“You need to make sure she wears a life jacket.” She glances at Aria quickly before meeting my gaze once more. “And I’d prefer if she didn’t stay anywhere but here or at your parents’ during your week together.”
“You can prefer all you want, but I’m not guaranteeing you anything,” I say, and Aria’s hand tightens around mine while anger curls in my gut. “If you’ve got a problem with that, then you can take me back to court.”
She opens her mouth like she’s going to say something but snaps it shut when Olivia comes bouncing in. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, angel.” I pick her up, and she wraps her arms around my neck. “Are you excited about today?”
“Yes.” She grins at me, then looks at Aria and leans half out of my hold so she can give her a hug.
“Hey, honey.” Aria smiles, touching her cheek.
“Give me a hug, Olivia,” Anna snaps, making Aria and Olivia both jump.
“Jesus, Anna,” I growl.
“What? I need to get on the road,” she says, taking Olivia from my hold. “I’ll see you in a week. Make sure you call me.”
“I will, Mommy,” Olivia agrees, and Anna sends me a look before turning on her heel and storming off.
“Do you want to help me pack for our picnic?” Aria asks Olivia while I shut the front door.
“Yes, can we make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?”
“Absolutely,” Aria replies, walking to the kitchen with Olivia at her side.
“While you two do that, I’m gonna get the canoe in the truck,” I tell them, refusing to let Anna’s bullshit ruin our day.
“We’ll be in here,” Aria says softly, her eyes scanning my face, I’m sure trying to figure out how pissed I am.
The thing she has yet to understand is that I’m normally pissed whenever I gotta deal with Anna. And honestly, I no longer give a fuck. My goal is to make Aria a permanent part of my life, whether Anna likes it or not.
“Now remember, angel. That water is cold, so we need to do everything we can to make sure we don’t end up in it,” I tell Olivia while double checking that her life jacket is buckled properly.
“I know, Dad.” She looks over my shoulder to where Aria is standing and rolls her eyes like Can you believe this guy? He must think I’m an idiot.
“I’m just reminding you, since last time we were on the lake, you thought it was funny to rock the boat back and forth, and we ended up in the water.”
“That was funny, but it’s too cold to go swimming today.” She shrugs as I stand, then I watch her bounce toward Aria and grab her hand so she can drag her toward the canoe we carried down to the dock when we got here.
Watching the two of them together, a sense of contentment like I’ve never felt before fills me. It’s always been easy for me to date and find women to spend time with, but none of them were women I could imagine bringing into my daughter’s life. Even as nice as they were, they were all missing something. Qualities I didn’t even know I was looking for until I found them in Aria, from her quiet strength, to her vulnerability and resilience. Everything that makes her, are traits I’ve come to admire and appreciate more than she even knows.
“Dad, are you coming?” Olivia yells, and I snap out of my thoughts and focus on her and Aria. I find them trying to figure out how they will get into the canoe.
“Yeah.” I jog toward them, and then order, “Get in, you two.” Once they sit as I hold it steady, I take my seat and untie the rope that is tethered to the dock and use the paddle to push us out into the water. As I take us around the small lake, both girls point out different birds, and fish when they jump, and Aria takes a million pictures of Olivia and the trees that have changed from green to varying shades of gold.
When we are safely back on solid ground, we find a grassy area, and I toss out one of the painting blankets I keep in the back of my truck. Aria unpacks the lunch she and Olivia made, which includes hot chocolate, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, veggies, and hummus. As we eat, I know I could get used to days like this, with both my girls.
“Grandma was asking what you want to dress up as for Halloween this year,” I say, grabbing a handful of chips, and Olivia looks at Aria.
“Are you going to go trick-or-treating with us?”
“I am,” she says, then adds, “if that’s okay with you.”
“It’s fine.” She shrugs like it’s not a big deal, then asks, “Do you want to be Elsa or Anna?”
“Umm.” Aria looks at me with confusion clear as day in her eyes.
