by Beth Ehemann
Don’t be naive. Sit down. Get real.
Every time I thought about the words he said to me, my chest got tighter and tighter. I walked over to the couch in the family room and sat down slowly, determined not to let one more tear fall because of my dad. I just felt so… stupid.
“Honey, you okay?” Fred’s gruff voice from the kitchen caught me by surprise. I’d been so lost in my own head, I didn’t even hear him come in. “What is it?” His eyebrows drew together as soon as he saw my face and he rushed over. Sitting down next to me, he pulled me in close. That one hug from Fred was all I needed to completely come undone. Rocking me back and forth gently, he didn’t ask another question. He simply let me cry it all out.
After a short eternity, I pulled back and sniffed.
Holding his index finger up in the air, he hopped off the couch. “Hang on.” He rushed over to the bookshelf on the other side of the room and grabbed the box of Kleenex.
I took a tissue from him and blew my nose loud enough to scare the fish in the lake. “Sorry if I snotted on your shirt.”
Fred looked down at his shirt and shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I like you, and your snot.”
“I went to see my dad,” I blurted out.
“Oh.” A dazed look spread across his face as he nodded slowly. “How did that go?”
“It was awful.” I started rambling, “He didn’t ask one question about me. He didn’t seem at all interested in anything I’ve been doing with my life. I tried to show him a couple pictures of Lucy and Piper, and he barely even looked at them. Turns out he only asked me there so I would ask Brody to invest in some company he’s trying to start.”
“Seriously? That’s horrible.” Fred sounded even more outraged than me. “How could he not look at those little girls and instantly fall in love with their sweet faces? How could he not be proud of you and all you’ve accomplished, almost completely on your own? Boy, that really pisses me off.”
I looked up at Fred rubbing his clenched jaw with his worn hands. His eyes were angry. Angry and protective that someone hadn’t given me and my daughters the attention he felt we deserved. Angry and protective the way a real dad would be.
“Fred?” I tried to speak past the golf ball-sized lump in my throat. “I’m so sorry for what I said the day I got his first letter… about wanting to finally have a relationship with my dad.”
“It’s okay, kiddo.” He reached out and patted my knee. “I know how bad you’ve wanted a dad your whole life.”
I stared deep into the beautiful sky blue eyes of the man who’d taken me to the hospital for stitches in my chin when I was twelve and rode my bike straight into a tree. The eyes of the man whose silhouette had stood in the front window when Zach dropped me off from our first date. The eyes of the man who’d cried in front of me for the first time the day I brought the girls home from the hospital and he held one in each arm. The eyes of a man who didn’t share one drop of blood with me, but loved me unconditionally regardless, when another man decided I wasn’t worth it.
“That’s just my point—I already had one. You’re the best dad I could’ve ever asked for.” Tears stung my eyes again, but these were happy tears. “We may not share blood, but we share more memories in one day than I had in ten years with him. You’ve been by my side as far back as I can remember, Fred, and it’s just fitting that you be by my side on my wedding day. Would you please walk me down the aisle?”
“Wow.” Fred swallowed and cleared his throat. “I’m sure glad that you feel that way about me, Kacie, because that’s exactly how I feel about you. I would love to escort you down the aisle, right into the arms of the man who loves your girls the way I love you.”
I threw my arms around his shoulders and squeezed as hard as I could. “I love you too… dad.”
I liked to think of myself as a pretty even-keeled guy. Dealing with a lot of trash talk and bullshit on the ice had really numbed me to the dickheads of the real world. But one thing that sent me into attack mode was seeing someone I loved get hurt. Especially if that someone happened to be my fiancé.
“That sucks. What a prick.” Andy sat in amazement as I told him the story of Kacie’s meeting with her dad.
“Dude, she was so upset when she told me all of this last week. I wanted to find him right then and ring his fucking neck with my bare hands.”
“I can imagine. Nothing worse than when someone makes your girl cry.” He stood up, walked over to his printer, and removed the paper. “You really think this is gonna work?”
