Catch-22 (Single Dad Romance)

by Brenda Ford

  “Sure, sweetie,” I said, biting my nail as I glanced over at the window.

  A car had pulled up in the lot outside our hotel room. A bolt of anxiety shot through me as I heard the engine shut off. It was likely no one I needed to worry about. But then I hoped that maybe it was Elias. That hope was suddenly overwhelmed by dread though, when I thought that maybe it was the people after Elias. Only time would tell.

  I looked down at my phone. No new messages. No nothing.

  People got out of the car and walked past the room, their voices dwindling as they kept walking and allowed me to breathe once more. It was a man and a woman, both sounding drunk and laughing, probably enjoying their vacation.

  “Okay, Harley, time for bed – ”

  I cut myself off when the phone buzzed in my hand. It scared me, like legit scared me, and I jumped, letting out a small squeaking noise. Harley groaned and went into the bathroom, dragging her feet.

  It was Elias.

  I answered the phone, my hand shaking as I did so.

  “Elias?” I said, almost fearing it wouldn't be him, fearing it would be one of the men who'd been after him who'd maybe killed him and taken his phone.

  “Yeah, it's me,” he said.

  Relief washed over me and I sat back down on the bed, finally able to breathe. The sense of relief was so overpowering that it left me trembling as I sat there.

  “Is everything okay?” I whispered, hoping Harley wouldn't hear me or pick up on my stress.

  “Everything is fine,” he said calmly. “I'm on my way to San Diego now, should be there in a few hours.”

  “So you didn't have to – ” I stopped short of saying it, not wanting to say the words. Not wanting to believe that Elias was capable of it.

  “No. Listen, it's a long story, but everything is fine,” he said. “We can come back home now.”

  “Is that daddy?” Harley asked, coming out of the bathroom with a wide smile on her face and excitement in her voice.

  “It is,” I said, feeling like I might cry with relief. “Do you want to talk to him?”

  She rushed toward me and took the phone from my hands, happily talking to her father as if everything had always been fine.

  “Where are you?” she asked. “We want to go to the beach, but we're waiting on you.”

  I heard him laugh on the other end. I laughed too.

  Everything was fine.

  Everything was going to be okay.

  When Harley was done talking, she handed the phone back to me.

  “We are in room 104. Right next to the lobby,” I said.

  “I'll be there late,” he said. “I can sleep in the car until – ”

  “No, no, you better get your butt in here,” I said. “Just call me or knock and I'll let you in. Then we can all go to the beach tomorrow. We can make a day of it.”

  “Sounds good,” he said. “And Paige, thank you.”

  “You're welcome. I'd do anything for Harley,” I said, looking over at the little girl. “And you.”

  There was a long pause on the line and I thought the call had been dropped. But then Elias spoke and I felt my heart literally skip a beat in my chest.

  “I love you,” he said, taking me by complete surprise.

  My heart felt like it did a complete flip flop inside of me. Had I heard him right? Had he really said what I thought he said?

  I wasn't sure, but the rush of warm feelings that washed over me were overwhelming and I told him, “I love you too.”

  Because life can be unpredictable sometimes, and I needed to tell him.

  Even if that wasn't what he'd really said, I needed him to know that was how I truly felt.

  As crazy as it sounded – and I knew it sounded plenty crazy. But it was the truth and it was how I felt. So, why hide it or deny it?

  19

  Paige

  “My first family vacation with Harley,” Elias said as we walked onto the beach together, hand-in-hand. “And my first vacation with you too. It's a beautiful day and I feel really fortunate to be here with the two most beautiful women in the world.”

  Harley ran ahead of us, skipping through the sand and giggling as she dashed right up to the edge of the water. But then she stopped and stared at the ocean in awe. When the waves broke on shore, rushed in, and lapped at her toes, she squealed and rushed back to us.

  “Are you guys coming?” she asked. “I want to get in the water!”

