by Sienna Parks
“When do we start?”
We spend the next hour talking over ideas, and enjoying the break from our usual morning labor. The ride back to the stables is less race, more conversation. By the time we reach the house, Rae is sitting on the porch, ready and waiting to welcome us with a huge smile, and open arms. The smell of freshly baked bread wafts from the kitchen window.
“Wunch is ready, Daddy! Uncle Jax, you sit with me and teddy. Daddy, you sit with Docor A.B.” My heart lunges into my chest with delight and panic in equal measure. I wasn’t expecting A.B. to be here.
“Is Pops okay? Are you okay?”
“Silly Daddy. Docor came to tell me it’s time for my cast to come off. You forgotted!”
“I forgot! I’m so sorry, sunshine.”
“I forgive you, Daddy!” She skips into the house, her pigtails bouncing up and down as she goes. Jax nudges me on his way past.
“Yes… silly Daddy. Why else would the good doctor be here?” With a wink and a smirk, he disappears into the house.
“Hi, Jax.” Annabeth wraps her arms around him, planting a friendly kiss on his cheek.
“Hey, Maddox. How are you?” Pops watches in disbelief as A.B. and I greet each other with what could be classed as the most awkward hug in history. I attempt to kiss her cheek with the same effortless ease she just displayed with Jax, but she obviously has the same idea. We butt heads, my lips landing on her nose—hers catching my chin. With a slap on the back, I let her go and take my seat at the table. Jax can’t help himself, leaning over to mumble under his breath.
“Smooth. Very smooth, my friend.” I kick him under the table, but Rae doesn’t miss a trick.
“Daddy! Say sorry. You hurted Uncle Jax!” Pops stifles a laugh, and it’s an amazing sound. I haven’t heard him laugh like that since before my dad died, and despite my embarrassment, I can’t help but join in. Rae has no idea why she’s funny right now, but she starts giggling, and within seconds, Jax and A.B. are chuckling right along with us.
“Boy, she has your tact and discretion. That’s for dang sure!” Pops continues to laugh as he serves up lunch.
I’ve never seen A.B.’s face so red in all my life. She quickly tries to divert the conversation to safer topics, avoiding my gaze at all costs. I hate my decision to take things slow with us has put her in a position where she feels uncomfortable. She’s known Pops and Jax since the day she was born, and before I made an issue of it, she got along just fine with Rae.
I talk business with Pops and let Jax takeover conversation with A.B. for the rest of lunch. But, my body is so attuned to her presence, even when I’m not looking at her, every fiber of my being is alive with anticipation. A keen desire to touch her—if only to hold her hand. No matter how hard I try, Rae won’t let me be distracted from our guest.
“When do I get my cast off, Docor? Do I get to come visit your office again?”
“Whenever your daddy can bring you this week, we can take it off and you can have your arm back?”
“I still have it. Wook!” She waves her tiny arm in front of A.B., much to her amusement.
“Sorry. I meant, you will be able to do all the things you did before you got your cast.”
“Why didn’t you say that?” She turns to me.
“Daddy. Why don’t adults say what they mean?” All eyes are on me, Jax finding Rae’s candor entertaining.
“I don’t know, baby girl. Maybe we should all be more like you, and use our honest words.
“Yes!” I watch as her smile widens, her eyes aglow with childish glee. I turn my attention to A.B., whose grin is just as bright.
“When can Rae and I come visit you, Dr. A.B.?”
“How about later today? I’m sure I can make time for you.”
“Can we go for ice-cream after, Daddy?”
“Sure, sunshine.”
“Do you want to come, too, Docor?” Rae says, expectantly. A.B. looks to me for guidance. I don’t want a repeat of our earlier awkwardness. Maybe I need to be more open to her getting to know Rae naturally. They like each other, and Rae doesn’t seem uncomfortable in any way. With a small nod, I take the first step.
“I would love to come with you Sally Rae.” I look between my baby girl and the woman of my dreams, delight unfurling in the pit of my stomach. “Well, I better get going for now and see some patients. Thank you so much for lunch, Rae. You are quite the cook.”
