WATERCOLOR WISHES: Love Along Hwy 30A, Book Four

by Chambers, Melissa

  “Holy crap, was that her?” she asked.

  “Just walk. It’s taking everything in me not to turn around and go off on her.”

  “Oh my gosh,” she said, freaked out. The girl looked nothing like she expected. Marigold thought she’d be this natural blond bombshell. “She looks nothing like those boys,” Marigold said.

  “Don’t get me started about her, please. I’m trying so hard to be good.”

  They pushed through the lobby doors and Marigold led them to her parking space, but she couldn’t get in the car. “Wow. Look at me.” She held out her shaky hand.

  He grabbed it, stilling the shaking. “Oh, please. You are Beyonce and she is Voldemort. I know that’s not nice, but after what she put that boy through, I’m justified, trust me.”

  Marigold looked up at the building. “How did they get together?”

  He pursed his lips. “I’m not altogether certain of this, but I’m pretty sure she stalked him.”

  “What?”

  “They met at the bar in our lobby. The local paper had done a piece on us.” He waved it off. “We play up the twin thing when we can to get exposure. It got some social media traction, and the next thing we know, she’s at our lobby bar.” He shook his head. “She said all the right things. I was even charmed by her in the beginning, if you can believe it. She had this way of making you feel like you were the most special person on the planet. She seemed truly genuine.”

  Marigold had known people like that. She’d had someone in college attach to her who had that ability. It was like an addiction, being around that girl…until she turned out to be nutso.

  “It all changed though once those boys got involved. Dane latched onto them like nothing I’ve ever seen. Once he was hooked, she started taking advantage. Dropping them off for him to watch with little or no notice, hitting him up to pay for this sport or that lesson. The more attached Dane got to those boys, the more one-sided their relationship became. You know, you’d think she’d be grateful for the help, but instead, she would hold the boys over his head like leverage.”

  “Wow,” Marigold said, taking it all in.

  “Mmm,” he said, glancing up in the direction of their apartments.

  She leaned in. “So is it true that he’s not been with anyone else for a while?”

  “Oh yeah. She scared him off all women. You’ve been like a ray of light, bringing him out of the dark.”

  She smiled, liking that inference, and then sighed. “I guess I better go before she comes back down.”

  “Before you go, tell me two things about Ashe that I can use to hook him.”

  She thought about it. “He loves brunch and Vampire Weekend.”

  He nodded, smiling. “Noted. Thanks.”

  “So what are your intentions with him, anyway?” she asked.

  “I’ll be honest, before I met him, they were purely carnal, but now…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I’ll be lucky if don’t end up proposing to him before it’s all over.”

  She smiled. “He’s pretty fantastic. Worth so much more than a one-nighter.”

  He gauged her. “Is he bi, by any chance?”

  “Not that I’m aware of, why?”

  “His Instagram is full of pictures of a beautiful woman.”

  “Looks like the love child of Zoe Saldana and Jason Momoa?”

  He gripped her arm. “Oh my God, yes.”

  “That’s Desiree.”

  “Are they together?”

  She considered the question. “I’m not sure how to answer that. They’re very close, I’ll say that.”

  “Ya think? He gushes over her.”

  “She’s all that. They have a unique relationship none of us can really figure out.”

  “Is she my competition?”

  “Not at the moment. She’s dating someone right now.”

  “Thank God, because it sounds like it’d be hard to compete with her.”

  “Are you competitive?” she asked.

  “To a fault. When I get my mind set on something, I can be pretty obnoxious getting what I want.”

  She smiled at him. “Well, I think that’s a good quality.”

  They stepped out of the way while a couple got into the car next to them. She glanced up at the building. “Still in there, huh?”

  “Trust me, he’s not having any fun.”

  “What do you think they’re talking about?”

  “I hope he’s laying down the law, but I’m guessing if she was brazen enough to do this today, she’ll do it again.”

  “Does she do this often?” she asked, feeling guilty for double-checking Dane’s word, but the stakes were too high not to.

