Single Daddy To Go: A Holiday Single Dad Romance

by Adams, S. C.

  Lindsay’s laugh is like a hyena: chortling, sinister and sharp.

  “Oh, good!” she makes an exaggerated show of saying, her tone smarmy. “I’ll be there too. Me and Sheldon wouldn’t miss it for the world! It will be so good to see you.”

  She’s lying. She doesn’t think it will be good to see me and neither do I. I can’t dignify her behavior with an agreement.

  “Great,” I say flatly, lying through my teeth.

  “Bye now!” she sings in her most cloying voice.

  “Bye,” I grunt, hanging up the phone. My back teeth grind together. I think about throwing the phone across the room, but it’s not the phone’s fault. Instead, I just grip it, letting my rage flow through me.

  Somehow, I used to love this woman. It seems so far away now, but a long time ago, I thought she was the love of my life. She was different then, or at least I thought she was: kinder and softer, seemingly always up for a good time, interested in my work and my hobbies. I knew Lindsay was ambitious, but I thought she’d use it to create some kind of success for herself. Instead, the focus of her ambition has been entrapping men, chiefly me.

  Even now, I recognize that my ex is a conventionally attractive woman with luxurious golden locks and a tight, toned body that’s never without a perfect tan. Maybe I was just mesmerized by her body. Maybe I didn’t notice how grating her voice was. Maybe she used to be different, or maybe she was just really good at playing the game and pretending to be someone she’s not so I’d get hooked like a hapless trout.

  I guess I should have been more careful, but when Lindsay got pregnant I did the right thing and married her. It was all downhill from there. Once the woman had the ring and the baby, she stopped being the darling girl I had come to love, and revealed herself to be a social climbing harpy.

  Lindsay told me she wanted a large family, which was important to me. But as soon as we had Katie, she announced that she was done. What could I do? It’s not like I could force her to have more kids. As soon as Katie was weaned, my ex hired nannies and staff to take care of the child and spent most of her time going to parties and getting in good with other socialites. Pretty soon, it seemed like whatever I did and whatever I said was wrong.

  She didn’t love me, she just loved my money and my status. She wanted to be my wife so she could go to all the right parties and meet all the right people, but she didn’t seem to care about me as a human being at all. The connection grew cold, in and out of the bedroom. Eventually we stopped having sex at all because we couldn’t stand each other.

  If it wasn’t for the kid, I would have up and left sooner, but I liked the idea of having a family, even if in practice, it wasn’t what I had hoped. I do care about giving my daughter a healthy home and I wanted to try my best to keep my marriage together. But my home life just kept getting worse and worse until eventually we had no choice but to file for divorce, which was a hell of its own.

  Lindsay didn’t want to be married to me, but she did want to waste as much of my time as possible. Her lawyers found every possible way to drag the court battle out, filing motion after motion, fighting over every scrap like hungry dogs. I’d arrive to court only to have them continue the case again and again.

  I glance at the calendar on my phone, noting that the anniversary of our legal split was only a few days ago. Tellingly, it’s been just about a year since we called it quits, but Lindsay has already remarried.

  Sheldon Sty, her new husband, is the CEO of a major cosmetics empire. Like me, he’s a billionaire. Technically, his net worth is greater than mine, but he’s also got at least twenty-five years on me. He’s got the approximate body type of my doorman, portly and round, and like Bennie, he’s going bald and trying to hide it. He chain smokes expensive cigarettes and always sounds like he needs to clear his throat.

  We run in the same circles, though I wouldn’t say we’re friends. I suspect that Lindsay might have been sleeping with him towards the end of our marriage, after I’d stopped trying. The man’s kind of disgusting, but that’s not my problem. She’s the one who has to see him naked.

  Sheldon’s got four grown kids from his first and third marriages. Lindsay is wife number four. He trades them in every so often for a younger model. His oldest son, a well-known lawyer, is two years older than my ex wife, but I guess that doesn’t bother her.

  I think the whole thing is disgusting, but I hold my tongue. It’s not like I want to deal with the woman anymore. If she wants to be some old man’s latest piece, that’s her business. I mostly only worry about Katie, growing up around a man like that.

