He leans over to press a kiss against my lips. “You know, one advantage of having her spend time with her grandparents is that we have a few hours to ourselves.”

“Is that so?” I smirk. “Whatever will we do?”

“I have a few ideas,” he says with a mischievous grin.