The Conspiracy of Baby-Switching novel Chapter 77

"Do you want my picture for your office too?" She smiles hopefully. Not so much.

"Ahh... Sure."

Dominic smirks up at me and I know that he knows.

Some things are not supposed to be on the damn classroom wall, Lucia.

Ugh... That's a conversation for another day.

"Well, I have to get going," I tell them. "I'll pick you up this afternoon?" They both smile as if this is the best day in their life, and who am I kidding...it most definitely is mine.

They walk me out to the gate; Lucia proudly holds my hand as Dominic walks beside us. He's not touchy and affectionate like her, and as much as I want to hold his hand or hug him, I know that I can't overstep, I have to wait until he's ready. This isn't about me.

"See you this afternoon." I smile as I bend and hug Lucia, my eyes go to Dominic and he stands with his hands firmly in his pockets.

"Bye." He gives me a lopsided smile.

"Will I meet you at the gate this afternoon?" I ask. They both nod.

"Okay then."

I watch them as they skip off into the distance and I smile broadly, they're officially the cutest kids of all time.

"Hello," a voice says from behind me. I turn to see a woman. "I don't think we've met before." She has long dark hair and is immaculately groomed, attractive, and different from the other women here.

More New York and less Country bumpkin.

"Hello." I put my hand out to shake hers. "I'm Gabriel."

"Hello, Gabriel, lovely to meet you. I'm Felicity Fox." She holds my hand in hers a beat longer than necessary. "I haven't seen you around before?"

"I live in New York. Well, I've just moved here and will be living between the two. I'm Dominic and Lucia's father."

"Really?" Her eyes widen as she stares up at me. "Are you back with Violet, or did you move with your wife or..."

"No, I live alone."

"Oh..." She pulls her hand through her long black ponytail as her eyes hold mine.

Don't even.

"Nice to meet you, Felicity." I cut the conversation short. "I have to get going."

"Bye." She smiles, all sexy like.

I turn to walk away.

"Oh Gabriel," she calls.

"Yes?"

"I didn't catch your surname?"

She wants to google me.

"Coleman."

"I don't know what that is."

"Right." Ugh...I look at the board over the register and I don't know what any of this is. "Okay, give me a Jamaica Blue Mountain."

"A what, what?"

I exhale. What the fuck do they drink in this place? I need to buy a coffee machine as a matter of urgency.

"Okay just...give me whatever coffee you have." I sigh.

"Americano?"

"I guess."

"What was the name?"

"Gabriel."

He smiles. "That will be three dollars twenty, Gabriel."

Hell, at that price, it's probably dishwater. I pay him and go and stand to the side of the café as I wait.

The bell dings and two women walk in. "Hey, Thomas." They greet the cashier by name.

"Hi, Greer, hi, Sadie," he says. "The usual?" "Yes, please." They take a seat by the window.

"Hey, Thomas," a man calls from his table. "Your brother must be happy with his game last night, scored in the last five minutes."