  “Go ahead, Harley-bug,” Elias said. “We're right here. I'll be sure to keep an eye on you.”

  I pulled out my phone, eager to take some photos of her first time at the beach. Harley laughed and danced in the water, playing in the small waves as they broke on shore. I couldn't help but smile as I watched her having the time of her life out there.

  “You know, I was thinking,” I said. “I have some buddies from high school who own a tattoo shop down here, and – well – I was kinda thinking maybe Harley and I might relocate to San Diego. Since she's probably going to lose her scholarship over missing these last few days anyway. So, why not start somewhere fresh? Somewhere clean. Somewhere well away from the MC.”

  “Oh yeah?” I side-eyed him.

  “Yeah, and since you are probably out of a job anyway – ”

  “Are you asking me to move to San Diego with you?” I laughed. “Don't you think it's a little too soon?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe? But what else do we have going for us.”

  He had a point. I'd walked out of my school without much warning. I'd told the office I wasn't feeling well, that I was going to the emergency room, and they'd cancelled all my art classes for the day.

  I could probably go back. But the question was – did I want to?

  “Just think about it,” he said. “Maybe finish out the school year back at home, see where life takes us, and – ”

  “Yes,” I said before he could finish. “I mean, after the school year. I'll start looking for jobs down here. I'll see if I can find something in the area. It doesn't have to be teaching, but – well, just see where life takes us, right?”

  The idea scared the daylights out of me, to be honest. But I wasn't happy back home. I liked teaching well enough, but it wasn't my dream. It wasn't my calling. And I hated everything about the school I worked at – even if it was prestigious and would probably look good on a resume.

  Harley was now ankle deep in the water, laughing and smiling and splashing in the waves. She was having the time of her life. The idea of living there, with them, made my heart swell with joy.

  “This isn't about what happened back home, is it?” I asked. “You said everything was cleared back there.”

  “Oh, it was,” he said. “I can go back. There's no danger anymore. The MC is pretty well DOA. After what happened, Carl was a witness for me and he told the cops that Mav and Jay were blackmailing me. They'd discovered a link between Amy's folks, and the entire MC and they had all been implicated in some serious shit. It was a crazy thought to have in that moment, but I shouldn't have to worry about them anymore.”

  “Good,” I said. “I'm glad. What about Amy?”

  He shrugged. “I mean, I can't keep her from her daughter,” he said, sounding like that wasn't even close to reality. “If she cleans up her act, maybe one day she and Harley can have a relationship. But until then – I think it's better if she doesn't come around.”

  “I agree.”

  “Besides, she has a better female role model in her life now,” he said, kissing my hand and smiling at me.

  “I'll do my best,” I said. “But I'm not her mom.”

  “I know,” he said. “And she knows that. But she still adores you.”

  “And I adore her,” I said, watching as she plopped down in the sand, letting the waves lap at her heels now. “I think it's time we both went and joined her. What do you think?”

  “I think that's a great idea,” he said.

  Life can be unpredictable at times, but it's worth it.

 
Sometimes it feels like a punch in the gut, but sometimes it can also surprise you in the most marvellous ways.

  And together, hand-in-hand, we walked toward the ocean and toward our future together. Which made the day seem like one of those days where life surprised us for the good.

  I hope you enjoyed reading Catch-22. If you love steamy Navy Seal romance, keep reading for an excerpt from my other bestseller SECURING WILLOW.

  Excerpt

  Willow

  I would never ever fall for Luke’s deep blue eyes and that chiselled face

  The tattoos on his chest will soon be covered in blood.

  Luke

  Willow wants me dead

  She thinks I pulled the trigger on her boyfriend

  And now I have to pay

  I am a navy SEAL

  Tough situations never scare me

  But this one’s more complicated

  Her life is on the line

  And I need to secure her & keep her safe

  But I’m fighting against time

  Can I win her heart before she pulls the trigger on me?

