by J. P. Comeau
“I can be concerned and curious at the same time.”
I turned back toward my computer. “You’re a worse gossip than most women in this town, you know that?”
“Oh, come on, give me a bit of credit. It’s been over two weeks since your wife left you, and you haven’t so much as spoken about it. That weirds me out.”
“I don’t talk about a lot of things, and you’ve never been weirded out before.”
“Because I don’t ever speak up. But, we aren’t talking about Marie Lee swallowing things she shouldn't or some fight you had with Patricia. We’re talking about your wife leaving and you suddenly moving in some hot-ass nanny to take care of your daughter? Why don’t you just take time off work? Actually spend it with your daughter instead of trying t--.”
I growled. “Are you trying to tell me how to parent my child?”
Will held up his hands. “I’m just trying to get you to see that your whole ‘bury yourself in work when shit gets rough’ thing doesn’t always end up healthy for others involved.”
I sighed. “You’re right.”
He paused. “I’m what? I mean, yeah. Of course, I’m right.”
I chuckled bitterly. “I can’t sleep, Will.”
“I can only imagine.”
I slowly swiveled to face him again. “I can’t sleep, I’m hardly eating, and Willow? The Nannie I’ve hired? She’s been the only bright spot in all this. She’s good with Marie Lee, she keeps us on a schedule. I mean, her presence is the only presence that makes me feel like I might actually make it out of this.”
He nodded slowly. “Have you heard from Pat at all?”
I shook my head. “Not one peep. Not even to check on her own daughter.”
“I always knew that woman was a slimy, conniving little snake.”
“But more than that, it kills me that I don’t know who she’s left me for. It kills me that she was fucking around behind my back while I gave up so much of myself to make this family work. It makes me wonder if she even cared about making this work in the first place.”
“You two got pregnant, and then you got married. It’s not like anyone had high hopes for you two.”
I scoffed. “Thanks.”
“I’m just being serious. Maybe she’s actually found someone she loves. Can you really blame her for that?”
“Could she not have loved me?”
“You were a one-night stand, Bryce. Can you honestly look me in my eyes and tell me that you love that woman?”
I closed my eyes. “No.”
“For all you know, she’s fallen in love.”
“And left her daughter behind to pursue it.”
He sat back in his chair. “I didn’t say she was in the right. I just said there might be other emotions at play that you both deserve.”
I raked my hands down my face. “So, hiring a P.I. to figure out who the hell she’s with wasn’t such a good idea?”
And when silence filled the room, I opened my eyes.
“Will?” I asked.
He blinked. “Did you just say you hired someone to follow her around until you find out who’s sleeping with her?”
“Well, when you put it like that…”
“What the fuck is wrong with you, dude? Just move on! She’s given you an out, and I know damn good and well how miserable you were in that marriage.”
“It wasn’t all bad, Will.”
“Yeah, just every other weekend and most Wednesdays. Right?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I gave this woman my future, man. I gave the entire rest of my life to her to do the right thing, and she throws it in my face like this?”
“Why do you even care enough to track her like this? You can’t even say you love her. Why the fuck do you care?”
“I care for Marie Lee!” I bellowed.
And when Will nodded, I knew he finally understood.
“Will, one day, my daughter’s gonna want answers. She’s going to want to know what the hell’s happened to her mother. And I’m not going to know what to tell her. I want to make sure I can give that to her. Because as the days roll on when her mother doesn’t come back, I start to wonder if she’ll ever come back. Not for me, but for her.”
He grinned. “Sure, this isn’t about that hot nanny you’ve hired?”
My face fell. “You’re a fuckwad, you know that?”
“Oh, come on! Let me live a little. The entire town’s talking about it!”
I turned back to my computer. “I’m done with this conversation.”
“Look, all I’m saying is that if you don’t love her, then maybe you’re trying to find proof that Pat has really moved on so you can, too. You know, with the hot curvy chick living in your house.”
“Guesthouse,” I murmured.
He barked with laughter. “Anyway, I can tell you’re drained so I’ll leave it be.”
“Should’ve done that ten minutes ago.”
“You got a reason as to why we’re preparing one of our other mares for the upcoming rodeo?”
And when I fell silent, Will snickered.
“She’s racing our horses now, isn’t she?” he asked.
My fingers started clicking across the keyboard. “It’s part of her hiring package.”
He chuckled. “Told you so.”
His dumbass voice grated on my nerves so much that I took a swing at him. And when he rolled his chair back, all he did was laugh his ass off. I glared at him as I watched him prance out of my office then I forced myself to get back to work. I had to get this paperwork submitted for the rodeo before I missed the deadline and went defunct on my contract with Willow.
But, around two in the afternoon--just as I went to pack up and go train--a knock came at my office door.
“Come in,” I called out.
The door swung open without a sound, so I turned to see who it was. As my computer powered down and I slung my bag over my shoulder, I watched some needle-nosed kid with a crooked tie pull something out of a bag at his side. With the worn shoulder strap rubbing against his faded black suit jacket, his jeans left much to be desired. But, when he handed me a manilla envelope stacked with papers, I swallowed hard.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Remington,” the boy said.
