by Piper Rayne
“You can say she’s batshit crazy. I won’t take offense.” I stare down at Calista surprised at how easily she fell back asleep.
“Your fridge?”
“Repairman will be there in an hour.”
She nods. “When are you opening?”
“A little over two weeks.” I fiddle with the hem of my jacket.
“That’s great. I mean that you own your own restaurant. That’s a big step.”
I glance over at her. “Yeah, baby daddy and restaurant owner in one month. Big changes for Rome Bailey.”
Her shoulders falter slightly.
“That wasn’t a dig.” I shift on the bench to face her.
“I wouldn’t blame you if it was, but I’m not sure how I would’ve found you. I bribed a friend I worked with to look up any Denvers that were flying to New York that next morning, but she couldn’t find one, so I figured I had wrong information.”
“Hey, let’s just forget it. I don’t hold a grudge. We had a one-night stand and produced a beautiful baby. I’m cool with just moving forward. That’s why I can’t hold you hostage here for a week.”
As I waited for word from Jack, I went over the agreement I made with her in my head and it’s not fair. Besides, do I really think she’ll fall in love with Lake Starlight in a week? Hell, I grew up here and even I know Lake Starlight is an acquired taste.
“What do you mean?” she asks.
“I made my appointment for two days from now. If you want to go back to Seattle, you can go.”
She thinks hard. “So, you don’t want to be…” She clears her throat. “Okay, okay.” She stands and positions a still sleeping Calista on her shoulder. “Could you just point me to where I need to go to get back?”
“I’ll walk you.” I stand.
“No. You have the fridge, your restaurant, and your life. I’m fine.”
She’s clearly not. Her wobbly stature and tight voice alerts me that something is wrong.
“Harley, what exactly do you think I’m agreeing to?” Like G’Ma D said, I’m the smart grandkid and it doesn’t take long to figure out that she’s assuming I gave her a pass to go back to single motherhood in Seattle.
“Oh, don’t feel bad. I mean, I threw this all on you, and I kind of prefer it just being me and her. I mean I was getting a little protective when she went to your grandma with no problem. I just… I let my mind wander. It’s fine.”
I touch her arm and wait for her eyes to meet mine. My hand runs down the back of Calista’s head. “I’m her father. I will be part of her life. We’ll have to come up with a visitation plan and I want to start paying you money each month for her expenses. But it was wrong of me to blackmail you into staying here for a week, to hold that test over your head. I want you to stay, but I’m giving you an out.”
A tear slips from Harley’s eye and there’s more there waiting to fall. The way she straightens her back and inhales a deep breath, I’m fairly sure that’ll be the last one she’ll let slip though.
“Do you not want me to be a part of her life?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “No. That’s not it.”
“Then why are you upset?”
“You want her?” she asks.
“Of course, I do.”
She nods and her gaze shoots to the left of me. “Then we’re here for the week. You can take the test whenever you want, but I give you my word, we’re here for the week so you can get to know your daughter. We’ll have to figure something out after that. I really can’t afford to stay at the Cozy Cottage B&B for an extended length of time.”
My stomach bubbles with excitement like I’m a fucking girl. “Really? You’re going to stay. For me? Why?”
More tears fall and she digs into her diaper bag, finding it difficult with Calista, so I grab her and quickly turn her around to lie on me. We need to get this girl a stroller.
“She has a dad who met her less than twenty-four hours ago and he’s willing to up-end his entire life to include her. I can’t take that away from her. I know what it feels like not to have that.” She wipes her tears with a Kleenex.
My heart goes out to Harley for the upbringing she must have had but I know she doesn’t want my pity, so I try not to let it show on my face.
“You thought I’d be content with never seeing her again?”
She shrugs.
“I think not only do I need to get to know Calista, you need to get to know me.” I put my arm around her shoulders. “First way to do that is that I get to feed you.”
She laughs. “Feed me? I doubt you have anything in that fancy restaurant I’d like.”
