The Daughter He Wanted

by Kristina Knight

  And who knew he didn’t want to be alone any longer.

  * * *

  PAIGE SHRIEKED AS Kaylie cannonballed into the water at the rec center pool on Saturday. It was just the two of them this morning, and she was glad for the time alone. Not that she minded sharing the pool with other parents, but sometimes it was nice not to worry about being too loud or splashing too much.

  Kaylie tugged on her swim shorts from under the water and waved as Paige looked down. The little girl began counting on her fingers. One, two, three... Just as she had done for Paige—and for Alex—the other night at the pizza parlor.

  Alex. Why did thinking of his name automatically bring his face to mind? The twinkle in his eye or that devilish smile? Because she was losing it. He wasn’t a good bet, not in the long run. Not for her.

  No, he didn’t seem to be like any other man she had ever known, but Paige had no illusions. He’d never have given her a second glance if she wasn’t part of Kaylie’s package deal.

  Still, if she allowed him to get close to her, she would tell him all her secrets. Then he really would only be in her life because of their daughter. He would see that she had changed, but straight-arrow types like Alex Ryan didn’t take chances with broken targets.

  Paige took a breath and submerged, too, holding the air in her lungs and locking gazes with the little girl as they both counted. Maybe a little oxygen deprivation would push thoughts of Alex out of her head for good. Kaylie hit fifteen, pounded her feet against the pool floor and rocketed back to the surface.

  “Good, right?” Kaylie kicked her little legs, treading water.

  “Amazing, kiddo,” Paige said, pushing wet hair off her face and laughing with her daughter. “Now show me a back float.”

  Kaylie doggie paddled to the side, put her feet and hands on the wall and then rocketed back. A spray of water caught Paige square in the nose and she sneezed. Kaylie kicked and pushed her arms up and down the way she’d been taught, reaching up as if she might touch the ceiling. She made it halfway across the pool before she had to stop. Paige caught the little girl in a hug, holding her while she caught her breath.

  “That was the best yet, sweetie,” Paige said, dropping a quick kiss on the crown of her head.

  “Can Alex come swim with us sometime?”

  Paige swallowed. She’d known this moment would come. The moment Kaylie began thinking of Alex as her friend, and not just a new person who might or might not want to play. She forced the words past her clogged-up throat. “Sure, kiddo, but he might be busy.”

  Kaylie kicked around in the water, holding on to her swim board. “Alex told me he was a swimmer like me. He’ll come.”

  Probably he would, and that was a whole other issue. One Kaylie didn’t need to know about. She picked the kickboard from the side of the pool and handed it to Kaylie. “I’m sure he’ll try. Go play for a little bit. No more tests.”

  Kaylie balanced on the board and swam off, under the close scrutiny of the lifeguard, to push little boats around the shallow end of the pool.

  Paige pulled herself out of the water and dried off, still thinking of her daughter’s newfound attachment to Alex. Paige sighed. From the moment they’d pulled out of the pizza parlor’s parking lot, it had been how Alex talked to her in the ball pit, how Alex was a swimmer, how she’d shown Alex how good she was by leveling up. Alex, Alex and more Alex until Paige wanted to scream every time her daughter brought up the man that still consumed her thoughts.

  Would it be so bad to admit she wanted him? To cave and go on a date with the man? They did have Kaylie in common, after all, and they had chemistry.

  She gave Kaylie a two-minute warning and watched as she gathered the little boats, setting them near the entrance steps where the lifeguard could collect them.

  Good idea or bad idea, she had to do something about these feelings. She liked the man, probably a little too much. In the past she’d have run with the attraction and worried about picking up the pieces later. She didn’t want to pick up any pieces, not now. Not when life was finally going her way. Nice job, good friends. She couldn’t remember the last time one of the church ladies looked at her sideways, like she’d been caught singing in the choir with her robe tucked in her pantyhose.

  Her parents... Well, Dot and Hank might never fully support her but at least most of the time they were pleasant. They loved Kaylie.