“Silly Docor. Pops cooked the foods. I’m only three!” Her giggles are like music to my ears.
“Well… thank you, Pops.” He tips his invisible hat in thanks.
“I’ll see you all later.” She turns to me.
“Walk me to my truck?”
The moment we get outside, I feel a desperate need to apologize.
“I’m so sorry about earlier. That was… about as comfortable as a whore in a room full of nuns. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Her hand gently glides up my arm, her palm settling on the scruff of my chin.
“Relax, Mad. We’re just finding our way. I was uncomfortable, too, but it will get easier. I promise.” I plant a soft kiss on her lips.
“Let me try again.” The sweet taste of her mouth is addictive. “Hello, A.B.” I clasp her face in my hands, taking the kiss deeper, our tongues moving together, slow and sensual.
“Mad…” Her voice is a whisper—a plea. With her palm flat against my chest, my heartbeat racing, she pushes me away. “I don’t want Rae to see us. I need to go. I’ll see you later.” I steal one last kiss.
“It’s a date.”
Rae surprises me at every turn. When I think she’s too young to understand the hardships life’s thrown our way, she does something so profound it floors me.
“Daddy. Be careful with it.”
“I am, sunshine.” I open the door to my truck and gently lay the cast she’s just had removed on the seat. As soon as we got to the doctor’s office this afternoon, Rae started asking questions. I just thought it was her usual curiosity, but as I listened closer, I realized she wanted to keep the cast. My dad had drawn a picture of her horse and signed his name at the bottom, with a heart and smiley face. She didn’t want it discarded in the trash. I could see tears well in A.B.’s eyes when she figured it out, and I watched as she reassured Rae, taking her time to cut the cast to preserve the last drawing my dad ever did.
As I close the door on the truck, I can’t help but think about the day I ran into the clinic, terrified Rae had been hurt. The combination of parental fear, and seeing A.B. was too much for me. I can’t believe that was only six weeks ago. So much has changed since then. Seeing my baby girl’s little arm, pale from the elbow down from lack of sunlight over these past few weeks had me feeling quite emotional. When she broke her arm, my dad was alive, and so consumed with anger toward A.B. I couldn’t think straight. Now, my dad is gone, Jax and I are going to be running the ranch, and A.B. and I found our way back to each other. It seems symbolic somehow—seeing Rae shed her cast—as if we’re both embarking on a whole new world together. And hopefully, A.B. will want to be a part of that with us.
“Ice-cream! Can I hold Docor A.B.’s hand to cross the street, Daddy?” I look to Annabeth as she locks the doors to her office, a sweet smile hinting at the corner of her lips.
“Sure! Remember to hold tight, though. And no running.” They skip along the sidewalk, hand in hand, and I think my heart is about to burst out of my chest.
I barely get a word in on our little outing. Rae is full of fun tonight and clearly enjoying having a woman around to talk about girly stuff dads don’t understand. They make all kinds of plans to braid hair and watch Disney movies together at the weekend. I may not be the most skillful, but I can paint my baby’s tiny little nails pretty well! I’ve learned to do pigtails, and brush the tangles from her hair. I try to make sure she doesn’t miss out on anything because of the decisions I made, and the fact I’m a single parent.
By the time we’re ready to leave, Rae must have tried every flavor in the store. Now she
is sound asleep on my shoulder, her angelic face covered in the remnants of chocolate ice-cream. I should have gotten her home to bed an hour ago, but it’s been so nice being out and enjoying just talking with A.B.
“Thanks for being so sweet to Rae. I know you probably had other things to do than talk Ariel vs Elsa with a three-year-old.”
“Maddox, Rae is a part of you. Do you know how special that makes her? I loved spending time with you guys. Thank you for letting me make a start on getting to know her.”
“She is pretty amazing, isn’t she?”
“God… she is so smart, sweet, and kind. You’re doing a fantastic job with her.”
“Thanks. Seeing her tonight, I feel like she’s been missing out. I try to be daddy and momma to her, but I know it’s different. But, she’s never known anything else, and so I’m constantly convincing myself I’m enough. Does that make sense?”