“It has to.” I shrugged. “I know how people like him work. They only see one thing.”
Andy made small talk for the next half hour while I eyed my watch and paced nervously around his office.
“Calm down.” He laughed, sitting relaxed as ever at his desk.
“I just want to get this over with.” I stretched my arms up high in the air, trying to relax myself any way I could. “Does nothing ever rattle you? You’re the same person all the time.”
“Sure, things get to me,” he said nonchalantly, “but not dealing with scum like this.”
Ellie’s voice rang out in the room. “Mr. Shaw, your eleven o’clock is here.”
Andy’s eyes locked on mine. “Ready?”
“Fuck yes.”
He pushed a button on his phone. “Thanks, El. Send him in.”
A minute later, his office door opened and Ellie ushered in Don Jensen. I sat against Andy’s desk, gripping the wooden end so tight I thought I might break it off. Andy sensed my tension and walked over to shake his hand first. “Hi, Don. Come on in.”
Don finished with Andy and walked over to me, holding his hand out eagerly, completely oblivious when I ignored it. “So, this is the man engaged to my little girl. Congratulations, she’s quite the catch.”
How the fuck would you know?
“Hold my calls for a bit please, Ellie,” Andy called out. Ellie nodded and shut the door behind her.
“Have a seat, Mr. Jensen.” Andy waved toward his seating area.
“Please, call me Don.” He grinned as he sat down, looking back and forth between me and Andy. “I was surprised to hear from you, Brody. Kacie left the coffee shop all huffy, but I’m glad she finally came to her senses and talked to you about my offer.”
“Oh yeah, she talked to me about it,” I said sarcastically. “It’s like this, Don. I’m in love with Kacie. I love her more than I’ve ever loved anyone on this planet, and when someone upsets her, I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure that doesn’t happen again. So here’s the deal: Kacie doesn’t want to see you again—ever—but I’m not stupid; I know how you people work.”
His cheerful grin faded and was replaced with a frown as he realized he wasn’t there for pleasantries.
“You sent her a letter. She ignored it, and you sent her two more until she finally agreed to come and meet you.” I stood tall, crossing my arms over my chest. “So, here’s what I’m proposing. She said you asked for fifty grand. I’m gonna double it and give you a hundred.”
His eyes grew wide but he didn’t respond, knowing I wasn’t done.
“However, in order to get that hundred grand, you’re going to sign the contract my good friend Andy is holding, promising that you will never, ever, ever contact Kacie, her daughters, or Sophia again or I will sue the shit out of you for twenty times what I gave you.”
“And if I refuse?” he snarled.
“Then you leave here with no money, but still the same chances of getting near Kacie. I’ll hire a security detail for her and the girls that’ll give the President’s a run for his money if I even think you’re contemplating contacting her again. Money or no money, you’ll never see her again.”
“What are you, in the mafia?” He huffed.
“Nope.” I raised my chin in the air. “I’m a love-sick man who has more money than he knows what to do with and will protect what’s his at all costs.”
“More money than you know what to do wi
th?” Tilting his head to the side, a calculating smile crossed his lips. “Then I want more. Make it a million and you have a deal.”
I stared him straight in the eye. “Go fuck yourself. Hundred grand, that’s it. Take it or leave it, but you have two minutes to decide. Then I’m throwing you out on your ass, completely penniless.”
His eyes looked down at the ground as he contemplated his next move, even though I already knew exactly what it would be.
“Got a pen?” He sighed, glaring at Andy.
“Sure thing.” Andy laid the contract on the coffee table in front of him and handed him a pen. He didn’t even read it. He just signed his name as I took out my checkbook. I gnashed my teeth as I wrote the check. It wasn’t about the money. That meant nothing to me. When Kacie cried as she told me about their meeting and how stupid her dad made her feel, my protective instincts took over and I knew I had to keep him away from her.
“You have the contract?” I asked Andy.
“Signed and dated,” he confirmed.