  Why mess all that up?

  Her phone bleeped. It was Alison.

  How about ice cream and a movie tonight with the princess?

  Paige didn’t have to debate. Ice cream and movies with Alison and Kaylie would keep her mind off her attraction to Alex. Plus Alison could read her like a book and would somehow know, if Paige begged off, that it was because of the handsome stranger who was now such a big part of her life.

  She texted back a time and suggested a recent animated movie Kaylie wanted to see. Then she called Kaylie out of the water, already planning how to keep the conversation off Alex and on Tuck.

  A few hours later, Kaylie picked up the DVD box for the twentieth time. “Are you sure Auntie Alison is coming over?” She plopped down at the kitchen table, resting her chin in her hands and focusing her puppy-dog eyes at Paige.

  “Positive, Kay, she’ll be here around four. Which is just enough time for you to help me clean up this watercolor mess.”

  Kaylie halfheartedly swiped a paper towel over a bit of blue but it only served to spread out the paint, not pick it up. Paige sprayed more cleaning solution over the counter and scrubbed.

  “And you’re sure we’ll have time to watch the whole thing before bedtime?”

  “Absolutely. Plus, it’s Saturday night, which means you can stay up a little later.”

  Kaylie sighed. “I just don’t think there will be enough time.”

  “If you help me clean up the time will go faster.”

  Kaylie swiped at the drips of colored water on the counter again. “I guess.”

  Paige bit her lip to keep from smiling. Her daughter had the martyr act down to a science. Not that she gave in to it, at least not very often.

  The front door opened and Kaylie squealed, tossed her soiled paper towel in the bin and rushed for the front of the house. Paige finished cleaning the counter and was just putting the supplies away when Alison and Kaylie returned to the kitchen. Kaylie plucked the DVD off the counter and hurried into the living room to put it in the machine.

  “You do realize we’re watching the movie from the comfort of our sweats tonight?” Paige said, frowning at her purple sweats with “Pink Panther” emblazoned down the legs. Alison wore skinny black jeans and wedge-heeled sandals with a striped sailor top, and had her hair pulled back to cascade down her back.

  “I have a date later.”

  “Don’t let us hold you back.” She wasn’t hurt, not really. Not because she was Alison’s predate entertainment.

  After all, Paige had been the one without strings at one point in her life. Had focused all her energies on the man by her side until things blew up and Alison picked up the pieces. She had the strings now; her job was to be a good friend. Tuck was a good guy, like Alex, but unlike with her and Alex, there was no reason for Alison not to go after Tuck.

  Alison waved one hand as she hung her leather jacket in the hall closet and sat at the counter. She lay down a manila folder and pushed it across the top. “Please. The cool kids don’t date until after eight these days. I’ve got time for a movie with my favorite kid and my bestie first.”

  Paige eyed the folder. “What’s this?” Paige asked as she filled glasses with ice and tea for them. Kaylie had a juice box already open on the coffee table.

  “Ehh, we’ll talk about it later.” She hooked her thumb toward the television as the opening credits began to trumpet from the speakers. “I don’t think the kiddo can wait any longer.”

  Paige laughed. “Ice cream now or later?”

  “Later. We can’t keep the princess waiting.”

  The th
ree of them settled onto the couch, as they had done since Kaylie was a baby, but Paige couldn’t keep her mind on the animated dragons and princesses. She kept thinking about camping, a pastime she’d never truly understood, and waking up in the early dawn hours to paint the sunrise.

  Kaylie, focused on the on-screen battle, didn’t blink when Paige rose to get popcorn. Alison followed her back into the kitchen.

  “What’s up?”

  “Nothing. Just distracted, I guess.” Paige reached into the cupboard for oil and popcorn and then dug the popper from the lower cabinet. The setting sun glared through her sliding glass doors and Paige drew the blinds closed. Soon it would be dark almost before she and Kaylie returned home from school. She wondered how the parks system worked during the colder, shorter days.

