Pretend Daddy

by Lulu Pratt

  “I thought you were supposed to be my wingman?” he asked. Jasper extended his arms as though they were wings, and Jake carried him through the room for a few seconds.

  “Wingman!” Jasper yelled.

  “I don’t think that you should be proud of your wingman skills this morning, buddy,” he teased him, though he was speaking more to me. We shared a smile together before he sat Jasper down. Without hesitation, he continued to the playroom and Jake to the kitchen.

  “You know, I really don’t want to be jealous that you’re making him pancakes right now,” he said from behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

  “I can make you some too,” I offered, certain that wasn’t what he was craving.

  “I’d rather have what you were serving up earlier,” he whispered, pressing against my hips so I could feel his erection.

  “There’s always tonight.” I glanced over my shoulder, offering my lips.

  Jake twisted me around, kissing me deeply. I felt breathless at the unexpected passion. He was masterful with his tongue, and I felt weak in the knees from the embrace.

  “I’ll see you tonight, girlfriend,” he said casually after ending the lustful embrace.

  Panting, I just stared at him, in awe of his ability to turn me on. “Was that supposed to make me count down the minutes until you’re back?”

  “I was hoping for something like that,” he smiled, spinning me back to the stove before gently slapping my ass.

  Chapter 22

  JAKE

  A TEXT FROM my mom brought me to her house for lunch. She said she needed to talk to me, but in the back of my mind I felt she could sense the changes in my life. We were close like that. Whenever unexpected adjustments happened, she would reach out to me, regardless of how far apart we were. She could sense it. I loved that about my mom, so I was happy to stop by her house in the middle of my day.

  “You look so good!” She greeted me at the door with a big hug.

  “Thanks, Mom. I feel good.” I smiled as we separated. She was watching me closely, suspiciously.

  “There’s something different,” she squinted. I laughed, hoping to hide the smile Rick had been telling me I was wearing all morning.

  I couldn’t help myself. I felt like a million bucks. The night before with Ashley was the best in a long time. I’d never imagined things could go so perfectly, in or outside of the bedroom. She blew my mind more than once. And then this morning was unbelievable. Everything about it – from the close call in the shower to seeing her wearing my T-shirt in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for Jasper. It felt too perfect, but I was convinced I deserved it.

  “Wait a damn minute,” my mom called after me as I walked through the living room to investigate the sweet aroma calling me.

  “Did you bake pie?” I called over my shoulder, ignoring her attempt to pry into my life.

  “I sure did. Your favorite – apple cobbler – but you’re not getting a bite until I hear what’s got you strutting so tall,” she teased, watching me with a smirk from the eat-in dining table.

  My mother still lived in my childhood home, which was smaller than the newer homes they were building. There were only two bedrooms and no formal dining room. Growing up, we ate right where she sat now, where I’d watch her make dinner, waiting for the time to taste test. It was also where I did my homework, school projects and hung out with friends.

  Glancing over her smiling face, I realized I could see most of the house from where I was standing. Only the two bedrooms and bathrooms were hidden. As a child, I never felt our house was little. Most of my friends lived in apartments, so I thought we had a mansion. I could fit four or five copies of my childhood home into my current house. A random sense of pride about my accomplishments settled in as my mom made her way to the kitchen.

  “If you think you’re going to ignore me, you’ve got another thing coming,” she sassed, always determined to get what she wanted.

  “What are you talking about, Mom?” I smiled as she playfully stopped me from cutting into her fresh cobbler.

  “I want to know who’s responsible for that grin you’re wearing,” she teased, poking my dimple.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I continued as we both laughed.

  “It’s Ashley, isn’t it? The girl you hired?”

  “Do you have like a sixth sense or something?” I jokingly accused her. It was uncanny the way she could predict and correctly guess what was going on in my life. As a child, I couldn’t lie to her. She would always see through me.