  Chapter 1

  WILLOW

  Growing up, I always dreamed of being invited to those wonderfully decadent and extravagant parties I'd see in the movies. I'd always wanted to be in a grand room filled with beautiful, rich guests who were all wearing exotic, designer gowns. And of course, in my dreams, I'd be the centre of attention in my own beautiful gown made by some Italian or French designer who had a name I couldn't even begin to pronounce.

  But now that I was there, living that life, I found it unsettling, to say the least.

  The host of the party – my boyfriend, Vincent – was a natural at this. He smiled, talked and made socializing amongst the upper echelons of society look easy. Except, it wasn't actually all that easy. Not for someone like me. I grew up in an entirely different world from this – one without oysters and champagne.

  Don't get me wrong – I loved the life. I loved every minute of it. Well, maybe not every minute – it sometimes became overwhelming after the first half hour or so. And I was just about that thirty minute mark. So, when that familiar feeling of being overwhelmed began to creep in, I excused myself, telling Vincent I needed to catch my breath.

  “Would you like me to join you?” he asked, pulling himself out of the deep conversation he'd been having with a business partner of his.

  “No, dear,” I said, kissing him on the cheek, “Stay here and talk. I'll only be a minute.”

  And I meant it, of course. I wanted to mingle with Vincent's friends and business associates – once I'd managed to compose myself. After all, this was my life now. And it was one that came with many more advantages than disadvantages, that's for sure.

  I left the ballroom and walked down the hallway. The entire lower level was open to guests, and many were congregating in the back, near the pool and the outdoor bar. So I avoided that area. But there were people everywhere and it almost felt like I couldn't get away from anyone. At least, not until I came across the library. There was a private reading room, one that opened to a private garden, and I assumed no one would be hanging out there, making it seem like a safe space to me.

  As I slipped into the room, I kicked off my super high heels and let out a long sigh of relief.

  “Thank you, Jesus,” I said and chuckled to myself.

  It was such a relief to feel the soft carpet beneath my feet instead of those heels. They made my legs look sexy as hell, but they were killing my ankles.

  I walked over to the private patio area when I froze – someone was sitting out there too. I was just about to turn and walk away, but he'd already seen me. I grimaced inwardly, but put on a smile for show, and introduced myself – ever the dutiful and appropriate girlfriend.

  “Sorry, I didn't know anyone would be in here,” I said, offering him my hand. “I'm Willow.”

  The man stood up and faced me, making my heart skip a beat. I stared at him with surprise not only because he was gorgeous – which he was – but because he seemed so out of place amongst Vincent's friends, that for a moment, I feared he might be an intruder. Still, I couldn't stop staring at those deep, blue eyes, his chiselled face and that sandy blonde hair that fell over his shoulders.

  “Luke. Luke Nichols,” he said, shaking my hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you.”

  Drool – he had a Southern drawl to go along with those movie star good looks. It was just a subtle one, but it was still there, and very unusual to hear in Southern California.

  “Something tells me you're not from around here,” I said, giving him a cock-eyed look.

  It wasn't just the accent, but the rugged jeans and t-shirt he wore to such a formal affair – while everyone else wore suits and ball gowns.

  “The accent give me away?” he said, shooting me an adorable, crooked smile.

  “That and your attire,” I said. “But who am I to judge?”

  “Well, you're the beautiful girlfriend of the host of this little soiree,” he said. “And in case you were wondering, yes, I am a friend of Vincent's. He and I go way back. I actually didn't know about this shindig when I decided to stop by though. I happened to be in the area, thought we'd meet up for a beer. Obviously, timing has never been my strong suit.”

  “Which explains why you're hiding away in the library,” I said with a chuckle.

  “And why I'm not dressed for the occasion either, miss,” he said. “So please, excuse my appearance.”

  “You're excused,” I said with a laugh, “Not like you need anything from me, though.”