  So yeah, I can feel my hackles raising. I know I shouldn’t let it get to me, but I feel my blood starting to boil in spite of myself. I’m cringing, thinking about showing up to the school’s annual fair alone while Lindsay is there on the arm of her new billionaire husband. I shouldn’t care about the gossip and the stares, but deep down inside, I really do. I would hate for everyone to think that Lindsay is doing better than I am.

  I wish I had a date to take to this stupid shindig, so I could show everyone that I’ve moved on. I mean, I have moved on, but the look I’m going for is a stable, committed, and healthy relationship. I don’t have anything like that in my life. I don’t have anything even close to it. Where would I find the right date to take to a preschool event on such short notice?

  Casually, I’ve been seeing a few women here and there. I roll through the file in my mind, debating whether I could call up any of them and ask them to accompany me. At least two would say yes, but I don’t know that I’d want them to, to be honest. I’ve mostly been using these girls for sex. I have physical needs, child or no child, but that doesn’t mean I want to bring another woman into my life in any real sense. So I’ve been messing around with a couple of hot blondes with whom I have little in common besides mutual attraction. They’re all younger than me, and the usual social climbing types that I tend to attract because of my job. I know how to spot it now, after Lindsay. I don’t mind it as long as there’s no attachment on either side.

  Plus, I don’t know if these sort of girls would be able to handle a kiddie event. They’re the kind of girls whose main interests revolve around expensive shoes and brand name handbags and making sure they stay connected enough to keep enjoying those things. What do they know about children? I don’t want to make things worse for the rumor mill by bringing a date who gets too drunk or says the wrong thing. Then I’ll get pegged for mid-life crisis pathetic loser.

  More to the point, I really don’t know if any of my little side pieces could handle Lindsay, the high queen of all the social climbers. She’s a demon, and she knows how to rip another woman apart with just her eyes and her words.

  I heave a sigh, laying the flyer out on the counter so it can dry. The orange paper wrinkles a bit in the afternoon sun. I feel sort of sick to my stomach, dreading the event. Whether I go solo or bring a date, it’s going to be a mess. Shit. I have a week to think about it. I’ll come up with something. I let the wheels in my mind spin as I pour myself a stiff drink. Hopefully the alcohol will wash away the taint of my ex-wife’s shrill voice, and leave me in peace for the moment.

  4

  Rob

  The next day, I take another break from work to pick up Katie from Ladybug Tots. A good 75% of the reason is that I want to see the pretty day care attendant once more. Ally’s been wandering through my thoughts non-stop, interrupting my accounting and distracting me while I was on the phone with a Chinese investor.

  I arrive at the cheery day care center to find Ally sitting on the floor, surrounded by a circle of kids, playing some kind of a game involving brightly colored blocks. She doesn’t notice me at first, so I watch from the sidelines as she entertains her charges. She has a playful spirit herself, squealing with laughter along with the kids, but she also seems wise. Yesterday I watched her handle Katie’s squabble with that other little boy with aplomb.

  I feel myself drawn to her. I could watch her all day. The woman se
ems so wholesome and caring, and she’s just so good with kids. Suddenly, a bolt of inspiration strikes me, like it’s been thrown by a Norse god. What better date could I possibly bring to the school’s fair than this wonderful girl? She’d be perfect. Ally’s great with kids, projects a wholesome image, and she’s a day care provider to boot. If she cared about being in the right social circles or making a bunch of money, she wouldn’t be here so she’ll be immune to my ex-wife’s barbs. What could Lindsay even say to her?

  I smile to myself, satisfied with my plan. At that moment, Ally looks up and notices me. She smiles back, her big brown eyes sparkling. She seems a little bit embarrassed, like I’ve caught her in her lingerie lounging on a plush sofa with a glass of wine in hand. Oh shit. Hold that thought. I’m getting hard just thinking about it here at Ladybug Tots.

  But then the woman smiles sweetly and nods. “Oh, hello Mr. Lockhart. How long have you been standing there?”