“Elsa and Anna are characters from Frozen. They’re sisters,” I explain.
“Oh.” Aria shrugs. “Who do you want to be?”
“Either. They are both totally awesome. Haven’t you watched Frozen before?” she asks, and Aria shakes her head. “Really?” Olivia sounds outraged.
“Really.” Aria tips her head to the side, smiling down at her when she falls to her back.
“What about Frozen 2?”
“I haven’t seen either of them.” Aria laughs as Olivia looks at me with her nose scrunched.
“Can we watch both of them tonight, Daddy?”
“Sure,” I agree, and she gets up and climbs into my lap, wrapping her arms around my shoulders for a tight hug before she looks over at Aria.
“Tonight after we watch the movies, you can decide who you want to be.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Aria smiles at her, and she nods before she turns her body so that her face is in mine.
“Do you want to be Kristoff or Olaf, Daddy?”
“I’ll be whoever you want me to be.” I lean in and kiss the tip of her nose, watching as she grins.
“Who are Kristoff and Olaf?” Aria asks, and Olivia spins around to face her.
“Kristoff is Anna’s boyfriend, and Olaf is a snowman that comes to life. He’s super funny. You’re going to love him. My mom does.” She gets up and starts to sing one of his songs as she spins in circles.
As I watch her, laughing, I feel Aria’s eyes on me, and I focus on her. My chest warms at the soft look on her face. “What?” I ask quietly, and she shakes her head.
“Nothing, just thinking you’re a great dad.”
Fuck, hearing her say that with that look on her face, I gotta fight the urge to tackle her to the grass and kiss her senseless. “What do you say we pack up and head to town to get pizza and movie supplies?” I suggest, and when both girls agree, we pack up the picnic.
Aria and I get the canoe loaded up in the back of my truck, then we head into town. We stop at the grocery store to pick up a couple of frozen pizzas and snacks, which include enough junk food for a family of ten. We spend the rest of the night stuffing our faces and laughing our asses off. By the time we tuck Olivia into bed, she’s come to the conclusion that Aria should be Elsa, she should be Anna, and I should be Kristoff, so we make plans for the next morning to go shopping for our costumes. And not surprisingly, Aria is even more excited than Olivia to dress up for Halloween.
Chapter 15
Aria
“MORNING, BABY,” TIDE whispers against my ear as the scent of fresh coffee drifts toward me, and I blink my eyes open, finding him leaning over me.
“Hey.” I accept his kiss, then pout when he leans back enough for me to see that his hair is wet and he’s already dressed. “You showered without me.” I sit up, dragging my duvet with me before accepting the cup of coffee he picks up off my bedside table.
“Sorry, baby.” He grins, I’m sure thinking it’s funny that I’m annoyed he showered alone. But I really like our showers. “I have to hit the road, and you need to get ready. Gia’s gonna be here soon to pick you up.”
“What?” I frown. Gia and I have plans to get ready together for my parents party this evening while Colton’s mom looks after Gino, but that’s not for a few hours still. “It’s early.”
“I know, but the two of you have an appointment in town at Rock Salt this morning.”
“The spa?” I ask, m
y sleepy brain not really keeping up.
“Yeah.”
“Sorry.” I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”
Smiling, he places his fist in the bed near my hip and leans in close—so close that his breath brushes against my lips. “You and Gia have a spa day today. Colton and I took care of everything so the two of you can relax.”
“Oh.” My heart starts to feel funny. Then again, he tends to have that effect on me.
“You have to be there in thirty minutes. I was going to wake you earlier, but I got caught up on a phone call with my lawyer.”
My stomach bottoms out. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine,” he says, and I scan his face, searching for any sign that things are not as okay as he’s making them out to be. Since Anna dropped Olivia off to him last week, he’s been in talks with his lawyer making sure that things are in place so that he’s protected from Anna attempting to take him to court for custody. To his credit he’s never seemed too concerned about her succeeding, but I have been, because I know without a doubt that he would lose it if he had to miss out on any of his time with Olivia.