I watched aimlessly as he scurried out of my office. I looked down at the envelope that had my name on it. I recognized that handwriting, too. It was Pat’s handwriting.
And when I opened it up, I slid out an official copy of divorce papers…Papers she had already signed.
I roared with anger as I threw the stack of papers at the wall. They scattered everywhere, raining down upon the floor as I drew in another lungful of air. I bellowed my anger for the four walls of my office to absorb, and when I felt my voice finally giving out, I flopped back down into my seat.
I can’t train today.
I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, but once a cooler head prevailed, I scooped up the papers. I didn’t know what order they were in, and I didn’t care. All I did was shove them into my desk and locked up for the day. I tore home in a frenzied state, blowing through yellow lights and rolling stop signs as if it were my actual day job. And when I got home, all I wanted was to crawl into bed and act as if the world outside didn’t exist.
That didn’t happen, though.
Instead, when I opened the front door of my home, I heard music blaring from the living room. The sounds of my daughter’s voice singing at the top of her lungs filled my ears, and I silently dropped my bag to the floor. I eased the front door closed and silenced my footsteps, walking through the foyer just to peek around the corner. And when I saw Willow swinging my daughter around to the beat of the music coming from our Disney-plus channel, I smiled.
I genuinely smiled.
Instantly, my anger melted into nothingness. I’d never seen such a big smile on my daughter’s face before. Usually, when I walked into the house, I walked into either Marie Lee sleeping or crying about something. But, never this. That thou
ght made the smile melt from my face, though. Clearly, Willow’s influence in her life was much more positive than her own mothers’.
So, what would happen once Patricia got custody of Marie Lee?
I can’t let that happen.
My daughter had to stay with me, no matter the cost.
“Daddy! Come!”
Marie Lee’s voice pulled me from my trance, and I watched Willow whip around. A crooked smile crossed my face as Willow held out her hand for me, beckoning me to join their little dance party. Even in just two weeks, my daughter talked more around Willow than she had in the first two years of her life. Her language was blossoming, she was becoming more outgoing, and as I walked into the living room to scoop my daughter into her arms, I felt her press a kiss against my cheek.
A show of affection my daughter rarely bestowed upon anyone.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said, laying her head on my shoulder.
I kissed her soft curls. “Hey there, princess.”
Willow smiled. “You’re home early.”
I nodded. “Felt like coming home a bit early.”
Marie Lee sat up. “Snack?”
I grinned. “I suppose--.”
Willow cut me off. “Uh, uh, uh. You know when snack time is, pretty girl. And you know now’s not it.”
Willow plucked a pouting Marie Lee from my arms, and I was very impressed with how easily my daughter obeyed despite her not being happy with the outcome.
“Well, what if we work up an appetite?” I asked.
Marie Lee smiled. “Yeah! Teh-tites!”
Willow crooked an eyebrow. “How so?”
I smiled. “What if we dance around and burn off all those calories for an early snack? That might work, right, Miss Willow?”
Marie Lee looked up at her. “Pwease, Mish Willow?”
She cast me a knowing look. “I suppose. But, we have to dance really, really hard. Can you do that for me?”
And as my daughter nodded her head with glee, I joined the two of them in a dance. Twirling around, jumping up and down, and somehow ending up with Willow in my arms.
My strength, wrapped around her waist.
Her eyes, gazing into mine.
And for a brief moment, nothing in the world mattered anymore. Not the divorce papers, not Pat, and certainly not my businesses.
11
Willow
Bryce stabbed at his steak. “So, princess. What were you and Willow up to today?”
Marie Lee smiled through her french fries. “Swim.”
“Oh, you two went swimming. Did you have fun?”
She nodded her head with glee as I reached for my glass of wine.
“What else did you guys do?” Bryce asked.
Marie Lee swallowed hard. “Nap.”
“Ah, good ol’ nap time. I could’ve used one of those today. What was your favorite part of today?”
She threw her ketchup-stained hands into the air. “Dance!”
I giggled. “Mine, too, pretty girl.”
I caught Bryce’s eyes across the table from me, and I tried my best not to blush. But, the truth of the matter was our dance party had ended well over three hours ago, and I still felt the warmth of his embrace around my waist. The dance had been so innocent, the touch, so soft. And I couldn't get it out of my mind. It was as if he had cursed me, entrancing me, just with the stroke of his fingertips against the dip of my waist.
I’m in biiiiig trouble.
I watched as Marie Lee babbled on to her father about the day we had, and all the while I struggled not to stare. Watching them interact with one another warmed me to my core, and I simply couldn’t imagine the kind of crazy a woman would have to be in order to leave all of this behind. What a wonderful and giving situation they had going on here. Prosperous financially. A handsome husband. A beautiful, kind, loving daughter. Maria, to help out with the cooking and the cleaning. It was a woman’s dream life! How in the world would someone leave it?
Leave them?
It made me sick to my stomach to think about.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Bryce said.
His voice ripped me from my trance, and I found both him and Marie Lee staring at me.
