Seeming satisfied with my answer, he nodded once before adding, “She puts on a brave face, but these past few years have been rough.”
I nodded, realizing how hard it must’ve been for Ellie’s parents to see her abandoned, to watch her struggle as a single parent.
“I’m pretty sure she couldn’t get rid of me if she tried,” I promised.
“Good.” Dave smiled, his easy-going demeanor back in place. “Go take a shower, Colton. You stink.”
Snickering, I headed into the en suite bathroom.
After I was freshly showered and wearing some of Dave’s black sweat pants and a blue T-shirt, I found my girls at the other end of the hall.
My girls.
There was no question that this bedroom belonged to Ava. Light purple walls. Disney princess bedspread. At least two laundry baskets full of stuffed animals and dolls. Stacks of books, books, and more books—some of them I recognized.
Ava was sitting on her twin-sized bed dressed in a pink nightgown while Ellie sat behind her, combing out her wet hair. The dim light from the lamp on the nightstand cast a calming yellow glow throughout the room. Ellie ran a towel over her own wet hair and I realized she must’ve needed a shower, too.
For a few seconds, I watched them and suddenly an image popped into my head. What would be like if we all lived together? If we were a family?
It was just an idea, really. A dream I’d been too afraid to hope for. I’d spent a good part of the last couple years thinking a normal life wasn’t in the cards for me.
I wasn’t afraid of that anymore.
When things with Travis and Angel had moved so quickly, I thought they were crazy. I didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with someone so fast.
Now it was my turn to be the love-struck fool.
My situation was a little bit different, though. Although Ellie and I had spent most of our lives apart, she was still the same person I knew fifteen years ago. She was the girl who held me while I cried the day my mom died. The girl who refused to leave my side that night, no matter how much her parents tried to get her to come home. The one who was there to comfort me every time I woke up and realized it wasn’t just a bad dream. And I wasn’t even embarrassed about crying in front of her—because she was my best friend.
Ellie was more guarded now than when we were kids, but she had every reason to be. Standing there, I realized that, for the first time in a long time, I was truly happy. And despite how the afternoon ended, today had still been one of the best days of my life.
Glancing my way, Ellie caught me staring. I just smiled. She smiled back. My bare feet padded across the hardwood floors as I went over to the bed.
“How are you feeling?” I asked Ava, sitting down next to her.
She hiked a shoulder. “Good. You wanna play Yegos with me?”
Yegos. So fucking cute.
She looked so content now, you’d never know she just did a remake of The Exorcist half an hour ago.
Ellie cut in before I could answer. “Colton might have to go home, sweetie.”
“I can stay a while, if that’s okay,” I insisted, and Ava nodded happily.
“Of course it’s okay,” Ellie said, pulling me off to the side and lowering her voice. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to stick around, especially after what happened. Kids are exhausting sometimes and I can’t apologize enough for not telling you about her intolerance—”
“Hey,” I softly interrupted. “Seriously, I’m not mad at all. I had a great time. In fact, I’d love to be the one you ask from now on if you need someone to hang with her.”
Her expression morphed from shocked to ecstatic in an instant, and I knew I’d do almost anything to put that look on her face.
“You did a really good job today,” she said and I scoffed. “Seriously, you did,” she insisted, linking her hand with mine. “I can be a little uptight sometimes, but it just comes with the territory of being a mom.” She shrugged. “I have the same class every Thursday afternoon at 3:00. It would be awesome if you wanted to watch her.”
“Done.”
“And for future reference, she can have processed cheeses. American cheese doesn’t seem to make her sick and she can have mac and cheese—the boxed kind with the cheese powder, and I substitute the recipe with almond milk. But no cow’s milk, yogurt, or ice cream.”
“Got it.”
Ava let out an impatient sigh. “Did you forget about playing with me?”
I laughed. “Nope. I’m about to dominate these Legos”
Apparently, LEGOs were a lot different than when I was a kid. It came with a million tiny pieces and an instruction manual. After a lot of tinkering, I’d constructed a small dragon and handed it over to the happiest little girl ever.
“Thank you!” she shouted and hugged me around the neck. “I yuv it.”
After a bland dinner of chicken noodle soup and toast, I got to witness the bedtime routine in person. There was a lot more to it than what I’d seen over our FaceTime chats.
Ava had to change into another set of PJs because she’d spilled her soup on her nightgown at dinner. I never knew deciding between pink striped pants or polka-dots could be such a debate, but Ellie patiently waited for Ava to choose. She finally settled on the stripes.
Then it was time for brushing teeth. Then Ava had to pee one more time. After getting into bed, she needed ice water in the green sippy cup, not the orange one.
Ellie shot me a look that said ‘I’m sorry’. I shook my head and sent one back that said ‘I’m having fun’.
Because, honestly, I was. I’d never realized how much hard work it was to have a kid, but it was fascinating and entertaining.
“Will you read me a book?” Ava asked, cuddling up to Ellie while lightly tugging at her earlobe. “That one’s my favorite.” She pointed at a book about cupcakes.