  Ethan pursed his lips. “Not in a few months. Not that I know of, at least.”

  Marigold nodded at the building, and Ethan took her arm. “Don’t blow him off because of this, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said, but without the requisite enthusiasm.

  His expression dropped. “Oh, shit.”

  “No, I won’t, really.” Not at this point, at least, but if this became a thing, it’d be hard for Marigold to be a part of this kind of drama. Not that she didn’t enjoy a little drama, but she wanted to be the one creating it, and it definitely wouldn’t include kids. “I better get going.”

  He studied her, playing with her hair. “You know, if I were straight, I think you’d be exactly my type.”

  She gave him a look. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

  “Just the ones I really like,” he said with a wink.

  It was strange looking at this guy who was so similar yet completely different from the guy she was starting to fall for. She went in for a hug, taking in his smell, which was clean and fresh, while Dane’s was sort of earthy—both delicious, though, in their unique ways.

  She pulled away. “Have a good night.”

  “You, too, firewoman,” he said, before closing her door.

  Driving the short distance down 30A toward Fiona’s place, she couldn’t help wondering what was going on in that apartment. This was Dane’s ex, and all signs pointed to her being horrible, but he’d once loved her, hadn’t he? He for sure loved those kids, and they were who bonded him to her for longer than he’d liked. And here they were back in his life.

  The last thing she needed was to get attached to a guy who was getting ready to be attached elsewhere, even if it was to kids. But these kids came with a mom, and one who had powers of persuasion, apparently. And worse, she didn’t use her looks as part of those powers. She used her personality. Marigold could compete with her looks, but her personality was always how she lost out where guys were concerned. She was too much. Apparently Erin knew how to reel them in using her charm. Marigold’s charm was about as useful as a pet rock.

  She stopped at a crosswalk to let a couple holding hands cross the street. Lucky bastards. They were already hooked up—in love likely and on vacation where they weren’t carrying a stressor in the world. At least she hoped for their sakes that they weren’t.

  She, on the other hand, was headed to a home that wasn’t even hers, away from a guy who wasn’t hers either. She needed to get her shit together, quit focusing on Dane and start focusing on this hotel—polish that business plan and present the goods. She’d take the night to get it perfected. And she would not sit around wondering when Erin would be leaving Dane’s apartment.

  13

  Dane could not believe Erin was sitting in his living room between her boys, smiling and laughing as they regaled her with their adventure to get ice cream. Why had Dane not answered the door with the boys in tow and ushered them out along with her? She’d made herself at home instead.

  “Miss Marigold let me try her mango yogurt,” Jaden said.

  Erin slid a look in Dane’s direction. “Oh yeah? How did you like it?”

  “It was actually good, even though I don’t like fruit. She has a shop called Apples to Oranges.”

  “Oh,” Erin said, looking at Jaden. “What ab
out a store with a fruit name? Is that okay, or do you dislike that, too?”

  Dane had royally fucked up here. He should never have let Marigold come along. Even though he’d offered for her to stay while Erin picked them up, he was relieved as hell when she’d said no. He didn’t want Marigold and Erin on the same planet, much less in his living room together.

  He wanted Erin out of his life, now, but he had to tread lightly because of the boys. The last thing they needed was to witness him being rude to her and think it was about them.

  “You guys have school tomorrow, right?” he asked.

  She rubbed Jaden on the back. “Yeah, but Mondays are late mornings. They give the students an extra forty-five minutes for start time so the teachers can have meetings and plan.”

  “We like Mondays,” Jaden said with a grin. “Shorter school day.”

  Dane scratched the side of his head, not believing this was happening. “Erin, may I have a word with you on the balcony?”

  She glanced up at him lazily. “Go ahead. The boys can hear whatever you want to tell me.”

  He’d had it. “Erin, now.”

  She hauled herself up with a little roll of her eyes at the boys like Dane was such a stick in the mud. He slid the door shut behind her, and she walked over to the railing. “God, I miss this ocean view.”