“Promise?”
“I promise, baby.” He leans in to kiss me, then pulls back and cups my cheek. “I’ll see you this evening.”
“Okay,” I agree, and he gives me a smile and stands, looking down at me.
“Try to relax today.”
“Sure.” I nod, and he touches his lips to the top of my head before he heads out the door. I stare at the empty space for a long time, not even a little worried about tonight and the fact that we will be spending time with my parents. My concern and nervousness has all shifted to Tide and what Anna is doing, or trying to do. I don’t understand her. I don’t get why she’s mad that he’s in a relationship, when she’s the one who left him. I don’t get the jealousy or resentment. I don’t get why she would think separating Olivia from her dad would be good, when it would be devastating not just for Tide but for her daughter, who she should want to protect. I can see why she would want to be cautious about who’s around Olivia, but Tide was very careful about when I met her, and I know he told Anna that he was going to introduce us.
“Aria, babe, you gotta get a move on.”
Shaking my head, I come out of my thoughts and find Tide standing in the doorway.
“Sorry, I zoned out.” I set down my coffee, then toss back the duvet and place my feet on the ground. “I’m up.” I listen to him laugh, then watch as he prowls toward me. As soon as he’s close, his arm wraps around my waist and he leans back, kissing me deep. “I thought you were leaving,” I say breathlessly.
“I was, but I forgot my hat.” He rubs his nose down mine. “I also wanted to make sure you actually got up. I know it’s early.”
“It’s not that early,” I point out, because it’s almost nine, and most people are up a whole lot earlier than nine. Actually, normally I’m up a whole lot earlier.
“Yeah, but you were up late working. I felt you sneak out of bed around midnight and checked in on you at two, and you were typing away on your computer.”
“Sorry.” I cringe.
“For what? If the story is talking, I’m guessing you need to get it out,” he says easily, and I wonder how long it’s going to take me to realize he’s not Josh; he doesn’t get pissed about nonsense or act like a dick just because he can. He’s supportive and considerate. He’s everything to me. “Now I really do gotta go.” He leans in, kissing my lips and whispering there, “Have a good day, baby.”
“You too,” I say as he lets me go, then I watch him grab his beanie from the top of my dresser before winking at me and disappearing out the door. I head to the bathroom with a smile on my face, and hurry through my morning routine so that I’m ready by the time Gia arrives to pick me up.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure that I’m going to be able to make it through your parents’ party tonight,” Gia says, sounding sleepy, and I roll my head in her direction, the movement seeming to take every bit of strength I have left. “This is the most relaxed I’ve been in months.”
“Same.” I give her a lazy smile, and she returns one of her own. When we arrived at the spa, Gia was just as shocked as I was to find out that our guys went above and beyond. I expected that they might have planned for us to get massages and maybe our nails done, but they booked us a full day of treatments, from getting waxed and buffed from head to toe, massages, time in a sauna that made me want one for my house, and manicures and pedicures. It’s been a great day and just what I didn’t know I needed. I haven’t had a spa day since I was getting married, and that day wasn’t very relaxing with my mother and Josh’s mom nitpicking every little thing about the spa and the wedding—neither of which they paid for. It had me stressed out and worried, because in my gut, I knew I was making a huge mistake, but I was too far down the rabbit hole to call the wedding off, even though I should have.
“Do you think the guys actually remembered to rent their tuxes for tonight?”
Gia’s question pulls me from my thoughts and I focus on her.
“I don’t know.” I worry my bottom lip. “I hope so.”
“I hope so too. I’m really looking forward to seeing the two of them dressed up.”
“Yeah,” I agree as I try to picture Tide wearing anything besides jeans and the thermals he’s worn since the weather started to cool. Not that I would ever complain, because he looks good, even when he’s not trying to.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Maria, the woman who owns Rock Salt, steps into the room as the girls who have been giving us our pedicures place white flip-flops on our feet and begin to pack up. “I wanted to see if either of you would like another glass of champagne while you wait for your nails to dry?”