I cleared my throat as I sat down on the edge of the bed, then I started to read out loud about a little girl who turned pink from eating too much red food coloring. Ava’s eyes looked heavy by the end of the story, but she perked up after I closed the book.
“You’re supposed to say ‘The End,’” she told me seriously.
“Oh.” I fought a grin. “The End.”
“Again, please,” she requested politely, snuggling further into her mom’s arms.
“One more time, Bug,” Ellie said with a stern edge to her ‘mom voice’ that even had me wanting to obey.
“Okay,” Ava agreed, going back to rubbing Ellie’s ear.
Opening to the first page, I started again.
Mid-story, Ava’s eyes were closed and her body had gone limp, but I quietly read until the end anyway.
“The End,” I whispered at Ellie, and she smiled.
I placed the book on the nightstand, then glanced at her. Our eyes locked and she had a strange look on her face—something I couldn’t interpret. She seemed happy, but there was also a little bit of sadness there. I wondered if it had something to do with this being the first time Ava had a dad-type put her to bed. Of course she had Dave, but he was her grandpa, so it was different.
Every kid deserves to have two loving parents. That was what I had for the first seven years of my life. And my mom didn’t choose to leave. If it had been up to her, she’d still be here, loving the hell out of me.
There was a picture frame next to the lamp on the nightstand. I picked it up.
It was a photo of Ellie a few years younger and massively pregnant. Sitting in a rocking chair, her hands were placed over her round stomach. She looked beautiful in gray leggings, rainbow-striped knee-high socks, and a white sweater. A ponytail held her hair away from her face and bright afternoon light from the window lit up her profile. As she gazed outside, the expression on her face broke my heart.
“You looked so…” I trailed off.
“Scared,” I finished.
She took the frame from me and studied it with narrowed eyes before shrugging. “I guess that’s because I was. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I was doing it alone. I didn’t even realize my mom was snapping the picture at the time. It isn’t the best shot, but I didn’t have traditional maternity photos done so it’s better than nothing.”
“What are traditional maternity photos? Is that a thing?”
Wide-eyed, she nodded. “Oh, it’s totally a thing. You know, where they have a professional photographer and a cutesy set-up by a meadow with wildflowers or some shit.” She waved her hand dismissively like it was the most ridiculous idea ever, but I could tell she wanted that.
Ellie felt like she’d missed out.
“Well, I think you look gorgeous,” I said as I took the frame and set it back down.
“Thanks.” She smiled. “I can walk you out in just a second.”
Ellie started trying to untangle herself from Ava, and I shook my head to stop her.
“Don’t worry about it. Thank you for today,” I told her, grateful for the opportunity to bond with Ava.
Ava was the most important person in the world to Ellie. Not only had she trusted me to take care of her, but Ellie gave me a glimpse into their lives. She included me, and I knew without a doubt that I wanted this more often.
“No.” She shook her head. “Thank you, Colton. You saved my A-S-S today.” She smirked and I thought it was funny that she still spelled out the bad word, even though Ava was passed out. “How about a date soon? Just you and me?”
“Definitely.” I nodded eagerly at the thought of having her alone—preferably naked.
Leaning down, I pressed my mouth to hers. When she swept her tongue past my lips it was hard to pull away, but the sleeping child between us reminded me she was still there when she mumbled something about bunnies in her sleep.
Snickering quietly, I gave Ellie one last chaste kiss. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Three,” she whispered against my lips.
“Two,” I whispered back.
“One.”
“Bye,” we both mouthed.
At the door, I glanced back at my girls one more time.
My girls.
CHAPTER 26
BRIELLE
As I pulled up to Colton’s apartment, he came out to greet me.
“Hey,” he said after I rolled my window down.
“Hey, what’s up?” I asked, wondering why he was dressed in his auto shop coveralls. It was Sunday afternoon and we were going on a date. Plus, I thought the shop was closed on the weekends.
Sticking his head through the window, he tilted my chin up before lowering his mouth to mine. I immediately responded by grabbing his collar and pulling him closer as our tongues met. He gently nipped at my lips, causing my breath to hitch and my heart rate to speed up.
He chuckled into my mouth before we could get too out of control. “Do me a favor and pull your car around to the shop. I’ll open the garage door and you can just drive in.”
“Why?” I asked, confused. There wasn’t anything wrong with my car.
“Just do it.” He thumped his hand on the hood twice before walking away and I rolled my eyes.
So bossy.
Once my car was inside the shop, I put it in park and turned off the ignition. I got out, taking in the place where Colton spent most of his days.
The first thing I noticed was the smell. It wasn’t unpleasant, but like a typical auto shop it had the distinct scent of motor oil and burnt rubber. The concrete floors were clean, except for a few grease stains here and there.
The inside of the large space resembled a warehouse and there were two garage doors at the front of the building, both of which were now closed. Walls made of exposed brick lined the interior, and there were several antique metal signs hanging throughout the shop. Most of them were automobile logos and a few were old expired license plates.
“What’s going on?” I smiled at him, narrowing my eyes suspiciously as I waited for him to answer.