“Here.” I handed the check to Don, who grinned as he looked down at it. “Now get out.”
Looking up at me, his smile grew bigger. “You don’t have to tell me twice. Nice doing business with you boys.” He nodded and turned toward the door. It would have been worth it to punch him right in the back of his smug head if I weren’t still on probation for my bar fight incident.
The door closed and I slammed my palms down on Andy’s desk. “He didn’t even fucking care. How is that possible?”
Andy pressed his lips together in a tight line and shrugged. “I have no idea, man. No amount of money you offered or security team you hired would keep me away from my daughter, money or no money.”
“You know what’s sad? I would’ve paid the million without even thinking about it.”
Andy’s eyebrows shot toward the ceiling. “You would’ve?”
“Yep.” I nodded. “In a heartbeat, but he was too desperate.”
Andy clapped my shoulder and walked around behind his desk, filing the contract in a folder. “I can’t decide if you’re completely heartless or if you have the biggest heart in the world, Murphy.”
“Don’t go soft on me now, Shaw.” I laughed for what felt like the first time since Kacie had told me about that meeting with her dad.
He sat down in his chair and rested his chin on his hands. “You gonna tell her you talked to him?”
“Nope.” I didn’t even hesitate with my answer. “She told me she never wanted to see him again, and I made sure that’s going to happen. The details of how I went about it aren’t necessary.”
“I think Don was right.” He laughed, shaking his head at me. “Maybe you are in the mafia.”
Like an impatient child, I’d wished the months away because I was ready to be Mrs. Brody Murphy approximately three minutes after he proposed, but now that our wedding was less than two weeks away, I wanted time to slow down so I could enjoy every second of it.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” My mattress dipped as my mom sat down on my bed, gently brushing the hair from my face.
“Good morning.” I moaned as I stretched out.
“So, I know you’re busy with last-minute wedding stuff, but the girls and I were hoping we could steal you for a couple hours to go to the spa, get a mani-pedi and maybe a facial if there’s time. What do ya say?”
“I say that sounds fantastic.” Sitting up in bed, I covered my mouth as I yawned.
“Good.” She patted my knee. “Get moving. You have an hour.”
An hour? I’d have to hurry. I hustled into the girls’ bedroom to get their clothes out. “What do you guys want for breakfast?” I asked as I sorted through their messy drawers.
“Cinnamon rolls,” Lucy said.
Piper frowned. “Chocolate chip pancakes!”
I stood up and sighed. “How about eggs?”
They both nodded in unison as I tossed two sundresses to them and hurried off to the kitchen. In record time, I had the pan on the stove and eggs scrambling while I threw a few bites of yogurt and granola in my mouth. Lucy’s and Piper’s cheery but sleepy little faces appeared in the kitchen the same time as my mom.
“Here ya go.” I scooped some eggs onto two plates along with a handful of blueberries and set them in front of the girls.
Mom, who was already showered and ready to go, sat down next to them.
I scooped her up a plate of eggs too. “Since you’re already sitting here, would you mind keeping an eye on them for a minute? I want to run and take a quick shower.”
“Of course not. Go get ready.” She waved me off.
A little while later, I threw on my favorite capris and Minnesota Wild T-shirt, tucked my damp hair into a neat braid, and went out to the kitchen.
The girls were sitting at the island and my mom was leaning over them, whispering quietly.
I snuck up behind Lucy and Piper, reaching out and grabbing their waists as I got close. “What are you doing!” I yelled, scaring them half to death.
Piper screamed and giggled while Lucy whined, “Mooooom, did you hear our secret?”
“No.” I stood up straight, looking at my mom suspiciously. “What secret?”
“Nothing,” she snapped quickly. “Now leave it alone and let’s go.”
We piled into my mom’s car and headed five miles or so down the road to Lavender and Lilies, a cute little spa in town that used to be an old house but had now been updated and converted into an intimate, relaxing assortment of rooms for pampering. Once inside the front door, a cute college-aged girl sitting at a beautiful antique desk greeted us.