“Yes. I know you wanted to do the right thing by her and Sam, but do you honestly think she would have been better off growing up with two parents who didn’t love each other? I truly believe kids adapt better than we ever do.” She runs her fingers through Rae’s curls. “This little girl is right where she needs to be with a daddy who loves her more than anything else in the world. She isn’t missing out, Mad. She has something so many kids never have. You’re enough.”
“Maybe.” She stops me in the middle of the street, her hand resting gently on my arm. When my gaze finds hers, there is so much compassion, and confidence staring back at me.
“You are enough, Maddox Hale. You always have been, and you always will be.” She pushes up onto her tiptoes, pressing her lips firmly on mine. My body vibrates at her touch, the sultry caress of her tongue melting my concerns in the heat of the moment. Rae begins to wriggle on my hip, wiping her eyes on my t-shirt.
“Let’s get you home, little one.” She settles at the sound of my voice. A.B. reaches over, running her fingers through Rae’s soft golden curls.
“Goodnight, Sally Rae.” She pecks her on the cheek, before giving me one last sensual kiss. She opens the door to my truck, and watches as I settle my girl in her car seat.
“Goodnight, Mad.” She sashays down the street to where her truck is parked. I can’t take my eyes off her, and that’s when I know how much trouble I’m really in. I thought taking things slow with A.B. and Rae, would help me keep a level head, but tonight has just proven how wrong I’ve been. Without a shadow of a doubt, A.B. is the one, and no matter how hard I fight it—seeing her with Rae obliterates all my walls. I know my life would go on if A.B. were to leave again, but I saw how much Rae adored her tonight… and it terrified me.
ANNABETH
I never thought the life I wanted was within my grasp. When I was eighteen, I gave up hope that women could have it all. My momma had drilled me well. She told me I had to get out of this town, and I should never give up my dreams for a man. I know she made sacrifices for our family, but at the time, I couldn’t comprehend just how much she had wanted a career.
It’s easy to take for granted, as women in the twenty-first century we can be whatever we want to be. No one ever told me I couldn’t be a doctor. My mom supported me one hundred percent. She encouraged me to follow my path and wipe the dust of this town from my feet. I will always be grateful to her for that.
Now I’m older, I realize I want different things for my life. There was a time when I thought being a surgeon was everything I needed, and maybe it was for a while. But, if I’m honest with myself, I always knew deep down Maddox was the missing piece. All the achievements and accolades never filled the void I felt, from the moment I left him behind.
When I found out I could never have kids, I gave up hope of having a family. It wasn’t until Jennifer died that I woke up to my life. I knew then, I had to come back to Kingsbury Falls to find myself. I never anticipated being so happy. I miss the rush of surgery. The sense of meaning that comes with saving a life. But, I enjoy being a family doctor. Or, maybe it’s that I’ve found happiness in other areas of my life, and so I don’t have the same need for surgery.
Getting a second chance with Maddox is more than I ever hoped for. It doesn’t feel like we’ve rekindled our romance. What we have now feels new, fresh, yet has the comfort of familiarity. We know each other so well, and yet, still have so much to learn about who we’ve become and where our lives have taken us.
I’ve been trying to take things slow when it comes to Rae, and that’s as much to do with her, as it is with Maddox. I want him to see I respect his wishes and his relationship with his daughter. When I look in her eyes, that so closely resemble her daddy’s, I can’t believe how I reacted when I first met her—a physical reaction I couldn’t control. But, now I’m so happy he was able to have a biological child, because it’s something I could never give him. Rae is so incredible you can’t help but love her. And I do. I want her to feel safe with me, and know I’m not going to leave. I want to earn a place in their hearts, and it scares the hell out of me. If he decided tomorrow we weren’t going to work, I wouldn’t just be losing him now—I’d lose Rae and Pops, too.
In the name of space, I’m going out with Lottie for lunch, and boy-talk. Maddox wanted me to spend the day at the ranch, but I don’t want to encroach on his time with Rae too much, so we settled on a movie night. I promised her we would watch Tangled and paint our nails! I think I’m more excited than she is.
