Finding Our Forever: Single Dad Romance (Stepping Stones Series Book 1)

by Laura Riley

  I clear my throat. “Yes, I think you look pretty.”

  She looks up into my eyes, sucking in her lips. Pretty does not do her justice, she’s stunning. It’s so hard not to kiss her, not to hug her, but I have to put Ellie first. I know the day will come when I’ll need to sit her down and tell her that Lizzie and I are an item, but today is not that day.

  We jump as the shop door swings open and Chelsea appears.

  “Oh, my God,” Chelsea says. “I’ve been watching you for the last ten minutes. Are you going to get your butts in here?”

  Ellie tenses and she steps behind me. I turn and my heart tightens in my chest. Ellie is pulling on the skirt of Lizzie’s dress to be picked up. Lizzie’s face lights up as she scoops her up in her arms. With her fingers she brushes Ellie’s hair behind her ears. “Sweetie, this is Chelsea, Amber’s sister. Do you remember her from my birthday?”

  Ellie saw Chelsea at Lizzie’s birthday afternoon, I’m sure, but I don’t recall seeing them speak. Ellie pushes her face into Lizzie’s neck. I guess the logic is, if she can’t see Chelsea, then Chelsea can’t see her. It’s my daughter’s ingenious way of making herself invisible.

  I stroke Lizzie’s arm. It feels as though my heart could jump out of my chest and reside between my two girls. This, this is the moment I fall head over heels in love with this woman. If I could pause time and save it in a bottle, I’d bottle this moment.

  “Ellie!” a little voice squeals from inside the shop. Ellie’s head shoots up as Freja joins Chelsea in the doorway. Ellie begins bouncing up and down in Lizzie’s arms until Lizzie’s forced to put her down.

  Ellie runs over to Freja. Holding hands, they disappear into the shop. When my daughter’s out of sight I grab Lizzie’s ass and pull her into me. “I can think of a few other places that daisy would look good.”

  Lizzie draws her lower lip between her teeth. She removes the flower from her hair, stands on her tiptoes and places it behind my ear.

  I lean down and brush my lips against hers. There is so much I want to tell her, so much she needs to hear, but not now. I pocket the daisy as a keepsake. Damn, I’m sentimental.

  When my gaze returns to Chelsea, she’s glancing at her watch and tapping her foot. “When you’ve finished, we need you inside. We aren’t insured to have under-twelves on the premise without a parent present.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I say, saluting her.

  Laughing, Lizzie slaps my arm. “Will you get in the shop already?”

  The shop is a modest size. A hair and makeup station is positioned at the front of the shop next to a small reception area. A section at the back is lined with shelves containing different-sized frames and mugs to be personalized. In the opposite corner is a pull-down projector green screen.

  Amber appears out of a back room with a tripod and a camera in her hands. She rests the tripod against the back wall and crouches down so that she’s eye level with Ellie. “I hear you’re a big fan of Finding Nemo?”

  Ellie clasps her little hands together under her chin and nods.

  Amber motions around the room. “Chelsea will do your hair and makeup. From there, you and Dad will join me at the green screen and we’re going to take some pictures. How does that sound?”

  My nostrils flare. I don’t know how I feel about my five-year-old having makeup on. Amber’s face straightens when she looks at me. “Relax, Seth, the makeup is only very light, it’s just to even out her skin tone for the pictures. Today is about Ellie, and making her feel like a princess. Or rather a mermaid.”

  Even out her skin tone? What does that mean? I’m sure it’s just something she’s made up to shut me up.

  Chelsea takes Ellie’s hand, which Ellie snatches away.

  Chelsea’s eyes are wide as she glances at me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hurt her. I mean, maybe my nails caught her. My God, I’m so sorry.” She tries to close the gap between herself and Ellie, who at the same time is walking back trying to widen it.

  I lift my hand. “It’s okay, she has—” I take a long breath in. I’ve always felt too ashamed to tell people about Ellie’s issues, that somehow it makes me a bad dad. I feel as though admitting she has a problem is making it real and therefore that’s all she’ll be known for, the kid with separation anxiety, the girl who’s broken. But by not telling people about her issues I’m making life harder for her. People don’t know how to act around her. I’m causing her unnecessary stress.