  He couldn’t believe that just hours earlier, Marigold stood in that same spot, revving up his engine. Now she was replaced by his worst nightmare. “Erin, what the fuck?”

  “Don’t cuss at me, Dane.”

  It was all he could do to keep himself calm. “This can’t happen again.”

  She leaned against the railing and shrugged. “Okay.”

  “I’m serious, Erin.”

  She held up both hands. “Okay. I get it.” She looked him up and down. “How are you?”

  “If you do this again. I’m calling someone,” he said, ignoring her attempt to derail him. He should have Googled who you call when your ex drops her kids off at your door so he could have been more specific, but he’d been a little preoccupied.

  She grinned. “Who are you gonna call, Dane? Ghostbusters?”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll do it.”

  She chuckled. “Oh, okay.”

  “You think I won’t?”

  She dropped her head to the side lazily. “Come on, Dane. You know you enjoyed seeing the boys as much as they liked seeing you. You know, I wouldn’t be opposed to a bi-weekly arrangement. Every other Sunday afternoon?”

  He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. “We’re not doing anything like that. We were supposed to have had a clean break here. Why open all this up again now?”

  She grinned, looking behind him at the sliding glass door. The boys had their faces pressed against it, licking it with crazy eyes. He couldn’t laugh. It would set him back eons here. She motioned to them. “How can you not love those faces?”

  Dane opened the door and pointed. “Go sit on the couch. Give your mom and me five more minutes, okay?” They tripped over each other, heading back to the couch and then plopping down.

  She shook her head. “God, you’re such a good dad. They don’t mind anyone the way they mind you.”

  He rubbed his forehead, the manipulation bearing down on him, just like before. “This wasn’t fair to do to me.”

  “I know it wasn’t, but I have no help. You know that. I just needed a couple of hours to myself. And the boys needed a minute with a good male role model. They have no one.”

  He knew he needed to clam up here, but he couldn’t help himself. “What about Chris, the alligator wrestler?”

  That triumphant smile of hers that made worms crawl up his chest spread across her face. “Jealous?”

  He went for the door. “It’s time for you to go. Don’t call my bluff on this. When you leave here, I’m gonna figure out who I need to call next time you drop them off, and you can plan on picking them up from wherever that is. Child Protective Services, or whatever.”

  “She’s a knockout. Congratulations.”

  He stopped cold in his tracks and slid the door shut again. “Excuse me?”

  “Marigold? Is that her name? The boys seemed to like her.”

  “How do you know what she looks like?”

  She put one hand on her hip. “I saw her coming out of the elevator with Ethan. What a beauty. How long have you two been together?” She glanced through the glass door at his living room. “Doesn’t look like she’s moved in yet.”

  “She’s none of your concern.”

  “Oh, she absolutely is my concern if my kids just spent the evening with her.”

  “You have no choice who they spend the evening with if you drop them at my house unannounced. What if I hadn’t been home?”

  “I saw your car.”

  “I could have been out with Ethan.”

  “I saw both of your cars. Besides, I waited in the stairwell and made sure they got inside. I’m not a monster.” Dane shivered, realizing she’d been right there, hiding in the shadows earlier. She looked him up and down. “She’s a little skinny for you, don’t you think?” She turned to the side, rubbing her ass cheek. “Remember how much you loved my curves? I can’t imagine an ass-guy like you with a girl like her.”

  He slid the door open. “Bye, Erin.”

  She held his stare, hard, a small smile creeping over her lips. “Apples to Oranges, huh? That’s Miss Marigold’s shop?” she asked the boys. “What kind of shop is it?”

  “She has Halloween stuff up all over the place, and she’s passing out candy all day on Halloween to trick-or-treaters. Can we go see her then?” Noah asked.

  Erin gave Dane her worst Fatal Attraction smile. “I’d love to go see Miss Marigold. She sounds wonderful.”

  “You guys need to get home now.”