“Wow! You’re in the home-screen phase already?” Lottie grabs my phone from the table.
“Shut up.” I swipe it from her hand, eager to see the picture that caught her attention. It’s the cutest selfie of Mad and Rae, with the caption WISH YOU WERE HERE on the bottom. My heart skips a beat at the sight of their smiling faces, and I can’t help but laugh at Jax photobombing them in the background.
“You’ve got it bad, friend.”
“You’re telling me. I love them. I think about them when I’m not with them, and when I am, I don’t want to leave.”
“Them?” Her eyes well with tears.
“Of course. Rae is a part of Maddox. How could I not love her? And things with him are so good, Lottie. It was never like this when we were young.”
“You’re not the same people you were back then.”
“I know, but the chemistry…” I squeeze my thighs together under the table at the thought of it. “It’s off the charts. If I could live my life with him inside me… I would.” She chokes on her sweet tea, spraying it all over me.
“Holy crap, A.B.! TMI.”
“Sorry!” We descend into giggling school girls as I wipe my top with a napkin. “Come on. I need to go and buy a new t-shirt to wear tonight.”
We wander around the main street, enjoying the summer sun, talking and laughing. Five tops later and we take a break in the town square, lapping up the afternoon sun, when Lottie’s face suddenly drains of color. “Are you okay? Are you feeling faint?” I immediately go into doctor mode, checking her pulse. “Talk to me. Your pulse is racing.” She snaps out of it.
“I’m fine. Just a wave of Texas heat that got the better of me for a moment.” She quickly grabs her bags, pushing me away. “Stop fussing. Not everything is life or death.” She realizes her mistake and starts stuttering an apology. “Shit! That was insensitive.”
“I’m overcautious. I know.”
“A.B.”
“Let’s not talk about it. I need to get home and change before my date with Mad. Do you have any more shopping to do?”
“No. I should be getting back to Kirby and the kids.” Her eyes shift around the square, like a whore in church.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem… nervous.”
“I’m just tired. Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“We’re good. My truck is this way.” We say our goodbyes, but when I look over my shoulder, she’s on the phone faster than a prairie fire with a tailwind—and she seems upset.
I give Maddox a quick call to make sure we’re still on for tonigh
t. I can hear Rae shouting and laughing in the background. I don’t want to worry him, so I don’t mention my strange interaction with Lottie, instead focusing on the night ahead. I really want it to go well with Rae.
When I get off the phone, I decide to go to one last store, to get a few supplies for movie night.
“You didn’t have to do all this, A.B.” I’m busy setting up a mini salon for Rae.
“I know, but I thought she would like it. Is it too much?” I’m nervous. I desperately want to make a good impression on her. I don’t know why I’m so worried. She’s always such a sweet little thing whenever I see her, but this feels different somehow.
“Sit.” It’s a command rather than a request. “Rae is going to love it. She enjoys spending time with you. You don’t need to try so hard… she’s three. Trust me, if she didn’t like you, you’d know it. Relax. You’re amazing.”
“Really?” His lips capture mine in a sensual kiss.
“Yes.” He trails kisses down my neck, as his hands find their way to my breasts. “Yes.” His lips ghosting over my shoulder. “Yes.” As I drop my head back, losing myself to the sensation, the front door slams open, a miniature tornado twisting through the living room.
“Daddy! Docor! Me and Uncle Jax got popcorns, and chocate, and gummy worms.” Mad scoops her up into his arms.
“All my favorites? Who’s the best girl ever?”
“Me, Daddy!” Her sweet laughter dances through the air, enveloping everything it touches in a whirlwind of happiness. I leave them to their fun and head into the kitchen to help Jax.
“You staying for movie night?”
“Nah. I best be going.”
“Come on. We’ve got a ton of food, and we’re watching… Tangled. You know you want to.”
“Well, I do have a bit of a cartoon crush on Rapunzel. Guess I can stay for a while… as long as you guys don’t mind?” For all Jax’s bravado, his vulnerability is quite disarming when he lets his guard down. It’s endearing.