“Unless you want me to spend the rest of the day asleep here in your chair, I’m going to have to pass,” Gia says and Maria looks at me.
“I don’t think I would fare much better than her but thank you today was wonderful.” I smile.
“In that case, thank you both for spending the day with us.” She smiles warmly.
“Can we leave a tip?” I ask, and she shakes her head.
“Your tab is paid in full, and generous tips have been left for the girls. You’re free to go as soon as you’re dry, which should be in about ten minutes.” She bows slightly, then backs out of the room, with her girls going with her.
“I think that we need to plan one of these days every other month,” I say, turning off the massage feature on my chair.
“So I shouldn’t schedule us to come back every week for the foreseeable future?” Gia pouts, making me laugh.
“If I came here every week, I wouldn’t be able to afford the sauna I’m going to talk to Tide about putting in at my place.”
“You’re a genius.”
“I know, right?” I wiggle my wine-colored toes, then hold up my hands to inspect my nails that are painted the same deep burgundy.
“That color is going to match your dress perfectly.”
“I hope so.” I turn her way. “Has Colton seen your dress yet?”
“No, I want to surprise him. I put it in Gino’s closet, and he never goes in there.” She sits up and checks her nails that she decided to paint a classic red that is going to look awesome with the sexy black lace dress she picked out for tonight. “Do you want to pick up something to eat, then hang with me and Gino for a couple of hours before we have to start getting ready?”
“I’d love that,” I agree, carefully getting out of the chair, my muscles feeling weak after time in the sauna and a full body massage. “Do you want to order something from the Greek place down the road?”
“Do they have salad?”
“I think so.” I frown at her.
“Don’t look at me like that. I swear I’ve gained five pounds in the last week, and I haven’t even been eating all the junk food I want to. It would suck if I couldn’t fit into my dress tonight because I went crazy at lunch.”
“You’ll fit in your dress.” I roll my eyes. I don’t know how she looked before giving birth a few months ago, but I don’t think she needs to lose weight, and I’ve been around her and Colton multiple times and know he loves her to the point of obsession.
“But I could do with eating a salad, so if they don’t have one on the menu, we
can choose somewhere else.” Honestly, since Tide showed up in my life, the constant worry about how I look and what I eat has disappeared. I don’t even remember the last time I got on the scale. That’s not to say that I don’t still think about my weight sometimes.
“Tonight, all bets are off. Once that dress is zipped, I plan on eating everything in sight and drinking until Colton has to carry me around.” She grins, getting out of her chair, her legs seeming to take just as long to hold her up as mine did. “Do you think our nails are dry?”
I bend and check hers then mine and nod. “Yeah but we should keep on our flip-flops just in case.” I grab my shoes and socks, and she does the same before we head for the door. With a quick goodbye to Maria in the front of the spa, we head outside to Gia’s oversized Suburban and place an order for two Greek salads from the spot down the road. After we pick them up, we drive to her house, where we spend the rest of the day entertaining Gino before we have to get ready.
________________
“Fuck me.”
At that comment, I spin around to face Tide standing just inside Gia and Colton’s guest bathroom, and the look in his eyes makes my pulse race. I normally follow the rule of dark lip, light eye or vice versa, but tonight I decided to go all out with a smoky eye and deep burgundy lipstick that makes me look and feel sexy and judging by the look in Tide’s eyes he likes the way I look too. When Gia picked this dress out and insisted it was for me, I was skeptical. I had never worn something so form-fitting in my life, but just like the first time I saw myself in it at the boutique, I swear it was made for me. The velvet, dusty rose, V-cut sleeveless top shows just enough of my chest to be classy, and the empire waist is flattering, especially with the way it flows into the multicolored sequined mermaid skirt that ends at my ankle so that my heel’s can be shown off.
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