Love Rekindled (Love Surfaced) (18 page)

“Eight. That’s the best I can do.” The clicking of keys now replaces the sounds in the background.

“Great. Thanks, Audrey.”

“Ashby, I’ll be here to let you in, and then you’ll lock up. Don’t fuck this up.” I can just imagine her getting up on those tiptoes, all five feet of her trying to intimidate me.

“Thanks. Boy or girl?” I stop her before she hangs up on me.

“Boy.” I hear excitement and happiness in her voice.

“That’s great. I have a daughter myself.”

“You? Have a daughter?”

“Yep.” I’m proud to tell people I’m a father of an amazing girl, whose mother did an outstanding job of raising her.

“I had no idea. It’s a scary thought though, you as a father.” She laughs. “Eight o’clock, Ashby. Don’t be late.”

“I won’t.”

The line goes dead at the same time Taylor walks down the stairs.

She still has the capacity to take my breath away. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail again, and she’s wearing a pair of skinny pants and a sweater. She’s beautiful, and it hurts me that she’s not solely mine yet.

“You look gorgeous,” I say when she reaches the last step.

“Thank you.” She blushes, making me want to see her flushed like that after I’ve made love to her.

The urge to kiss her is so strong, but I keep my distance, not wanting to ruin anything before we start.

My phone alerts me of a text message, so I pull it out, finding Cayden’s name.

“Emerson is in the kitchen eating. I’ll be right in.” She smiles and walks by me.

I watch her ass sway and I’m barely holding on right now. Needing a distraction from her body and desire for it, I read the text message.

Cayden: Can you meet Monday morning

Me: Yeah. Meet me at Creadle’s Aquatic Center. You have a car, right?

Cayden: Yes, I’ll see you there.

Me: Great. See you then.

I tuck my phone in my pocket, thinking about how I’m going to help Cayden. I just hope I have enough tricks up my sleeve for him to stay on the team. I was always fortunate to be on the upper scale of the team and didn’t have to worry about cuts.

My mom and Taylor are laughing at Emerson when I enter the room. My dad’s newspaper is abandoned on the table. I glance down at it and my mom must sense my aggravation because she shoots me a small smile. She’s struggling with my dad, too.

“When are you guys heading out?” I ask, taking the seat next to Taylor and filling my plate with pancakes and bacon.

“Our appointments are at ten-thirty. What are you doing?” my mom asks, leaning back in her chair with her hand wrapped around her cup of coffee. She blows on it before taking a hesitant sip.

“I’m taking Em to the mall. Maybe ride the carousel.” Instinctively, I look over at Taylor to see what she thinks. She smiles, and her approval does nothing but light me up inside.

“You and Piper loved that carousel when you were little,” my mom gushes and glances over at Emerson. “She’ll love it, too.”

“I hope so.”

It’s odd the insecurity that lives inside of me when it comes to Emerson. I’m the cocky guy who never second-guesses his decisions, but with her, I never think I’m good enough. Every memory we make needs to be perfect. The last thing I could handle is to disappoint her somehow.

A warm hand covers mine on the table. My eyes follow the hand to find Taylor looking at me. “She will. She’s never been on one.”

A burst of fireworks explode in my stomach that I finally get to experience a first in my little girl’s life. “A first?” I question, and she nods, a smile gracing her lips.

“Yes. Take a picture for me?”

I give her hand a tight squeeze. “Yeah.”

My voice cracks from the emotional roller coaster that little girl puts me through every day. I glance at the clock, mostly because this is getting a little too sappy for me.

“Well, I better get going.” I move over to her highchair.

“Us too,” my mom says, standing up and piling up the plates. I admire the fact that Taylor is helping her. She’s more comfortable than she was yesterday.

“Why don’t you ask your father to go with you?”

“Because he doesn’t seem to care for Emerson at all. He hasn’t even talked to her.”

“You’re being silly. He has.”

I shake my head and my mom’s eyes scrunch in confusion.