  Luke smiled and I noticed the adorable dimple in his left cheek. He was an attractive man, just not the type I usually went for. He had rugged good looks and the tattoos up and down his arm and that wasn't the type of guy I usually dated.

  Nor was he the type of person I'd associate with Vincent either, which brought the question – “So how do the two of you know each other?”

  I sat down in one of the comfy chaise lounges on the patio, savouring the cool night air. Luke sat down beside me.

  “We went to high school together, believe it or not,” Luke said. “Before Vincent was the rich and powerful man he is today, we played football together, actually.”

  “Football? Vincent played football?” I could hardly imagine my clean-cut, businessman boyfriend out on a football field.

  Not that he wasn't fit – he was. Very much so. Just in a leaner sort of way than Luke. Not that I knew much about football, but needless to say, Vincent just didn't give off an athlete vibe to me. He took care of himself, but he wasn't exactly – sporty.

  “Yeah, he's a different man today,” Luke said, staring longingly into the garden. “Much different. The life he's built for himself, I can't even imagine – ”

  “Tell me about it,” I said with a smile.

  “Come on, a girl like you? You look like you came from a pretty high-class family,” he said. “You kinda have that air about you.”

  “Nah, born and bred in Indiana to working-class parents. We were pretty poor actually,” I said.

  I wasn't sure why I felt the need to say so much to Luke – he was a stranger after all. There was just something about him that made me want to talk though. And for the first time in a long time, I felt comfortable opening up about where I came from. It wasn't something I'd share with just anyone. To most of Vincent's friends, I was the model. The pretty girl on his arm. Not some working-glass girl from Indiana who grew up poor.

  “I don't buy it,” he said.

  “I have no reason to lie to you,” I said with a laugh. “Vincent found me working as a waitress at a club in Los Angeles. He thought I was attractive and we connected – and the rest is history. He's the one who rescued me from the life of slinging drinks, avoiding all the drunk, handsy men, and plopped me down here, in Beverly Hills. Crazy, isn't it?”

  “Very crazy,” Luke said, licking his lips as he looked around. “So do you know much about Vincent's business? What he do
es for a living?”

  I shrugged. “Not really. I don't ask a lot of questions. And he doesn't seem all that keen to share much about it.”

  “Probably wise,” he said quietly.

  I looked over at him, surprised by what he'd said – and the surge of anger that flashed through me because of it. The casualness with which he'd made that remark had hit me wrong and put me on the defensive.

  “And why is that? Think I'm just supposed to be a pretty girl on his arm? Maybe I'm too stupid to know much about business, huh?”

  “Not what I meant. Not at all,” he said. “It's just, well, Vincent is pretty secretive about how he made his money.”

  “As he should be,” I said, my temper flaring as I stood up to leave. “Because too many people show up with their hands out. They want this life for themselves, and not everyone can be trusted.”

  My gaze narrowed and suddenly, I wasn't so sure I liked Luke all that much. For a so-called friend, he seemed to be pretty judgmental about Vincent's new life – a life that included me.

  “Listen, I don't know where you came from or what sort of life you live,” I said quietly, “But I'm sorry your friend was the one who made it big while you did whatever the hell it is you do – ”

  “I'm a Navy SEAL,” Luke said as a matter-of-fact.

  Suddenly, I felt like an ass for insulting a member of our military. “Listen,” I said, trying to keep my cool, “I didn't mean any disrespect, Luke. I come from a family of military vets and I'd never think lesser of you for it – ”

  He rolled his eyes as if he didn't believe me. “Sure, go on back to your party, princess,” he said. “And remember, don't ask Vincent any questions. Because questions could get you into trouble.”

  Picking up my shoes, I fought the urge to hurl them at his face and the smug smirk he had on it. Instead, I slipped them back onto my feet and exited the library without another word. Don't ask any questions? What the hell was that supposed to mean? It sounded like a threat to me, and I wasn't the type of girl who took kindly to threats.