  “You’re my baby. I always know when something’s going on with you.” She finally released my hand, and I sunk the knife into the cobbler, releasing an alluring smell.

  “This smells amazing,” I inhaled deeply, reaching for one of the plates she kept stacked on the microwave.

  “There’s vanilla ice cream in the freezer,” she added before sitting down at the table.

  “You’re always trying to get me fat,” I shook my head on the way to the freezer.

  “I’m sure your new addition will help me along the way. Can this Ashley cook?” she asked, already beginning her interrogation.

  “She can. Last night, she made a roast that rivaled yours,” I said, glancing up to see her brows crease.

  “Is that right?” She pierced her lips together. She was so sassy, it never ceased to amuse me. “When will I get to meet this remarkable woman?”

  I chuckled, thinking of when I wanted to bring Ashley by. She was special to me, so there was no need in delaying it. I didn’t like the idea of holding parts of my life back from her, waiting for her to meet a benchmark. I knew I wanted her and I meant what I said – I wanted all of her. Even more, I wanted her to have all of me. That included my mother, who was pretty much the only family I had.

  “I guess I’ll bring her by soon enough,” I finally answered as I scooped one spoonful of ice cream on top of my massive slice of apple cobbler.

  “Good. I like the way she’s got you smiling,” she said, but the humor was gone, replaced by genuine happiness.

  “Don’t go getting mushy on me, now,” I warned.

  “Jake, you know how much I’ve wanted you to find a piece of this life that’s just for you. Ever since your father passed, you’ve been all about taking care of everyone else. Me, Anna-Louise, now Jasper. I’m just glad there’s finally someone looking after you,” she reasoned with emotion in her eyes.

  “She definitely looks after me,” I assured her as I made my way to the table.

  I didn’t want to get her too excited, so I didn’t carry on like I wanted. Truth was, I could talk about Ashley and the many ways she’d improved my life for days. She was considerate and caring, always thinking of me and Jasper. Sitting across from my mom, I made a mental note to do something special for Ashley soon, because she deserved to be taken care of, too.

  “So, your spidey senses were tingling, huh?” I asked. “That’s why you called me over and baked my favorite.”

  The light dropped from her eyes, and she looked away. She was hiding something, which was rare. Suddenly, my appetite was gone, even if my favorite dessert was sitting in front of me. When she looked back, I knew she was up to something.

  “What is it?” I rushed to get to the bottom of it.

  “Don’t be mad,” she started.

  “Mom, just tell me.” I clenched my jaw.

  “Well, you know, after the last time you came over and all we talked about…” she continued to stall, avoiding whatever it was she had been working on.

  “Get to the point,” I urged her.

  “Well, Jake, I made an appointment for you to get a DNA test done down at the clinic,” she blurted out.

  “You what?” I barked, hoping I’d misheard her, though certain I hadn’t.

  “You said that the lawyer said you need to know, and I knew you’d just keep putting it off.”

  Inhaling deeply, I held the breath for three extra seconds before exhaling. It w
as a breathing technique I’d learned in the military when I felt myself getting too worked up. Closing my eyes, I repeated the deep inhale, counting to ten before exhaling.

  As the shock dissipated, I had to admit my mom was right. I wasn’t going to make the appointment on my own, because I didn’t want to know the truth. Or maybe I didn’t want to confirm what I knew. The more I’d thought about it, the less certain I was that Jasper was my son. The dates didn’t exactly line up the way I thought necessary, but he was my son regardless.

  “Nothing on that test will change the way you feel about him.” My mom read my mind again.

  “I know,” I sighed, pushing the plate of cobbler away. “When is the appointment?”

  She glanced at her watch before looking at me remorsefully. “In thirty minutes.”

  “Well, don’t go getting a conscience now, Mom. You knew this was coming when you called me over here.” I shook my head slowly. I didn’t want to face the music, but it was blaring too loudly to continue avoiding.