  “Not very long. I just got here.” It’s close enough to true.

  “Katie was very good today as usual. There were no problems with sharing, and no hair pulling.” The woman walks over towards me. She’s in flats, and not a very tall girl to begin with, so she’s looking up at me with her innocent eyes. She’s such a sweet girl, so different from the ladies I normally play around with.

  “I’m glad to hear that,” I say. I want to steer the conversation away from the kids and towards Ally herself. “I must say, I admire your spirit. Putting up with all these little kids must be a lot.”

  She shakes her head. “No, not at all. I love children. It’s a responsibility, sure, but I really enjoy them. I like the way they think. You can always learn a new way of looking at the world if you hang out with children. They see things that you and I don’t notice.”

  Good point. “I hadn’t thought about it like that,” I say slowly. “But you’re right. My life has changed since Katie came into the picture. She makes me think about things differently for sure. When it was just me, it didn’t matter what I did. If I wanted to... I don’t know... run off to Colombia or take up racing motorcycles I had only myself to think about. But now I have to make sure I’m around for my daughter.”

  Ally’s smile widens. “That’s good. We wouldn’t want you to disappear now that ...” her voice trails off, cheeks turning pink again.

  I’m intrigued.

  “Now that what?” I press her.

  “Now that you’ve started coming to pick Katie up. Little girls need their dad.” She recovers her composure.

  I smile at her, saying nothing, until she adds, demurely. “I’d hate it too, if you got hurt.”

  Wow, this woman’s an angel. I feel a little bit bad, angling towards a date like a shark sizing up its prey. She’s an innocent and I’m such a bastard to use her in this way. Plus, I’m in no place for a relationship, and I can tell that that’s what Ally wants. I just need the right date to the kiddie prom.

  I’m about to change my mind when I feel my phone buzzing. There’s that fucking picture again. It’s Lindsay. I click the call off, so it stops buzzing. A moment later, I get the notification that she’s left a message and wince.

  “Oh, are you O.K. Mr. Lockhart?” Ally asks me, picking up on my discomfort immediately. I thought I was hiding it, but she’s such a nurturing person that she notices anyway.

  “I’m alright. It was nothing. Just some business I don’t really want to have to deal with,” I reassure her. The call from my ex has hardened my resolve. I need the right date to the fair now, and Ally’s perfect. I’m not going to show up looking like some lonely hearts loser while Lindsay swans around with that fucking Lex Luthor-lookalike Sheldon. I know exactly how to play this game, even if I feel like a jerk for doing it. I’ll just steer the conversation until the moment is right to make my move.

  “I feel you,” Ally murmurs, totally unaware of my thoughts. “I don’t mean to be a busybody. I spend all day taking care of kids so I tend to worry about people. I think I get it from my mom.”

  “You don’t have to worry about me,” I rumble. “Life’s good. I confine my risk-taking to the stock market these days, or maybe the occasional high stakes poker game. Anyways, I don’t stick my neck out there, just my money. There’s plenty of fun to be had in this city without endangering life and limb. I’m a particular fan of checking out new cocktail bars. How about yourself?”

  Why did I just babble like some ridiculous schoolboy? But Ally freezes like a deer in the headlights.

  “I don’t know. I usually just go to the same couple of bars with my friends. I’m a creature of habit, I guess.”

  “Is that a hard and fast rule? No new bars?” I ask her.

  “No, I... of course not.” She looks at her feet.

  “Well, then how would you like to check out a new one with me this weekend? There’s this spot I’ve been meaning to drop by. Maybe I can expand your horizons a little bit.”

  Her cheeks go pink and she tips her chin towards the floor.

  “I don’t know,” she says, shuffling her feet. “I’m not sure if I should.”

  I set my eyes on smolder, giving her a playful smirk.

  “Why not? What’s the harm?”

  Her lips purse.

  “Well, Mr. Lockhart...”

  “Rob, please.” I flash her my most charming of smiles.

  She blushes a darker shade of pink, stammering.

  “Well, Rob, listen... Rob... I just don’t know if it would be acceptable for me to get drinks with one of the dads.”