  Let it go, Seth. Time to man up.

  “She has separation anxiety,” I spit out with relief.

  Chelsea stops walking forward, and Ellie stops walking back. It’s as though they’ve established a mutual ground. They stand looking at each other.

  This is the first time I’ve told someone who’s practically a stranger about her condition. It feels like a heavy burden has been lifted from my shoulders. For the first time in fifteen months I’ve accepted Ellie’s issues and confronted my demons. I’ve never been ashamed of her, but ashamed of me that I couldn’t fix her. Sometimes people just can’t be fixed, you simply deal with the cards you’ve been dealt.

  Chelsea rubs her hands together. “How about you take a seat with Freja on my special mermaid stools, and I’ll do your makeup? Would you like that?”

  Mermaid stools? I glance to the makeup station. What is she talking about? They’re just white stools. Ellie will never buy into that for a second.

  Ellie takes a small step forward. “Can I sit on Lizzie’s lap?”

  As lovely as that is, I can’t expect Lizzie to sit still for God knows how long with Ellie on her lap. No doubt Lizzie will want to have a drink in the back and chat with Amber.

  I kneel beside Ellie. “Don’t you want to sit on Daddy’s lap?”

  She shakes her head. “The mermaid stools are for girls; you’re not allowed there.”

  Wow. Well, that’s me told. Looks as though the mermaid stools have worked.

  Chelsea giggles. “Oh, Daddy will need his makeup doing. He needs to look pretty for the pictures as well.”

  I make an X with my arms. “I’m sorry, no. There is no way you are putting makeup on me.”

  Amber reels off the ‘even skin tone’ bullshit again, and Ellie does a sad puppy-dog face.

  “Okay, okay. But we are falling out if you breathe a word of this to Rick or Cole.”

  Amber, Chelsea, and Lizzie all mimic zipping their mouths.

  I flip them the finger discreetly, and by discreetly, I mean using my middle finger to scratch my cheek.

  The ladies high-five and Ellie and Freja high-five.

  “You’re all conspiring against me,” I say, throwing my arms up in the air dramatically, causing Ellie and Freja to giggle.

  Chelsea applies Ellie’s makeup, curls her hair, and pins it up. When she’s finished with Ellie, she turns to me.

  I close my eyes, leaning my head back. “Just get it over with.”

  I’m sure I hear a phone capturing a picture, but I’ve committed now. Chelsea applies a thin layer of foundation to my face using a sponge, and then bloody eyeliner to my eyes. She pulls out a palette of eyeshadow and that’s when I draw the line. “No. I’m done.”

  Ellie and I sit in different positions on the green screen and wait for Amber to give us the go-ahead that the session has started.

  Ellie points. “Daddy, look, an umbrella. Is it going to rain inside?”

  Amber laughs. “This is my special umbrella. It will flash when I take a picture.” Amber presses the button on the camera and as she said, the umbrella flashes.

  She smiles, her face disappearing behind the camera. “You just need to pretend you’re underwater. Do you think you can do that?”

  If there’s one thing Ellie can pull off, it’s how to be a fish. I nod. “I think we can be inventive.”

  “Are you ready?” she asks, her finger poised over the button.

  “We are,” I say, holding Ellie up in the air. She puffs out her cheeks as if she’s holding her breath. I’ve got to
admit, she’s quite the natural in front of a camera. It doesn’t take long before Freja joins us, their summer dresses opening like parasols as they twirl one another around.

  I glance at Lizzie, who’s standing at the reception desk next to Chelsea. I know they’re talking about me from the way Lizzie blushes and looks away.

  “Hey, Lizzie, want in on one of the photos?”

  She walks over and joins us for several pictures. Her hand finds its way into mine, and when the girls are lying flat on their stomachs kicking their legs that’s when I kiss her. The kiss lasts seconds. I hear the camera click, see the flash under my eyelids and pull away. Lizzie looks around the room as though feeling all eyes are on her.

  “Group picture?” Lizzie calls, beckoning Chelsea over.

  Running like a duck in her high heels, Chelsea hurries over. Amber secures her camera on the tripod and sets the timer. I wrap my arms around Ellie’s and Freja’s waists and lift them up. Lizzie stands directly in front of me, Chelsea and Amber either side.