  “I only want to help. I already have booked Jasper for you to take next week, so all you have to do is give your samples and they’ll do the comparison,” she explained.

  “I know you just want to help. Come on, get your shoes on. Let’s go do this.”

  In a way, I was grateful she had pushed me before I was ready. Without moving forward with the test, I was at a standstill in my fight for custody of Jasper. The last thing I wanted was for Anna-Louise to make a play to get him back before she was healthy, so I had to make sure to stay proactive.

  My mom was only trying to help in that effort, and so I refused to allow the feelings of anger to manifest. I didn’t like being pushed into a corner, but what my mom had done was push me out of one. She was forcing me to confront something I’d been avoiding, just as she had my whole life.

  At least I’d have her with me as I went through the embarrassing process, trying to learn the truth. We decided to take her car, because climbing into my truck was difficult for her. So I drove the Toyota Corolla I’d bought her a few years back slower than usual. I was in no rush to shake my world upside down again.

  Chapter 23

  ASHLEY

  HOW MUCH MY life had changed in the past few weeks regularly blew my mind. Just a month prior, I’d be heading to my last class of the day before theater practice. Now, I was spending the day doing one of my new favorite activities – trying out recipes for toddlers I found online.

  My iPad was propped up on the kitchen counter with all my ingredients measured and separated in cute glass bowls I’d purchased with my weekly stipend. Jake had made it clear that he didn’t care if I spent the money directly on Jasper, because he knew he didn’t have everything necessary in his house. In a way, I’d begun interior designing his house to make it best for me.

  Jasper seemed to eat better when I gave him one item, rather than a plate with options. So, I’d taken to creating all types of muffins. Today, I was making turkey meatloaf muffins, after finding a blog dedicated to toddler eats. Jasper was across the room, playing with his Army figurines at his miniature table, in between constant breaks to the kitchen for a handful of raisins.

  I was just about to begin mixing the ingredients when a FaceTime request popped up on the iPad. It was Catharine. We hadn’t spoken in a few days, partly because I’d been avoiding her. After ignoring her last text, I felt a bit guilty, so I answered the call.

  “Hey, what are you doing FaceTiming me in the middle of the day?” I tried to sound as excited as possible.

  “Well, I’ve tried everything but a smoke signal. Figured I’d give this a try,” she teased, cracking a smile that let me know she forgave me.

  “Sorry! I’ve been so busy,” I paused, unsure of how much I wanted to tell her about Jake and me.

  “It’s okay, but I do need to see you,” she said.

  “Umm, hello? You are seeing me!”

  “In person, silly!”

  “Well, I’m going to be in all day today,” I thought aloud, thinking of a good time to meet up with her.

  “Fine. Send me the address. I’ll drive out to the boonies!”

  “Well, I’ve got to call Jake and check on that first. I’ve never had anyone come over here,” I said slowly.

  “Okay, well, call your boss and check it out. But I need to see you today, Ashley! For real! It’s serious!”

  I nodded before she ended the call. My mood instantly deflated. Pacing the kitchen, I debated how I should best frame the request to Jake. I didn’t want to sound like I was intruding on his space, pushing myself into his life so quickly. It had only been a few hours since we decided we wanted to be together, and now I was asking to invite my friends to his house? The possibility that he could find it intrusive worried me, but still I found myself dialing his number.

  He answered on the first ring. “Hey, baby. Everything okay?” The calmness in his voice relaxed me immediately.

  “Yeah,” I paused. “It’s good to hear your voice.”

  He chuckled into the phone. “Did you just call to make me smile?”

  “I wish,” I giggled. “My friend Catharine wanted to meet up, but I didn’t plan to go out today. I wanted to know if it would be okay for her to stop by your place. And before you answer, it’s okay if that’s too much to ask.” I clenched my eyes shut, preparing for his response.

  “I think it’s sweet that you asked, but you can have whoever you want over. If you trust them, I trust them.”