“Do you know how to change the oil in your car?” Colton opened the driver’s door and hit the hood latch. I shook my head. “How about a flat tire?”
I shook my head again. “I get my oil changed at Walmart. And I guess I’ve never thought about a flat tire.”
“Well, you’re gonna learn today,” he announced, and I groaned.
Cars were so not my thing. All I knew was that I put gas in it, and it got me from point A to point B. If the check engine light came on, I usually ignored it with the intention of getting it looked at when the car started making weird noises.
“You know, I do get regular maintenance on my car. I just had the tires rotated a few months ago,” I told him, hoping that would be enough for him to toss me onto the hood of the car and do dirty things to my body instead.
Ignoring me, Colton propped up the hood on my old Camry and peered down at the engine and all the other doohickeys under there.
He pointed to a little knob. “This is the oil dipstick.”
I snorted out a laugh because he said dipstick, and he shot me an amused look before pulling it out. He took a paper towel and wiped off the end of the long metal rod before inserting it back in and taking it out again.
“See here?” He pointed to the end coated in dark oil. “You’re a quart low.”
“You ever notice how car parts are full of sexual innuendo? Dipstick. Lube. Drive shaft…”
“Nope. Never,” Colton replied sarcastically before sending me a knowing grin. “I’d love to teach you how to drive a stick.”
“What a great idea,” I said with mock seriousness. I ran my hands up his chest and gave his collar a little tug. “How about right now?”
His lips tipped up as he caught on to my plan. “Nice try. Work first, play later.”
Grabbing a funnel, he instructed me to put it in the correct place, then had me pour a container of new motor oil into it.
Thinking we were done, I started to wipe my hands on a paper towel and raised up on my tiptoes to give him a kiss. “Thanks for the lesson.”
“We’re not done yet,” he said before walking around to the other side of my car.
“You don’t have to do all this. I’m not dating you so you’ll fix my car.”
“Oh, I know,” he said cockily, puffing out his chest, and I rolled my eyes. “But I’m not fixing anything. You are.”
With his hands on his hips, he stood back and looked at my outfit. I was wearing some comfortable jeggings and an oversized gray sweater—not exactly practical for this kind of work.
“Hang on a sec.” Colton disappeared into what looked like a small office off to the right and came back with a pair of gray coveralls that were identical to the ones he was wearing. Even his name tag over the left breast pocket was the same. “I don’t want you to get your clothes dirty,” he told me as he ruffled my ponytail, causing a few strands to fall out.
Sighing, I slipped on the coveralls and Colton zipped up the front for me, then bent down to roll up the extra material around my ankles.
He stood up and a half-smile appeared on his face. “It’s a little big, but it should keep you clean.”
“Thanks,” I said, sounding a little breathless as I looked up into his eyes.
His finger trailed over the embroidered name tag, which was right over my left nipple. Even through all the layers, I felt his touch. I had to bite my lip to keep the gasp from escaping my mouth.
A heated look crossed Colton’s face. “I kind of like the way you look wearing my name.”
“Is that why you always wanted me to wear your Little League shirt to your baseball games?” I joked, tilting my head to the side.
“Hell yeah,” he replied. �
�Everyone knew you were there for me. My best friend.”
“Well, who do we have here?” A voice interrupted our moment and I looked over to see a familiar face poking out of a doorway at the back of the garage.
“Hank!” I smiled, recognizing him right away.
He walked over to stand next to Colton and the resemblance between the two of them was uncanny. Same eyes. Same height and build. Same buzzed haircut. I could see Hank’s style hadn’t changed. I remembered the denim button-up shirt he was wearing, and from the look of the frayed edges I suspected it was the same one he’d had years ago.
“I thought I heard a commotion out here. Brielle, it’s so good to see you two together again.” Hank smiled and looked down at my outfit. “Is Colton putting you to work on a Sunday?”
I sighed dramatically. “Yes. Can you believe that?”
Colton grunted. “I’m teaching her how to take care of her car. It’s important to know the basics.”
“Gotta agree with my boy,” Hank said, affectionately dropping a hand onto Colton’s shoulder. “If you want something done right, do it yourself—that’s what I always say.”
“I’m about to show Ellie how to change a tire,” Colton told him as he started rummaging through a giant red tool box that looked more like a tall dresser.
“It’s a good thing to know.” Hank nodded. “I’ll leave you kids to it. I just wanted to say hi.” He turned to head back to his apartment then stopped. When he looked back at me there was a warmth in his gaze, the skin around his eyes crinkling as he smiled. “I hear you’ve got a little girl. I’d love to meet her sometime.”
I nodded. “I’m sure she’d love that, too.”
On that note, Hank disappeared into his apartment and Colton removed the spare tire from my trunk.
“Huh,” I said, looking down at the wheel. “So that’s where that thing was.”
Colton raised his eyebrows at my lack of basic car knowledge. “Everyone should know how to do this. I just want to make sure you’re safe, Ellie.”
“I know. That’s why I love you,” I replied, intending for it to be playful, but the statement came out sounding a lot more serious. A lot more real.
Dancer (The Good Guys Book 2) Page 14