  “Say cheese,” Amber says, turning her face to the side and puckering out her lips.

  Lizzie relaxes back into me, her head pressed against my chest. I don’t see the camera, I don’t see the shop, I don’t see anything. Just her. My baby balanced on my hip, my woman in front of me. Surely this is too good to be true.

  After the session finishes, Amber, Ellie and Freja sit together looking over some of the digital images on the camera. With a pen and paper in her lap, Amber makes a note of Ellie’s favourites.

  Ellie presses her finger on the small screen. “Can I have that one?”

  Amber smiles. “I’ve got to load it on Photoshop first and tweak the background.”

  Ellie shakes her head. “I want it like that.”

  “Sure.” Amber disappears into the back room and appears moments later with the photograph, which Ellie grabs, hugging it to her chest. “I’ll upload the edited images onto the iPad and drop it off at Lizzie’s when I’ve finished work.”

  “You’re all welcome to stop by for drinks after,” Lizzie says.

  Amber smiles big. “I’d like that.”

  Lizzie

  After the photoshoot we decide to grab lunch at a small pub. From there we head to the park, where the three of us sit side by side on the swings. We have a contest who can swing the highest. Ellie wins.

  At four pm, we make it back to mine. Perfect timing, as the painters will be finishing work soon and we will have the house to ourselves.

  I stand on the doorstep, gazing at the lock.

  Seth stands behind me, resting his chin on my head. “Forget something?”

  “You could say that.”

  My house keys are in the pocket of my jacket, which, of course, is hanging up in the hallway. Technically I’ve locked myself out, but lucky for me, the workers and Rick are inside. I raise my hand, about to press the doorbell when Ellie tugs on my dress. “Can I?”

  I glance at the white button and down to Ellie. “Sure, sweetie.” The moment I lift her off the ground she lunges forwards and presses the doorbell. With Ellie in my arms, Seth wraps his around me.

  We wait for a beat. I can hear voices and footsteps from inside. The front door finally swings open, and Rick stands looking out. His gaze roves over the three of us.

  “Quite the little family,” he says with a smug smile.

  My grin widens. It’d be a dream to call these two incredible humans my family. Seth must feel the same. He stands tall, his arm tightening around me as though he’s claiming me. Ellie pushes her face into my neck, and I feel the need to squeeze her into me. I want her to know I’m here for her and always will be.

  Seth rolls his shoulders, puffing out like a bull. “So what?”

  “So nothing,” Rick shoots back, crossing his arms over his chest. I know their exchange is light-hearted from the mischievous glint in Rick’s eyes. It’s a battle of who has the best poker face. Rick leans forwards, squinting at Seth. “Bro, are you wearing guyliner?”

  Seth’s gaze shoots to me.

  I bat my eyelids. “I’m sorry, I didn’t notice.”

  He gives me that ‘you’re talking total bullshit’ look.

  I smile sweetly. “It kind of suits you.”

  I’ve never seen Seth move so fast. He pushes past Rick and bolts up the stairs. The bathroom door slams shut.

  Sure, I could have mentioned it to Seth at the pub when he went to order our meals, I could have mentioned it at the park when he bought our ice creams, but it amused me to say nothing.

  I step onto the hessian mat. Ellie shuffles behind me, clutching my dress, as workmen pass us in the hall. When they eventually make their way upstairs, I reach my hand out. “Come on, sweetie, you can come out, they’ve gone.”

  Her face inches out from behind my legs. She stands straight. She takes a small step towards Rick, placing her hands on her hips. “I’ve got makeup because I’m a mermaid.”

  Rick crouches down, gazing into her eyes. “Well, I think you make a damn good mermaid. Though I can’t say the same about your old man.”

  His face straightens when I shake my head.

  “Sorry, Lizzie, back to business. Your bedroom is nearly finished, and I even made your bed.”

  “What, seriously?” I have to literally pinch myself. For the first time in weeks I’ve got my own bed to sleep in, not that uncomfortable sofa bed.

  “I only speak truth,” Rick says, dusting down his shoulders. “I just have to finish assembling your bedroom furniture and we’re good to go.”