  My heart melted. He was the sweetest man ever. “I can’t wait until you get home,” I spoke my thoughts.

  He chuckled again. “You’re not the only one.”

  Catharine wasted no time driving out to Jake’s. I half wondered if she’d gone to her car while waiting for my call so she could arrive as soon as possible.

  She was knocking at the door before the timer for the oven sounded. I was a bit uneasy welcoming her into Jake’s house. My worlds were colliding, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. Here I was able to be a new version of myself, living a dream I wasn’t sure could ever be my reality. And I knew Catharine would bring old memories, some I didn’t care to relive.

  Still, she was my oldest and dearest friend. I could never abandon or reject her. At some point, she would have to meet Jake, so it was better to get the ball rolling.

  “Now I see why you’ve been ignoring my calls!” she blurted when I opened the door.

  “What are you talking about?” I pulled her into a hug. Regardless of how I felt away from Catharine, being around her always reminded me of how special our bond was.

  “You’re out here living the life! I wouldn’t want to leave here either,” she said, her head swiveling from one room to the next as she aimlessly wandered. “Is this even in city limits?”

  “Yes, this is still Raleigh,” I laughed softly, following behind her.

  Always interested in what was going on, Jasper ran up to us with curiosity, halting when his eyes landed on Catharine.

  “Hi, Jasper!” she called excitedly. He squinted skeptically, still frozen in his stance. “Oh, you don’t remember me?”

  He shook his head and then glanced at me for an explanation. “Jasper, remember we went to lunch at the Farmers Market with Catharine? She’s my best friend,” I explained.

  “The park!” he yelled before running to her, wrapping his arms around her legs.

  “Oh, my God! He’s so cute!” she squealed before lifting him up.

  “You want to see my toys, Gaffrine? I have a playroom!” He pointed to the sunroom.

  “Of course I do! How about you go get your favorite toys ready and I’ll come in there with you after I talk to Ashley,” Catharine said, speaking in a gentle childlike voice I’d never heard before.

  As the oldest of four children, Catharine was always responsible for her younger siblings. But in all our years of friendship, I’d never seen her be too affectionate to any of them. It was nice to see a softer side of her, though unexpected.
/>   “Come on, let’s go to the kitchen,” I said, leading her through the house. It was the best place to chat, since I could still keep an eye on Jasper. “Do you want something to drink? Or a cookie? I made some chocolate chip cookies yesterday.”

  “You’re really June Cleaver, huh?” she teased as I carried the plate of cookies to the island, setting them between us.

  “What’s been up with you?” I changed the subject.

  “I went by your place the last two nights.” She bit a cookie, but her eyes were trained on me. “Your car wasn’t there.”

  It wasn’t a question, but an accusation. She knew where I was, but she wanted me to tell her, so I did. “Oh, yeah. Jake has been working late, so I just stayed over.”

  I tried to sound casual, though my heart was fluttering with memories of our night together. It wasn’t the right time to tell Catharine, so I kept the details to myself.

  “That’s what I figured! You’re just holding out on all the info!” she claimed, and we both giggled before I turned to get us both glasses of milk.

  “You know, you’re not the only one with secrets,” she announced as I turned back to the kitchen island.

  My heart sank, already aware of what secrets she wanted to share. I knew it was the reason she had called and demanded to see me, but I didn’t want to believe it. She was growing obsessed with her revenge plot, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want updates or to participate.

  “Don’t tell me this is about Nathan,” I rolled my eyes.

  Undeterred by my shift in mood, Catharine grinned while reaching for her phone. “Trust me! This is worth the dramatics! You’re not going to believe what he sent me!”

  “Catharine, I don’t want to hear about it. Not here.” I stood my ground, despite how uncomfortable it made me.

  It wasn’t right to talk about Nathan in Jake’s house. All I wanted was to build a life with Jake, forgetting about the awful memories in my past. Catharine couldn’t understand that, and from the look on her face, she wasn’t happy about it.