“Good morning.” She smiled brightly, making eye contact with all of us. “How can I help you?”
“Hi.” My mom stepped forward a bit. “We have appointments this morning, for all four of us.”
“Great. What’s the last name?”
“Jensen?”
“I have you down for four mani-pedis and four facials. Is that right?”
Mom nodded.
“Fantastic. Come on back and follow me. I’ll get you all set up.” She stood from her desk and held her hand out. “I’m Amanda, by the way.” My mom shook her hand and the girls and I smiled at her. She led us down a short hallway and up a couple steps. Two pedicure chairs sat in a large room with light lavender walls and several vases of beautiful white orchids.
“We only have the two pedicure chairs, so we’ll have to do you in two different groups. Is that okay?” Amanda asked as she stepped back, letting us pass.
Mom looked around. In the opposite corner of the room were two fancy white armchairs for us to sit in while we watched the girls get their first pedicures. “No problem.” She smiled at Amanda.
Once Amanda was out of the room, the girls bounced around, inspecting everything. “Look at this flower, Lucy. There are crystals at the bottom.” Piper stared wide-eyed at a vase with an orchid in it on the table.
“Mom, are these crystals?” Lucy asked.
“Kinda. They’re really shiny beads,” I answered, twirling their ponytails in my fingers as I stood behind them.
Mom went over and set her purse down as the door opened and two more young girls came in. “Hi, I’m Rachel,” said the exotic-looking girl with doe-shaped eyes, a nose ring, and really curly hair. “And this is Audra.” Audra was a little simpler looking with a cute bob and rosy cheeks.
“Good morning,” Audra greeted with a wave.
Rachel clapped her hands together and scoped the four of us out. “Who’s going first?”
“Me! Me!” Lucy and Piper made me laugh with the way they were hopping up and down like puppies in a pet store.
“I guess they wanna go first.” I giggled. “I’m assuming it’s okay if we sit over here?”
“Of course. Make yourselves comfortable.” Rachel walked over and took the lilac and sage green pillows off the chairs and set them on the white dresser. “Have a seat. Can we get you a drink?”
“Uh… I’m driving. I�
��ll just have some hot tea, please,” Mom answered.
“Oooo, I’ll take a mimosa.” I grinned.
“Mom, can I have a… mimmermosa too?” Piper asked.
I chuckled at her version of the word. “Sorry, babe. Not for a few more years, but how about some orange juice? It looks just like a mimosa.”
Lucy and Piper both nodded and Rachel disappeared out the door.
The morning was flying by too quickly.
“Are they the cutest things you’ve ever seen in your whole life or what?” Mom said, blowing on her hot tea as we watched Lucy and Piper getting their feet pampered. They sat in the big chairs, looking tinier than ever, holding their champagne flutes full of orange juice as Rachel and Audra massaged their little feet and polished every little toenail.
“They are the cutest. I’m pretty crazy about them.” I couldn’t help but grin at my sweet daughters.
“I’m pretty crazy about you,” my mom said, leaning in close.
My head snapped to meet her glassy eyes and trembling chin. Instinctively, I reached out and put my hand on hers. “What’s this about?”
She shrugged and plucked a tissue from her purse, dabbing at her eyes. “I don’t know. My only baby is getting married soon and I’m emotional. I’m also so damn proud of you, Kacie. I can’t believe all you’ve accomplished on your own since you had them.”
“I wasn’t exactly on my own.” I squeezed her hand gently. “You’ve been there for me since the day I found out I was pregnant, Mom. Way before Zach even left. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”
“I’m glad you feel that way, Kacie, but you totally could have. You’re the strongest woman I know.” She sniffed.
“It takes a strong woman to raise a strong woman.”
“Oh God, look at me.” She laughed awkwardly as she wiped her eyes again. “If I’m like this now, how can I possibly get through your actual wedding?”
Giggling, I nodded my head toward Lucy and Piper. “Just focus on them instead. They’re usually good for a few laughs.”