“Chris!” she screams, and I roll my eyes. Taylor comes alongside me, that jasmine scent wafting up to my nostrils.

My dad walks in the room and looks around at all of us standing together.

“Yeah?”

“Brad is going to the mall with Emerson. I thought you’d want to go.” My mom quickly loads the dishes in the dishwasher.

A sour look contorts his face. “I have someone coming over. I had asked Brad to stay.”

“Emerson has a nap schedule I have to adhere to. I’m leaving now.”

I sidestep him and walk off to the foyer to grab her shoes and my own. Taylor follows, probably assuming I need some help dressing my daughter, which I don’t. Then again, my dad doesn’t make a warm companion at this moment either. She could be fleeing his presence.

My parents’ hushed voices carry through the high ceilings of their house. As always, my mom works her magic and my dad comes in a few minutes later with his jacket on.

“I’ll go.”

“Don’t do me any favors,” I sneer. Taylor busies herself putting her boots on, probably trying to ignore the animosity in the room.

“Ready, Taylor?” My mom walks around the corner with her purse swung over her arm, bearing an exaggerated smile.

“Yes,” Taylor answers, rounding Emerson up in her arms to kiss her temple.

“Bye,” Emerson says.

“Bye. Have fun.” One more kiss and Taylor steps back.

“What about my kiss?” I ask, and she rolls her eyes, but we both know she wants to kiss me. “That’s okay. I’ll cash in tonight.”

“Don’t count your chickens—”

“Never.” I lean in closer, happy to hear my parents talking amongst themselves in the hallway. “I’m fairly certain they will hatch tonight.” I wink and her cheeks flush.

“Always arrogant.” She turns to walk away.

“You love it.” She can act annoyed by my high self-esteem, but I’m positive, it’s a characteristic she fell in love with.

“We’ll be back around two or three. I’ll text you,” my mom says to my dad, and they hug and kiss good-bye.

“Enjoy your time,” my dad responds, and you’d never think he’s been acting like a dick for the last two days from his charming voice.

Twenty minutes later, my dad patiently waits at the back of my truck for me to unhook Emerson from her car seat.

I buckle her in the stroller, shoving the damn diaper bag in the bottom. Mission One is to find a manlier diaper bag than one with flowers.

My dad hasn’t spoken since we left the house, and I’m not spending a rare day alone with my daughter with his crabby ass.

“We can separate if you’d like. I know Mom made you come.”

He opens the door to the mall for me. “No, I’m fine. Are you looking for something here?”

“I’m taking Emerson on the carousel, and then I might buy a few things for her.”

He nods. “You know I’m just protecting you and your rights.” He’s never been good at quiet. Constantly wants others to see his points.

“I get that, but don’t you see I’m trying to make something with Taylor. You were all for me seeking her out and telling her how much I love her before you found out about Emerson, so I don’t understand.”

Emerson is awfully quiet, so I peek into the stroller to find her already asleep. She’s so peaceful and beautiful with her princess doll tucked under her arm.

“She hid her from you. You aren’t that hard to find, Brad.”

I keep the stroller moving so as not to wake her up, and before I realize it, we’re in sync with all the mall walkers.

“You don’t need to worry about that. It’s my job to forgive her, not yours.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m positive you did something horrible for the breakup, but to hide your kid? It’s inexcusable.”

Unable to hear the venom in my dad’s voice in regards to Taylor anymore, I confess, “I cheated on her. Right after I didn’t make the cut, before I went to see Dr. Freeman, she caught me with someone else.”

“Cheating doesn’t mean you have the person’s baby secretly.” His voice might have toned down the anger some, but he’s looking for answers I don’t have.

“No, but having a drug-addicted sister and alcoholic father does. I’m talking with her about it tonight, but I understand already. She was worried about the situation she’d be putting her child in, and I’m not sure I blame her. I was a different person then.”

“That you were.” He lowers his voice, and I wonder if he finally understands Taylor’s reasoning.

“Still, I don’t see the harm in having papers drawn up, making sure you have the rights to her.”