  She would need to figure out a Halloween costume in a couple of days. She wondered if Alex liked to dress up.

  Then pushed images of him dressed as a hunky Roman soldier or a bloodsucking vampire from her mind.

  “Work?”

  Paige shook her head. “Alex.”

  “I had a feeling.”

  “How are things going between you and Tuck?”

  “Fine. He’s funny and he knows how to kiss. We’ll see how things go.” Alison grabbed a grape from the bowl on the counter. “How are things between you and Alex?”

  Paige glanced into the living room but Kaylie’s attention was focused on the movie. “He asked me on a date. Again.”

  “I know.”

  “How do you know?”

  Alison grinned. “Apparently men talk about the women they’re interested in as much as women talk about men. Who knew?”

  Paige’s cheeks burned. “He talks about me?”

  Her friend nodded. “Talks about you. Loses his train of thought. Apparently he’s quite smitten.”

  “It’s because of Kaylie.”

  “It’s because of you. When he’s talking about Kaylie he’s focused and excited about dad stuff like riding bikes. Makes sense. Tuck says when he talks about you he gets lost, stares into space a little. Good, right?” Alison popped another grape into her mouth.

  Paige shrugged. It felt good to hear, but that didn’t solve the problem of all the other relationships she’d imploded in the past. Her track record wasn’t stellar, and there was so much to lose. A few days buried in a pint of ice cream wouldn’t heal the wounds of a breakup with Alex, she knew. And he wouldn’t hurt Kaylie, she was certain of that after only knowing him for a week, but if they dated and it didn’t work, how awkward would it be to have him picking up Kaylie on a Friday night?

  Then there was the other problem.

  The what-did-Alex-see-looking-at-them problem.

  “Maybe you need a hypnotist.” Alison’s words broke through Paige’s funk.

  “I need a what?”

  “A hypnotist. You know, ‘Every time you hear the number four you’ll quack like a duck.’” Alison intoned the words. “But in your case you won’t quack like a duck, we’ll just block out your entire past.”

  “Not funny.” The first kernels of corn began popping. “I don’t want to forget my past. I just don’t want it to mess up my present.”

  “From where I’m sitting, it already is. You have to take a chance, Paige.” Alison filled a glass with tea from the fridge and returned to the counter. She pushed the manila folder to Paige. “I have it on good authority that Alex Ryan isn’t a felon, had a solid three-point-five GPA in college and owns his own home.”

  Paige reached for the folder but drew back, putting her hands in her pockets. “You had him checked out?” She finally read the file from the fertility clinic last night so she knew the basics. How much more could Alison have found?

  Alison shrugged. “I had some potential employees to vet. Throwing in one extra name to Google was no big deal.”

  “Of all the crazy, scheming...” She reached for the folder but pushed it away at the last moment. “What does it say about him, anyway?”

  A burning smell drifted to Paige’s nose and she grabbed the popper, unplugging it and dumping the ruined corn into the kitchen sink.

  “What’s going on out there?” Kaylie called, still focused on the movie.

  “Nothing, sweetie, just making popcorn.”

  She twisted around on the sofa. “Can we have extra butter?”

  Paige nodded and Kaylie returned her attention to the princess and unicorn on the screen.

  “What it says is that Alex Ryan is a good guy. He might eat cookies in bed, the investigator didn’t go that far, but he’s had exactly three citations—all speeding violations and all from his college days—and he’s never been fired from a job. He grew up in Park Hills, played baseball, football and swam in the summer. He volunteers with a kiddie rec league now, plays on a couple of leagues through the winter months.”

  The second round of popcorn finished and Paige took a bowl into the living room.

  When she returned to the kitchen, Alison picked up the folder and held it out until she took it. “And any fool can see that you’re attracted to him. Your radar isn’t wrong this time Paige. You have to trust it.”

  She popped a few kernels into her mouth and chewed. It would be so easy to go on a date with him. Throw caution to the wind, just for one night.