  Noah attached himself to Dane’s legs. “No, I don’t want to go. I want to live here.”

  Jaden’s expression dropped, and a flash of anger went over his face. “We’ve got to go, Noah. He’s not our dad.”

  Dane hated how mature Jaden had been forced to become. He couldn’t even begin to wonder what all had transpired since he’d been out of their lives with Erin and her boyfriends. But the fact that they had been so excited to see him and had expressed no anger toward him since they’d been there made him believe Erin had been careful about how she’d framed her relationship with Dane…likely because she wanted to keep the door open for a time like tonight when she wanted to dump them off.

  “We’ll see Dane soon, right Dane?” Erin asked.

  “Really?” Jaden asked, his innocent hope breaking Dane’s heart all over again.

  “I’m not sure, actually,” Dane said.

  “Why can’t we live here?” Noah asked, the tears starting to fall.

  Erin knelt next to Noah. “It’s okay, sweetie. Dane’s got his own life. We need to let him move on from us.”

  Jaden’s expression fell again. “That’s what I thought. Come on, let’s go.” He started walking off, and then turned around and met Dane’s gaze. He held up a hand in a half-wave. “Bye. Thanks for the ice cream.”

  Noah wailed. “No! I want to live here with Dane. I want to live here!”

  Erin shouldered her bag and then picked him up, ushering Jaden out the door. Dane waited for them to get on the elevator, and then he shut the door behind him. Leaning on it, he slid to the ground, head in hand.

  In just a moment, Ethan’s door opened and closed, and Dane waited for the knock. “I promise I’m not here to judge. I’m just here to listen this time.”

  Dane shut his eyes, tightly. His brother knew him so well. He stood and opened the door, letting Ethan wrap him in a hug. They didn’t indulge in hugs often, but they both pretty much knew when the other one needed it.

  They pulled apart and both collapsed on the living room couch and chair. “How was Marigold about all this?” Dane asked. Ethan never pulled punches, and by his expression, Dane was getting rea
dy to get one in the gut.

  “Freaked out. God, I forgot how scary Erin is.”

  “She’s not scary,” Dane said. “Just destructive.”

  “Poor Marigold was shaking after we saw her.”

  “What did Erin say to her?”

  “Nothing. She barely even looked at her. Just acted irritated to be running into me. We exchanged icy hellos and moved on.”

  Dane mussed his own hair. “I just hate that I’m right back here. I thought I was done with all this.”

  “You are done with it. Remember that.”

  Dane held both hands out to his sides. “How can I be done when I’m sitting here a year out and look who’s at the door?”

  “Why don’t we file a restraining order.”

  “On what grounds?”

  “Freaking stalking,” Ethan said.

  “I let her in here. What’s a judge gonna say about that?”

  Ethan let out a heavy breath, looking even more worried than Dane felt. Dane reached over and patted him on the knee. “Don’t worry about it. I got this.”

  Ethan cut his eyes at Dane. “You’re putty around those kids and she knows it.”

  “I know. But I stood my ground tonight, just now when they were leaving. She said they’d see me soon, and I said they wouldn’t. About fucking killed me, too. But I had to.”

  “I heard the wails,” Ethan said.

  “They were nothing compared to the look on Jaden’s face.”

  Ethan shook his head. “Goddammit.”

  Dane knew it was bad. Ethan didn’t cuss nearly as much as he did, and he rarely said that word. Dane considered him. “Did Marigold say anything I should know?”

  Ethan tightened his lips into a thin line, and Dane knew he was done for. “She didn’t say anything, per se, but she did look concerned.”

  Dane shook his head. “Can I blame her?”

  “I think she just got a little freaked out.”

  “I’d be freaked out if the tables were turned.”

  Ethan was the one to pat Dane on the knee now. “I’m sorry, brother.”

  Dane waved him off. “Let’s just get some sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

  “Oh, yes. Our first client meeting since the announcement. We should stop at that bakery and pick up some muffins or something.”