My Ex Boyfriend’s Daddy

by Callahan, Kelli

Arlo: I got stopped, but traffic is starting to move again.

  Phoebe: Okay. Call me when you get home. Be careful!

  Arlo: I will.

  Phoebe: I love you.

  Arlo: I love you too.

  It was clear that things were going to be a lot harder than I expected, and my expectations were already as close to impossible as I thought they could get. Arlo meant so much to me, and I wanted to be where he was—if it wasn’t so damn difficult. I was about to endure the five hardest days of my life. The only distraction I would have was the pieces of my life that I needed to reassemble. A job was top priority. I didn’t care if Arlo was paying me to sit in his hotel room—I couldn’t be a leech. I needed to do something, even if it was waiting tables for Enzo. If one of the job opportunities Arlo mentioned came my way, then I would consider them, but only if I felt like it was something I was qualified for instead of charity.

  I’ll keep that piece of my pride, even if I cry myself to sleep every night.

  * * *

  “You’re home!” Bianca hopped up from her chair when I walked through the front door of our apartment. “Are you staying or just picking up more stuff?”

  “No, I’m back.” I dropped my bag on the floor.

  “I thought you were living the fancy life with Mr. Lawyer.” She grinned.

  “The case he was working on settled without a trial.” I sat down in the living room. “He’s gone…”

  “You broke up?” She blinked in surprise.

  “No.” I shook my head. “We’re still together—just living in different worlds now.”

  I chose this one. He didn’t have a choice.

  “Damn, that has to be hard—oh, someone came by looking for you on Sunday.” She walked over and picked up a piece of paper. “His name was Jake? He said he knew you…”

  “What?” My head snapped back, and a sense of dread shot through me. “Jake was here!?”

  “Yeah, he said something about taking the long way to South Carolina or something.” She shrugged. “He left his number.”

  “Fuck…” I took the piece of paper when she handed it to me.

  “You got guys crawling all over you, Phee.” Bianca laughed and sat down. “What’s the secret?”

  I wish I knew.

  I decided to return to my apartment and moved most of my stuff back in. It would be easy enough to take some clothes for the weekend when Arlo came to visit. The hotel room was nice—it was basically a suit that was almost as big as my apartment—but it didn’t feel right. The memories were too strong, and it was just a temporary layer of wealth that didn’t mesh with my life. I didn’t mind it when Arlo was there with me, but being there alone was just too painful. I never felt that unsafe in my apartment, despite what Arlo thought about my living situation. It wasn’t the best part of the city, but there were definitely worse options—I lived in a few of them.

  I feel like I’m just living a lie when I’m there. It only works when I know my Daddy is coming home…

  “Hey, do you have a Juul pod by any chance?” Bianca picked up an empty pack. “I really don’t want to have to go to the store.”

  “Yeah, I’ve got some in my bag.” I nodded and went to retrieve them. “You can actually have these—I’ve pretty much quit.”

  “Really?” She blinked in surprise as I handed them over. “Is it going to bother you if I vape in the apartment?”

  “Nah.” I shook my head. “You’re fine.”

  Bianca loaded one of my pods into her Juul, and I walked to my bedroom with the rest of my stuff. I felt like I needed my Juul more than ever, but I was done relying on it as a crutch. I didn’t even fear the punishment I agreed to accept every time I got a new one. I just didn’t have a craving for it anymore. That was probably because I missed Arlo—the entire world tasted flat without having his lips to crash into mine. I had a bigger problem than that anyway—Jake. If he had managed to track me down, then I needed to either call him or risk having him show up when I wasn’t ready to engage in that difficult conversation.

  Maybe a phone call can put everything behind us, and he can get whatever closure he needs. I don’t need that anymore, but if I can handle it with a phone call, it’s a better option than the alternative.