  But it wouldn’t end with one night. Whether they fell in love or could barely stand one another, for at least the next fourteen years he would be an integral part of her life. They would plan birthday parties together, attend parent-teacher conferences and school plays. And then there was college and Kaylie’s wedding. As awkward as it was to deny the chemistry between them, it would be so much worse if they dated and failed at a relationship.

  What if she and Kaylie were just part of the package ripped from him when his wife got cancer?

  Paige riffled the edges of the folder but didn’t open it. Because the words on the page didn’t matter. It didn’t even matter that her best friend had the man checked out. What mattered was what she thought of him, and what Paige thought was that he was dangerous. Dangerous to her peace of mind. Dangerous to the woman she wanted to be.

  Dangerous, dangerous, dangerous.

  The movie ended and Kaylie asked to watch it again, as she usually did with movies she liked. Paige sent her into the bathroom and then reset the DVD, still thinking about what Alison had said. Nice guy, nothing blatantly off about his past, although he certainly had one—a wife, her extended family, death. More obstacles to think about.

  Once Kaylie was settled with more popcorn and juice, Paige returned to the counter where Alison finished her bowl of popcorn.

  “Ice cream sundae?”

  Alison shook her head. “I have a date, something you should be having, you know.”

  “Al...”

  Alison held up her hands in surrender. “Okay, I won’t push.” She picked up the folder and stuffed it into her bag. “By the way, your mom called my mom and I’ve been fielding my own version of ‘why are you dating a park ranger?’ for the past week.”

  Annoyance washed over Paige. Of course Dot called Alison’s mother; it was what Dot did. If something upset her she dealt with it by upsetting someone else. Kaylie’s trapeze jump coupled with Paige turning down another gallery request and the two strange men at the barbecue set her mother off. Alison’s mom was laid-back about most things but not her only daughter’s dating habits. She wanted Alison married off with babies on the way, and Paige felt terrible Dot was making things tenuous between Alison and her mom.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve been so distracted with Alex I didn’t even think about my mom calling yours. See, it’s another reason to avoid him. I’m not a good friend when guys start distracting me.”

  “Please, this is a little more than an infatuation. I get the pressure. He’s Kaylie’s father.” She hopped off the high chair and then took her jacket from the hall closet. “And this is not me pushing, but if you wanted to invite Alex to lunch tomorrow, it’s okay with me. It might be goo
d for you, to see him on your own terms. In your own home.” Alison started for the door. “At least think about it. If you make spaghetti Bolognese I’ll bring dessert. Or we could cancel and make it just the three of you.”

  Paige walked with Alison onto the porch. “I’ll call you in the morning. To let you know.”

  Alison left and Paige stayed on the porch, listening to the sounds of the epic battle from Kaylie’s movie filtering through the house. She was thinking about asking him.

  And that was a whole new set of problems.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ALEX’S EMAIL PINGED from his computer at the workstation in his kitchen. He turned down the stove burner and put a lid on the pan filled with rice pilaf. He had emailed Paige earlier, pictures of the boxes he and Tuck stored away the week before and a few images of the two of them leading a Boy Scout troop into the forest last spring. Along with the pictures he wrote,

  So you don’t think I sit outside the park office in a lounge chair, tanning all day.

  Emailing her was an impulse he couldn’t deny. After spending Friday morning with Sue and John, and then being unable to settle into his own home that afternoon, he’d gone to the park. Hiked the equestrian trail at St. Francois and then detoured down Mooner’s Hollow, his favorite area inside the wilderness. The entire time he’d wondered if Paige would like the hike. If she would find something to paint.

  If he would kiss her when they reached the secluded overlook that only the most experienced hikers knew about. Thinking about kissing Paige led him off-trail and he’d wound up on the back edge of the park on acreage that butted up against private land. An old cabin sat in the clearing, the roof falling in, and it added a haunted air to the area. Sad. He took a picture with his camera phone and thought about sending it to her; he settled on less personal pictures of him with Tuck and the Scout pack, starting their photo email exchange.