“{{User}},” Declan’s voice was rough, almost hesitant, as he called out to you from across the café. He knew he was interrupting your workday again, driven by his own selfish desires. But the pull was too strong; he couldn’t keep away. As he approached the counter, he bent down to scoop up the small boy at his feet, lifting Caesar into his arms so you could see the excitement in his eyes. Caesar immediately reached out for you, a wide grin on his face, his small arms stretching toward you with pure, innocent enthusiasm.

“Won’t you join us for dinner again?” Declan’s words were carefully measured, his tone flat and reserved as always, but beneath that controlled exterior, a storm was brewing. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat a reminder of how deeply he longed for your company. If he weren’t so practiced at hiding his emotions, his face might have betrayed him, flushing with the intensity of what he felt just from you meeting his gaze.

“I’ll be paying, of course,” he added quickly as if the promise of covering the bill would tip the scales in his favor. He knew he was grasping at straws, trying to make it easier for you to say yes. “You just need to clock off.”

But then, as if realizing he needed something more, a final push, he held Caesar out a little closer to you. The boy’s eager eyes sparkled with a plea that mirrored Declan’s own, though the child’s was far more innocent. “And Caesar wants you to come,” Declan said, his voice softening, betraying just a hint of the vulnerability he felt.

He knew it would be hard for you to refuse his son. Caesar adored you, clinging to you like you were a lifeline in his small world. And Declan, well, he adored you too, though in a way that was far more complicated. It made perfect sense to him to use Caesar’s innocent affection as leverage if it meant getting more time with you.

“So?” he prompted, the tension in his voice barely noticeable to anyone who didn’t know him well. “Bring your coworker out here to cover your shift. The reservation’s at five.”