I huff. “Such little faith. I hope you’re hungry, but first things first. If you’re staying here for a week, we need a stroller.” I direct us toward Sweet Home Baby Boutique where I proudly get to make my first purchase for my daughter.
An hour later, Calista is in a highchair with Harley at the front window of my restaurant. She’s eating some mac and cheese I made as I try to assemble the damn stroller.
“No, the instructions say to put Part E with part—” Colin wiggles the instructions in front of my face, and I rip them from his grip and toss them on the ground.
Fucking hell. I’m not even sure I’d feel safe with Calista riding around in this thing once I’m done.
“Why don’t I help?” Harley moves to get up from her chair.
I put my hand up to stop her. “Nope. I got this.”
As if I need more spying eyes, two jackasses walk into the restaurant.
“We’re closed,” I say, staring up at Colin. “Show them the door.”
A look of fret crosses his face because Colin’s not exactly a big guy. He’s kind of scrawny, but the guy’s got crazy knife skills. That’s why he’s my sous-chef.
“We’re family.” Denver sits across from Harley, next to Calista, picking a noodle out of her brown hair.
“Only one of you is,” I remark, snapping on a piece of plastic. “Fuck me.”
“Fuk,” Calista says. Harley stares over to me, releasing a long annoyed breath.
“Are you really telling me you’ve never sworn in front of her?” I ask.
Harley sips her soda, saying nothing. The smile teasing her lips says Calista might have known the word well before me.
“We didn’t properly meet. I’m Denver.” He extends his hand over the table.
Harley shakes it, studying his face. This is a common occurrence. She’s looking for some way to tell us apart. Denver has a small scar right under his chin from when we were six and he fell in the shower trying to be Spiderman. Other than that, my mom used to say my nose was slightly wider, but truth be told, I’ve never noticed.
“I’m Liam.” Our buddy puts his hand out and she shakes it staring up at the big mass of a man. Calista’s eyes widen as her own head keeps tilting up. It’s cute. Like he’s a real life giant.
She pokes his muscular arm and flaps her arms up and down.
“You’re brilliant. Yes, a bird.” Denver ruffles her hair and she smiles over at him.
We really need to teach her stranger danger. Although I can’t really blame her on the whole Denver thing. She probably thinks it’s me.
“Nice to meet you both,” Harley says.
“You’re putting that together all wrong,” Liam says, sitting next to me and taking the part out of my hand.
“Have at it then.”
I sit down next to Harley, putting my arm around the back of her chair but she side glances me, so I move it to my lap.
“Hungry?” I ask my brother.
“Always,” Denver says, picking up a fork and stabbing a piece of mac and cheese out of Calista’s bowl. “So,” he mumbles over his chewing. “What do you do, Harley?”
“I bartend and I’m going to school for massage therapy.”
Denver’s lips tip down, and I know that on the count of three he’s going to fucking embarrass me.
“Massage therapy? Not one of those happy-ending massage
places, right? Is that how you two met? Did you practice on Rome? You know one way to tell us apart is below the belt.”
“Yeah, I’m bigger.” I grin.
Denver laughs.
“Tell me Denver, how many happy-ending massages have you gotten over the years?” Harley quips.
He holds up his hand. “None. I don’t need to pay for those.”
“But you know of places that supply them?” She crosses her legs and rests her elbows on the table. I keep seeing reasons why I slept with her. Her wit is damn sexy.
“Everyone does.” He shrugs.
“I don’t.” Her eyes widen and she glances to me. “Rome?”
“Nope.” I shake my head.
Denver leers at me.
“Liam?”
We glance over to find he’s halfway finished putting the stroller together. Damn show-off.
“Never. I strictly go for the neck and back pain I get from being slouched over doing tatts all day. I’ve never heard of a massage therapist’s hands roaming where they shouldn’t.” He doesn’t look up as he reads the instructions. The fact that he can listen to our conversation, respond to a question, and still put together that stroller grates on me.