  I shrug.

  “Is there an official policy about it?”

  I watch her brow knit.

  “Um, I’m not sure. I don’t think so, but it might look. Well, I don’t know. It might look bad.”

  Who cares about looks?

  “Why?” I rumble. “We’re adults. All I’m asking you to do is get a drink with me. It’s no big deal.”

  She gives me some sad puppy eyes that would make Sarah McLaughlin proud.

  “I’m sorry. I would love to but I just don’t think I can. Mr. Lockhart, I love this job. What if I got fired? Maybe that wouldn’t be a big deal to you, but it would be a really big deal to me. Besides, think about the children.”

  I shake my head.

  “Ally, you’re being silly. If there’s no written policy in place stating that you are not allowed to get drinks with a client, then you are allowed to get drinks with a client. You’re not my teacher. I’m a businessman. I go out with business contacts all the time.”

  She’s still nervous about it, but she’s starting to weaken.

  “I guess I can see your point,” she says. “I know there wasn’t anything about this in my employment contract. It just seems inappropriate.”

  I flash her another sly smile.

  “Tell you what. If you get in trouble, I’ll have my law firm defend you. Ever heard of Benson & Frederick? Well, Benson is my personal attorney.”

  Her jaw drops. I take it she has heard the name. It would be hard not to, since they’ve been all over the news involved with a bunch of high profile cases. For a moment, she stares at me gape mouthed before she gets herself together again.

  “Wow,” she whispers.

  “I take it that’s a yes?” I say, confident that it is.

  She nods.

  “You’ve made me an offer I can’t refuse.” She looks down, smiling shyly. “Actually, I would really love to get drinks with you. I haven’t been out in a while. Thank you.”

  “My pleasure,” I say. “But don’t thank me yet. Wait until you taste the cocktails at Bar Virage. Trust me, they’re worth the potential legal action.”

  I laugh, and she joins me, mirthful but nervous. Suddenly, my daughter trips over to us.

  “What’s so funny, Daddy?” Katie interjects.

  I scoop the little girl into my arms, setting her on my tall, broad shoulders.

  “Just a grown-up joke, baby girl,” I say. She giggles, happy to be up so high, the matters of grown
-ups completely forgotten.

  Other parents start to arrive, and I realize I need to get going and let Ally do her job.

  “Alright, Ms. Summers. I have to take my daughter home now, but we’re on for drinks, right? How about Friday night?”

  She smiles, her face lighting up.

  “Yes. Friday would be amazing. I’m really excited about it.”

  I linger on her form for a moment, feeling the sparks flying in the air between us, before forcing myself to turn away. Damn, she’s gorgeous. I make my exit, still carrying an excited Katie on my shoulders. Now I’m excited about it too, not just because I need a date to the school fair, but also because I’m eager to get to know the brunette on a deeper level. Normally, I’d only mean that in the carnal sense, but something about this girl has me thinking softer thoughts.

  But to tell the truth, I still feel a little bit bad about asking her out because she’s not a part of my world. I’m using Ally, and she doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into. Oh well. She’ll learn. At least I’ll show her a good time and expand her horizons. I don’t know what Ladybug pays its attendants, but a single drink at Bar Virage probably costs more than she makes in an hour. I won’t hurt her. I’ll make sure that she enjoys the experience.

  I reach my car, my mind distracted with thoughts of the date and the stupid school fair. My driver gets out to help me buckle Katie into her car seat.

  “Are you alright, Sir?” he asks me. “You seem like you’re somewhere else.”

  “I’m just thinking about a business deal that I’m trying to close,” I say vaguely. It’s close enough to the truth, and my driver nods. It’s not exactly business, but I am trying to close a deal. I feel as confident about it as I do in the boardroom. I am a man who gets what he wants, and right now, I want this gorgeous curvy sweetheart to be my date to the Annual Fair.

  5

  Ally

  I spend the next couple of days floating, like I’m not quite on Earth. I’m so excited to be going on a real date, let alone with a man as gorgeous as Rob Lockhart. It seems almost too good to be real, but it is real. I feel like I’m walking on air.