  Ellie seems to have grown bored with our conversation. Yawning loudly, she kicks her shoes off and runs into the lounge. She huddles up on the easy chair and pulls the folded photograph from the breast pocket in her blue dress. Ellie said it was a secret and refused to show either me or Seth the image she asked Amber to print.

  “I best get back to it.” Rick pulls a screwdriver from his work pouch and rushes up the stairs. I remove my shoes and join Ellie in the lounge.

  I sit on the edge of the settee, wishing Rick would hurry up. I bounce up and down on the cushion. I am not going to miss sleeping on this old thing. I can only imagine snuggling on a new mattress, not having springs poking into me every time I turn over.

  Seth, now makeup-free, peers around the door. He gives me the thumbs up. “The painters are done; they’re loading their van as we speak.”

  I clap my hands together. “Ellie, do you want to be the first person to jump on my bed? Mess it up a little?”

  Seth raises a brow. “I could mess it up a little.”

  I smile but say nothing.

  “Yes, I do,” Ellie squeals, bouncing up and down on the chair. I smile. She really is so sweet.

  The cushion dips as Seth sits by my side. His eyes are a little bloodshot and blotchy from where I gather he’s been scrubbing off the eyeliner. I can’t let him see me laugh, so glance out of the window, focusing on a long-haired man who balances stepladders over his shoulder. He’s followed closely by another man who’s holding paint tins. Ellie runs over and props her elbows on the windowsill.

  I’m excited to see my bedroom but hope the loft room has been fitted with laminate flooring. Finally, I will have my very own art studio, a perfect room to paint in. I can create all sorts—with brushstrokes of oil, watercolours or pastels I can bring the world to life.

  I envision my wooden easel besides the window with its beautiful sea view. I feel inspired to paint.

  I think back to last week when Ellie and I created the Nemo mosaic. I think about how much fun we had together. There’s an artist inside her, I just know it.

  “Hey, how do you fancy painting together one of these days? I’m sure you’ll love my art studio.”

  She jumps up and down. “Can I, Daddy, can I?”

  “Of course you can,” Seth says.

  Doors slam. The painters are getting into their van. Ellie turns her attention back to the window, watching them drive away. This gives Seth just long enough to
reach over the cushions and squeeze my fingers, followed by his warm lips stealing the briefest of kisses.

  “Are you ready to see your bedroom?” Rick calls down.

  I smile at Ellie. “Hey, are you ready to mess up my bed? I think a good old-fashioned pillow fight is in order.”

  I lead the way, and like a miniature convoy we walk up to the second floor.

  “Stay close, Ellie, some of the paint is still wet,” I say, about to walk across the landing into the master room.

  “Up here,” Rick calls.

  I look to Seth, who shrugs. We carry on up to the loft. I figure they’re using the free space to store stuff. I freeze on reaching the threshold. My bed has been assembled and positioned in the middle of the room, the boxes containing my bedroom furniture have been opened, and pieces of wood and fixing have been laid in neat piles. One of my bedside tables has been partially assembled, and instruction manuals litter the floor. With my mouth open, I step onto the laminate flooring.

  Ellie wastes no time running and jumping on the bed.

  I try to blink away the tear that’s threatening to fall. “Rick, this is—”

  “Amazing. I know, right?”

  I rub my temples. “Rick, this is supposed to be my art studio.” My excitement swims in a pool of disappointment, and I could burst into tears.

  Rick clicks his fingers, pointing his index finger in my direction. “Very funny.”

  “Rick, I’m serious.”

  “But I heard Seth saying—” He stops talking and studies me for a beat. He blows out, scratching his head. “Oh, shoot, sorry, Lizzie. I promise I’ll sort it tomorrow.”

  I sigh but can’t help but smile seeing Ellie jumping up and down on the mattress. She’s holding a pillow and swings it towards Seth’s head. He dodges, grabs a pillow from the bed and uses it as a shield.

  “Lizzie, help,” she squeals.

  I blink, looking away as my eyes fill with tears. It’s not only Seth who wants me, Ellie does too. I’m becoming part of something very special. I feel as though two have just become three and I’m no longer an outsider.