“Because I want both of them, and the way you’re suggesting only gets me Emerson.”

He nods, seeming appeased by my answers. Maybe he’s figuring out I’m not the train wreck douche I once was.

“Just keep your options open.” He clasps me on the shoulder, the first sign of affection since I arrived.

“I know what I’m doing, Dad. Trust me.” I stop us in front of the bathrooms, so he can see the determination in my eyes.

“It’s hard for me to do. You’re my son and it’s my job to protect you, but I’ll try.”

I nod a few times.

“Glad that’s cleared up. Now, I have to run into the bathroom. Watch her for me?” My head dips down to make sure she’s asleep.

“Yeah.” My dad sits on the bench, pushing the stroller back and forth.

“Thanks. I’ll be right back.” I jog into the hallway where the bathrooms are located.

On my way out, I text Taylor quickly to make sure she’s still sane with my mom. I’m sure a spa day with my mom isn’t what she thought she’d be doing this weekend. Talk about uncomfortable.

Me: Your nails all pretty for tonight?

Taylor: Just my toes. Your mom is doing too much. She’s offering to have me get a massage too.

Me: Tell her that’s my job.

Taylor: Not yet it isn’t. Crap, I think I just saw the masseuse.

Me: I’m not there, so you didn’t.

Taylor: He’s six-two, short brown hair, bulging biceps, strong hands. I think I’m going to accept the offer.

Me: You better be describing me.

Taylor: I guess you’ll have to wait to find out. ;-)

Me: Don’t give me that damn wink face.

Taylor: Oh, surely you can handle a man’s hands on me.

Me: Not unless they’re mine.

Taylor: LOL . . . you always were the jealous type.

Me: So were you, Thunder Taylor.

In college, Taylor made a hundred percent sure the girls knew who I belonged to. There’s something oddly appealing when a girl stakes her claim on you.

Taylor: Time for hands. See you later.

Me: No massage. I mean it.

Taylor: ;)

Damn her, she always gets a rise out of me. I stop in my tracks when I find my dad playing peekaboo with the stroller. The tension that’s been knotted in my shoulders all morning loosens watching my dad’s first interaction with her. He smiles and Emerson’s feet kick from excitement. That’s the dad I remember.

I show my face and my dad quickly straightens his back on the bench, handing her a toy as if he’s completely enthralled with her.

“She woke up, huh?”

“Dada!” She claps, putting her hands over her face toward my dad, but he doesn’t engage with her.

“Go ahead, I won’t tell anyone you actually like your granddaughter.”

His wide eyes meet mine. “Of course I like her.”

“You don’t act like it.”

He stands and hands Emerson her juice cup.

“I’m just being cautious. You and your mom just jump into the deep end. What if Taylor runs again? Try testing the waters occasionally.”

We walk toward the carousel and I shake my head at his line of thinking.

“What fun is that?” I ask him. I might have lived my life a little on the crazy and spontaneous side, but it’s a hell of a lot more fun than playing it safe.

Piper and my dad are more similar in that they dip their toes in and then painfully and slowly walk down the stairs into the water. I do a cannonball, not knowing if the water is cold as fuck or warm as pie. I prefer my method much more.

“Just be careful, Brad.” He slaps my back, and the reason for his crankiness clicks into place. My dad’s worried about me, and that’s why he’s being this tough-assed guy who wants to take Taylor to court.

“I will.” I smile, because when it comes to Taylor, there’s no being careful. I’m in it to win it, and I’m positive I’m about to win the jackpot.

With our heart to heart behind us, the atmosphere becomes free of the earlier tension and we move on to enjoy the day with Emerson.

Taylor

MY FEET GET THE SHIT
beat out of them with Brad’s mom seated to my right. As hard as the massage on my feet feels, it’s equally enjoyable. Kind of like my love for Brad. There’s no use in fighting us anymore, because my body refuses to listen to the warnings my brain is sending out. If only I can find a way to forgive him for cheating.

“So, Taylor.” Maggie’s voice pulls me from the usual ring of drama my mind races through.