  I picked up my phone and stared at Jake’s number for several minutes before I started dialing—but I stopped before I got to the last number. Everything that happened in Penny Grove flashed in my mind. It didn’t hurt. It was just a sour memory that I hated to revisit. Jake broke my heart that day in the gym. I didn’t think I would recover, but I managed to find what was on the other side of the dream I allowed myself to believe in. The phone call wasn’t going to change anything for me. I knew what my heart wanted, and it belonged to Arlo. There was no going back to what could have been—it didn’t matter as much as it used to.

  He can’t hurt me anymore. I might as well get in front of the bullet if it can’t pierce my heart like it did back then.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Arlo

  I received a hero’s welcome when I returned to Penny Grove, but I didn’t feel like one. I felt like a man who had left his heart in New York City—the only piece that mattered at least. Relationships separated by distance, even by just several hours, were difficult. It was too early for a ring, and I didn’t even know if I could give her one. She wasn’t ready to return to Penny Grove. In my heart, I knew there was a very real possibility she would never be comfortable enough to walk those streets hand-in-hand with me. I couldn’t blame her. If our roles were reversed, I would have the same struggles.

  I wasn’t truly attached to my hometown like some were. I didn’t need something sentimental and nostalgic to make the good memories come to life. The only thing keeping me in Penny Grove was my firm—the one that had been in my family since the building was made of wood instead of brick. It wasn’t something I could permanently walk away from, no matter how much I wanted to be with Phoebe. Miles and shattered dreams. That’s what truly separated me from my beloved. Neither one of them was something we could easily overcome.

  “What do you want to work on now that you’re back?” Henry walked into my office and sat down across from me.

  “I don’t care.” I shrugged. “What new cases do we have?”

  “The usual.” He held up his tablet and slid his finger across the screen. “We’ve got a car accident, a messy divorce, and a few criminal cases—we’ll have to get used to you getting first pick again.”

  “Give me one of the criminal cases.” I nodded. “Maybe I can keep someone else out of jail—that should be a good distraction.”

  “Do you want someone who’s innocent or guilty?” Henry raised an eyebrow and laughed.

  “I’d prefer an innocent client, but I’ll take whatever you’ve got.” I turned towards my computer and hit the button to boot it up.

  “Alright, I just sent you the details.” He leaned forward and started to stand. “We’ll split up what’s left.”

  “Sounds good.” I opened the email from Henry to start reviewing my new case.

  “Are you okay, man?” Henry tilted his head after he was on his feet. “You haven’t really been yourself since you got back. People were asking if you won or lost the case—they couldn’t tell from talking to you.”

  “I’m fine.” I waved off his concern. “I’m just adjusting to being back. There’s no room service, and I have to drive myself everywhere; I feel like a peasant again.”

  That’s not true, but it’s the only excuse I can think of.

  “Okay, well let me know if you need anything.” He walked to the door and looked over his shoulder. “Even if you just want to talk.”

  “Thanks.” I nodded and started reading the case from the beginning again since I lost my place when Henry asked if I was okay.

  I was as far from okay as I could be. I left a piece of my heart in New York City, and I didn’t have any way to retrieve it. It wasn’t just the agony of separation that soured my demeanor.
I was worried about Phoebe. She was going back to her same apartment in what I considered to be an unsafe neighborhood, taking the subway every day, and working at a restaurant that had no upside for career advancement. I called a few of the attorneys I knew in the city, but I hadn’t found anyone that was looking for a research assistant. Every call was almost exactly the same—they were hiring attorneys and paralegals while utilizing law students for their research assignments. It made sense, even if I thought Phoebe was a better option—but I was rather biased.

  This sucks.

  * * *

  My mood stayed sour for the entire week. I worked on my new case, built a strategy for keeping my client out of jail, and tried to see which of my old cases I could take over since I was back. I was getting back in the swing of things, but it wasn’t a swing I wanted to be on. The only thing I was looking forward to was Friday, when I could leave the office at noon and put some miles on my car. I talked with Phoebe every night and sent her text messages during the day, but it wasn’t the same for either of us. We missed each other. The two days we were going to have together didn’t feel like nearly enough, but I couldn’t take time off after just coming back—I still couldn’t shake the need for the longest vacation ever.