“Whatever, you guys.” Denver grabs the fork and takes some more mac and cheese, but Calista’s arms stretch out and she grabs the bowl bringing it to her chest.
“Mine!”
“Man, I don’t get any love in this room.” Denver pretends to pout, and Calista watches him carefully for a moment before sliding the bowl back his way. “Well, shit, I love her already.” He smiles over to Harley and then me.
“She,” Calista says, and Harley throws her hands up in the air.
“Here you go,” Liam hops up from the seat, pushing the stroller back and forth a few times.
“Who the hell are you? Galileo?” Denver asks.
We all gasp. “You know Galileo?” I ask.
He shakes his head and unstraps Calista. “Just me and you girl.” He dances with her around the restaurant. “Screw all them.”
Calista touches his face and smiles up at him like he’s the funniest guy in the world. Harley turns to me briefly, no smile or anything on her face and goes back to watching them. There’s so much love here for Calista, I wonder how much there is back in Seattle.
Eleven
Harley
Rome has spent every day this week with Calista and me. We’ve gone to the park, visited Grandma Dori where she lives, we’ve gone to the house he grew up in, and we’ve gone to his parents’ burial plot. Most of his time with us is spent with Calista in his arms and me pushing the expensive empty stroller he purchased. Every day I see him growing closer to her and her to him.
We ended up putting off the appointment at the lab until later in the week, but today he’s picking me up to go with him to get his DNA test. We’re going alone, keeping Calista back with Selene since we don’t know how long it will take. I’m not even really sure why I’m accompanying him. There’s no real reason I need to be there. But he asked if I’d join him and I said yes. This whole exercise feels like a finality. The last checkmark on our weeklong list before I go back to Seattle.
Speaking of which, Shane texted me last night. That situation is so complicated I have no idea where to begin. He finished his big case and says he’s looking forward to seeing me. He’s going to pick us up from the airport once we arrive in Seattle.
Rome’s truck pulls up outside and I rush to grab my coat and tell Selene we’re leaving.
“Have a nice trip to Anchorage. Enjoy the drive.” Selene holds Calista on her hip.
Another nice part of being here this week is Selene. She’s watched Calista a couple of times which has given me time to look online for classes to finish up my massage therapy license. It’s nice having people around to help. Selene feels like a pseudo mom—not that I’d know what that feels like.
“Thanks.” I kiss Calista. “Be good for Selene.”
Calista tugs on Selene’s hair and stares up at her. Yep, we’re both growing attached. This isn’t good.
Rome knocks on the door and when I open it up, he’s there, just like every other day this week, but I swear he grows hotter and hotter every time that door swings open. Today, he’s in jeans, a sweater, and a jacket. His hair is gelled back instead of the loosely ruffled waves it usually has, and the bad-boy vibe has been replaced by some good-guy feels. I need to contemplate which look I prefer because they both work for him.
“Da!” Calista says and both of our heads whip around.
“What?” Rome barrels past me and holds his hands out to her. Calista leans forward and Selene passes her to him.
“Da! Da!” Calista repeats and Rome holds her out in the air like she loves, swinging her around.
“That’s right! Dada.” He points to himself, pulling her into his body.
Selene steps back giving us some space for this newfound classification my daughter has discovered. Not that she knows what the word means, but Rome’s been in her face every day repeating it. It seems to have stuck.
Rome holds her to him, his hand on the back of her head, his lips at her ear, staring at me over her shoulder with the widest, cheesiest grin. One that says, ‘I’m never giving her up.’ I can’t fault him. I never will either.
“Dada has to go somewhere with Mommy, so you stay with Auntie Selene, okay?” He lifts her up, staring into her eyes while he talks to her.
He swivels her around, lays her tummy over his hands and acts like she’s an airplane landing into Selene’s arms.