“Oh, just planning out tomorrow. That’s all,” I said.
“Swim?” Marie Lee asked.
I winked at her. “If it doesn’t storm, okay?”
My eyes met Bryce’s again, and when he smiled at me, I felt my stomach flutter. I shot him a kind grin before my eyes dropped to my food, and I did all I could to focus on my eating. I had hardly touched my perfectly-grilled steak, which wasn’t like me. Steak and seafood, those were my two favorite foods. So, I should’ve been scarfing this thing down without a care in the world.
Instead, though, my focus was on how close Bryce’s feet were to mine underneath the dinner table.
Thankfully, dinner was over sooner rather than later, and I took the opportunity to put some distance between us. I scooped up a very messy Marie Lee while Bryce cleared the table, giving Maria an early evening. I walked the beautiful little girl upstairs and got her ready for her bath before playing ‘pirates and sharks’ with her toys. Then, we brushed her hair, brushed her teeth, and I let her pick out her pajamas.
Just like we had done every night for the past two weeks.
“Princess!” she exclaimed.
I pulled out her princess dress. “You want to sleep in this again?”
She nodded her head furiously. “Uh-huh, uh-huh.”
“Hmmm, let me think about it.”
“Pweeeeease!?” she begged.
I put my tongue against my two front teeth. “Luh, luh, luh. Do that with me.”
Marie Lee mocked me. “Luh, luh, luh.”
“P-luh-ease.”
“P-luh-ease.”
“Please.”
Her eyes grew big as saucers. “Pwease?”
I giggled. “We’ll work on it, okay?”
“Yes?”
I nodded. “Yes. You can wear the dress.”
“Yessssss!”
She threw her fists into the air, and I quickly slid the dress over her head. It didn’t take long to get her into it, then I tucked her beneath her princess sheets and comforter. Marie Lee still wasn’t at a point where she wanted me to read her a bedtime story. But, we had gotten more comfortable with me holding her hand until she fell asleep.
And once her hand went limp in mine, I stood up and turned off the light so her Olaf night light would glow and make her feel safe.
“Night, pretty girl,” I whispered.
Then, I closed the door and made my way downstairs.
“Thought you might want another glass,” Bryce said.
I jumped at the sound of his voice, and his low chuckle rattled my ribcage. My widened eyes whipped over toward the kitchen, where he stood there with a full glass of wine in his hand. He walked it over to me, and I took it, thankful to drown my nerves in the relaxing alcohol.
But, when he continued to stand there and sip on his own glass, I furrowed my brow.
“Is everything all right?” I asked.
He held his hand out toward the couch. “Mind if we talk for a bit?”
I peeked over my shoulder. “Uh, sure. What about?”
Instead of answering me, though, he simply ushered me over to the couch. With his hand pressed against the small of my back, it grew hard for me to breathe until he finally pulled away. I sank to the cushions and took a long pull from my drink, hoping it might calm my nerves. But, when Bryce sat on the cushion right next to mine instead of on the opposite side of the couch, I forgot all about the wine glass I started clutching a bit too tightly.
“You’re worrying me,” I said softly.
He grinned. “I don’t mean to. I just thought we might want to get to know each other a little more since things are really working out with you here.”
I felt oddly… disappointed? “Oh.”
“Oh?”
I sipped my wine. “Well, wh
at would you like to know?”
He shrugged. “Anything you’d like me to know.”
“Oh.”
“There you go with that tone of voice again.”
I snickered. “It’s nothing bad. Just getting a feel for the situation.”
“Are you uncomfortable?”
I paused. “No, actually. I’m not. Just… stepping with caution.”
“Have I given you a reason to?”
Other than being drop-dead gorgeous? “Not really?”
He set his wine glass on the coffee table. “Look, Marie Lee has really taken to you. And the last thing I want is to upend a schedule she seems to have created with you. But, everyone has a past. And I just want to make sure there’s nothing about you that will--.”
I held up my hand. “Say no more. I understand.”
“Is there anything I should be worried about?”
Should I tell him? Would he fire me if I told him? Did he already know, and this was his way of approaching things? I knew it was better to tell the truth, but I was worried the truth might cost me my job. I couldn't fault him for wanting to suss things out, though. So, I decided to be upfront and honest.
“Safe space?” I asked.
He nodded. “Safe space.”
“No judgment?”
“None at all. Even if this weren’t a safe space, which it is.”
I set my wine down next to his. “All right, then. There is something you should know.”
“I’m all ears.”
I drew in a deep breath. “Right up until I quit my job, Dr. Morris and I were sleeping together.”
He blinked. “Oh.”
I giggled. “Yeah. Oh.”
“He--you--uh…”
“I’m really sorry. I promise you, it wasn't something either of us intended. It just--.”
He held up his hand. “For how long?”
I sighed. “Around six months? Maybe a bit more?”
“Were you two dating?”
I shook my head. “I thought we were? I mean, in the beginning, he wanted to keep things on the down-low because I was his employee, and I got that. But, I suppose I figured it wouldn't always be that way.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you quit?”