  Arlo: I’m about to leave. Will you be at the hotel when I get there?

  Phoebe: Yep! I talked to Enzo, and he’s going to let me go as soon as my shift is over.

  Arlo: Awesome, I can’t wait to see you.

  Phoebe: I’ll be wearing your favorite outfit.

  Arlo: I have a favorite outfit?

  Phoebe: Nope.

  Arlo: Then what are you going to be wearing?

  Phoebe: Nothing! :)

  Arlo: You’re right. That is my favorite outfit…

  Phoebe: Drive safe!

  Arlo: I’ll try, but I’m not going to be able to get that image out of my head.

  Phoebe: Then come get the real thing.

  I had a smile on my face when I put my car in drive—it felt like the first one that had managed to move my lips since I left New York City. There were things I needed to discuss with Phoebe, and she told me earlier in the week that she had something to discuss with me as well, but discussions could wait—we needed something that didn’t require words a whole lot more. I ignored speed limits, blew a few caution lights, and rolled through every stop sign on my way out of Penny Grove; then I kept the car cruising as fast as I could without risking a State Trooper’s wrath when I hit the interstate. The faster I got there, the faster I could hold Phoebe in my arms. That reward was worth the risk.

  Two days definitely aren’t enough, but I’m not going to waste them.

  “I’m here…” I pushed the door open. “Phoebe?”

  “I’m waiting for you.” Her voice echoed from the bedroom area of the suite.

  “Damn…” I followed Phoebe’s voice and found her lying in bed—naked from head to toe, just like she said.

  “Are you going to stare or join me?” She bit down on her bottom lip and grinned. “I might have started without you…”

  “Well I was hoping to get a hug first—but fuck it.” I started to undress.

  “You can hug me all you want.” Her grin got wider, and she stretched her arms out.

  “Oh I plan too…” I kicked off my pants and crawled across the bed.

  My cock went deep in Phoebe’s pussy after a couple of gentle thrusts. She was so wet—so fucking tight—and it was like a slice of heaven I had been deprived of my whole life, even though I had been away from her for less than a week. I wanted to live in that moment forever, where the rest of the world didn’t matter, and time was on our side. My lips teased her skin, I whispered how much I missed her, and I got the same response from those perfectly pouty lips—right before they crashed into mine, and I ravaged her mouth with my tongue. Our bodies were meant for each other—to give pleasure—to feel closeness. We needed it all.

  “I missed this so much.” Phoebe ran her hands down my body and sighed into my ear.

  “So did I.” I wrapped my arms around her and started thrusting harder.

  I could feel the pressure building in my balls. Every thrust felt amazing. I tried to prolong it as I listened to Phoebe’s breathing. I wanted her to be there with me before I erupted in bliss. The time apart had wiped out some of my technique—I normally made her come multiple times before I gave in to my own desires. Thankfully, we had the whole weekend to spend together, whether we were melded together in pleasure or simply enjoying each other’s company.

  My thrusts began to get more erratic. My cock throbbed in Phoebe’s pussy every time I drove my length into her. I could feel the twinge—the spasm that was begging to start—it got closer to reality every time I hammered her g-spot. The pressure reached the point of no return, and I tried to hold myself in the precursor to ultimate bliss. It was the most amazing feeling in the world, combined with the emotional connection that made love blossom beneath the physicality of our mutual lust.

  “I’m gonna come!” I tangled my fist in Phoebe’s hair and growled into her ear.

  “Me too—oh god!” Phoebe’s back arched, and I felt her begin to shake.

  Phoebe’s body reacted to mine, and her pussy started to spasm on my length. It was beautiful and felt so fucking fantastic. Cum surged through my shaft and erupted inside her, which caused her moans to turn into gasps as the orgasm seized control. Phoebe writhed on the bed as her muscles jerked in unison with her bliss. I kept driving my dick into her pretty little pussy until her orgasm faded, and I was totally drained. A couple of seconds later, I crashed into the mattress and started kissing her shoulder as I worked my way up to her neck.