Cheesy as hell, but cute as hell at the same time. I never thought I’d see a man like Rome baby talking and making our daughter into an airplane.
I never thought I’d feel guilty when she calls him dada either because two days from now it’ll be me separating them when I take her home.
“Now you two get going. You know, traffic.” Selene winks and shoos us out the door.
Rome kisses Calista on the head one more time and then opens the door for me.
I know Selene can be trusted and I’ve had to leave Calista with daycare personnel for my job and schooling back in Seattle, but there’s always that fear in the back of my mind that when I return, she’ll be gone.
“There’s traffic in Alaska?” I quirk an eyebrow.
“Hey, it’s a popular place to be.” Rome ushers me out with his hand.
“Bye, Selene. We won’t be gone long,” I say, blowing a kiss to Calista who quickly realizes what’s going on. Her bottom lip dips.
“Take her, Rome,” Selene says, realizing what’s about to happen.
Calista’s wailing begins just as Rome shuts the door behind us.
I reach for the doorknob but stop myself.
“What are you waiting for? Go get her. We’ll take her with us,” Rome says, concern lacing every syllable.
I stare over at him. I’ve been there… the edginess of his tone, the spastic way he’s ready to bulldoze his way past me to reach her. I lean in closer to the door and hear Selene singing. Calista’s cries die down and I take my hand off the doorknob.
“What am I missing?” he asks.
I touch his forearm and nod my head toward the walkway. “Let’s go. She can handle her.”
Rome stands on the porch wavering on whether to believe me or bust through the door. Thankfully for all of us, he eventually follows me to his truck.
Soon we’re on our way to Anchorage. His rock music is at a low enough volume that we could talk but what is there really to talk about?
Yeah, okay, you got me there. We could literally fill an entire ocean with issues that need to be resolved. Right now is as good of a time as any so I turn and face him.
His thumbs beat to the drum rhythm on the steering wheel. He really is devilishly handsome. It doesn’t matter, I remind myself. Nor should I care.
“You sure you’re okay doing this?” I ask.
He nods and smiles, his strip-the-panties-off-any-woman one. “Anything fo
r Calista. Shit. Speaking of which.” He grabs his phone from the console, presses a few buttons, careful to keep his eyes on the road, and hands it over to me. “Have you heard of the Buzz Wheel blog?”
“I’ve heard you all groan about it.” I glance down at the screen and see the Lake Starlight Buzz Wheel blog website, cute blue and black logo and all.
“Think of it as a rite of passage. The headline today is about us. I wanted you to know in case people in town give you looks or refer to you by name.”
I cringe, looking over at him before reading the latest blog entry.
* * *
BABY DADDY FOUND
The new girl in town with baby in tow is Harley Sullivan. The baby girl, Calista. The baby daddy? None other than Rome Bailey. I know, I would’ve sworn it was Denver’s, too. Although I did hear a rumor about a mix-up over who the father might be so who knows? Our two new Lake Starlight additions have been spotted all over town with Rome acting as their tour guide this week. Could this little darling be the one to lock down one of our crazy bad-boy Bailey twins? I think I speak for all of us when I say a resounding YES! Regardless of Mama and Dada getting together, it’s a time for celebration because the Baileys have a new generation to welcome. WOO HOO!
My eyes scan down the page.
In other news, I guess the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree. Karen Radcliffe, Holly Radcliffe’s (soon-to-be Holly Bailey) mother and Brian Canmore were caught playing with the whipped cream in the backroom of Lard Have Mercy last night. I speak for all of us when I say, I’ll still take the pecan pie but hold the whipped cream. The Radcliffes must have something for public sex. Holly and Austin can’t seem to keep it in the bedroom either.
All that follows is an email to send stories or pictures to.
“What is this, high school?” I place his phone back in the center console.
“Yeah, kind of, but in this weird way it brings the town together, too.”
I keep my mouth shut, but I can see the fascination with it.
“Tell me, how much of a bad boy are you?”