  “I have a feeling you’re going to be ready to go in record time.” She let out a light groan and turned towards me.

  “We have to make up for lost time.” I smiled and let my lips drag across her skin.

  We took a break so that we could catch our breath, and then we were right back at it again. She had a way of pulling something out of me that gave me more stamina than I realized was possible. We made love until the sun went down, and we would have probably kept going if our bodies had anything left. We needed a much longer break—some food—and I did want to talk. I had something to discuss with her that was rather important, but talking was the last thing on my mind when I arrived.

  “I think we need room service.” I rolled over and exhaled the longest sigh of my life. “Otherwise, we’re not going to make it until morning.”

  “I need some water—I’m so thirsty.” Phoebe sat up and slid to the edge of the bed.

  “Pour some in my mouth…” I pointed. “Maybe that’ll give me enough energy to sit up.”

  Phoebe grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-bar, drank half of it in one gulp, and then walked to the bed. I was actually joking about her pouring some in my mouth, but she did it anyway. The coldness felt good. I finished what was left in the bottle before I finally sat up and reached for the phone. I didn’t need a menu to know what we both liked. I certainly hadn’t forgotten that while I was away. After the order was placed, I pulled Phoebe into my arms so that I could tease and kiss her until the food finally arrived.

  “They’re here.” Phoebe sat up.

  “That was quick.” I reached for my bathrobe.

  “I’m starving.” She put on her bathrobe and followed me into the main part of the hotel room.

  We looked like a couple of scavengers when we finally started eating. There wasn’t much room for conversation. We were just hungry. I didn’t eat much before I got on the road, and Phoebe confessed that she hadn’t eaten a single thing all day. I ate more than I should have, but I had a good feeling that we were going to burn off every calorie before the sun came up. I decided to hit up the mini-bar after we finished our meal. Phoebe asked for a glass of wine, so I fixed that for her and dumped two tiny bottles of whiskey into another glass for myself.

  “So…” I handed her the glass of wine. “I noticed that your li
ps didn’t taste like mango when I kissed you earlier.”

  “Yeah.” She smiled and took a sip of her wine. “It’s in my purse, but I haven’t used it in several days.”

  “Wow!” I reached over and squeezed her hand as I sat down. “I’m really proud of you.”

  “Thank you.” She traced the edge of her wine glass with her finger. “I have something I need to tell you—I probably should have told you over the phone, but I thought it would be better in person.”

  “I have something to share with you as well.” I nodded. “You can go first.”

  “Okay.” She took a deep breath, and I noticed that she seemed to be struggling with what she wanted to say. “Jake stopped by…”

  “What?” My head snapped back in surprise. “You saw him?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I was here—he stopped by my apartment.”

  “Oh, okay.” I felt a momentary sense of relief but quickly realized that wasn’t all she had to tell me.

  “He left his number.” She exhaled sharply. “I called him.”

  “You did?” My throat got dry, and I took a quick drink of my whiskey, but it didn’t really help.

  “It wasn’t a bad conversation, and I didn’t tell him anything about us. That’s definitely not something I wanted to share over the phone.” She lifted her glass of wine and took a sip.

  “Definitely.” I nodded. “I assume he apologized?”

  “Yes. He was very apologetic—I thought he was going to cry at one point.” She pursed her lips and blew. “He was the one that needed closure, not me, but I’m glad he’s doing a lot better now.”

  “Me too.” I sipped my whiskey.

  “You didn’t tell me he had a girlfriend.” Phoebe raised her head and quietly laughed. “They’ve been together for almost a year.”

  “Wow, that’s news to me.” I shrugged. “Good for him.”

  “We have to tell him.” Phoebe’s eyes met mine. “The longer we wait, the worse it’s going to be—I don’t want to hide our relationship from anyone.”