Tempted by Love: Jack Jock Steele (The Steeles at Silver Island Book 1)

by Melissa Foster

  A lump formed in Jock’s throat. “He did that?”

  “Yes. He loved you like a son, and he wanted you to heal so you could eventually move on and have a full, happy life. Like I said, he would have done anything for you. I know he’s smiling down on you right now. I can feel it. He would be so pleased with how happy you appear to be.”

  “I am happy, Mom. I didn’t think it was possible to feel this much for someone. For both of them. I never understood what you and Dad really felt for each other until now.”

  “My baby’s falling in love,” she said, her eyes tearing again.

  “Mom.” He pulled her into another hug, giving them both a moment to recover from the emotions filling up the room, and kissed the top of her head.

  She wiped her eyes and fanned her face. “I’m sorry, Jack. All a mother wants is for her kids to be happy, and I didn’t know if you’d ever let yourself get close to another woman, much less a woman with a child.”

  “I didn’t either,” he said honestly. Daphne’s voice whispered through his mind. Don’t we owe our parents peace of mind? Your parents are probably still grieving for their sons’ broken hearts and broken relationship. Damn right he owed it to them. “Mom, I’m done running from the past. I don’t know what will happen between me and Archer, but it’s time to figure it out.”

  She huffed out a breath, swiping at a tear sliding down her cheek, and said, “You’d better get it all out now, so I’m not a crying mess at Grandma’s party.”

  “Aw, Mom. I love you.”

  “Now you’re just making it worse,” she said, wiping her eyes.

  He laughed. “Sorry. There is one more thing I need to talk to you about.”

  She planted a hand on her hip and said, “If you’re going to tell me that Hadley is yours and you’ve been hiding her and Daphne from us for three years, I’m not going to be happy that you’ve kept that beautiful little girl and her mama a secret. A mother has her limits, you know.”

  I wish she were mine. “It’s not that,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s my name. I know when I’m home I’m Jack, but for the last decade I’ve been Jock. If you don’t mind, I’d like to honor Harvey by using the nickname he gave me.”

  “Oh, baby. I don’t care if I have to call you Snoopy as long as I get to see you, hug you, and know that you’re okay.”

  “And Dad? Do you think he’ll mind?” Jock asked.

  Her gaze softened, and she said, “No. I’ll let him know. Harvey came into your life at a time when we couldn’t have given you what you needed. Dad and I are forever grateful to him for that.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad you’re okay with it. I’ll let everyone else know tonight at the party. I should probably get downstairs and make sure Daph is doing all right.”

  “I have a feeling she’s a tough cookie.”

  “She is a hell of a woman.”

  “Okay, Jackie.” She shook her head and said, “Jockey. Oh goodness, now you sound like you need a horse.”

  They both laughed.

  “Why don’t you and the others take everything to the winery and get started while I make up Archer’s room for Hadley?”

  “Do you want some help?”

  “No thanks, sweetheart. I haven’t gotten a room ready for a little girl in a long time. I keep waiting for Joey to outgrow her tomboy stage, but I’m not holding my breath. I’m going to enjoy this.”

  “Don’t go to too much trouble. Hadley won’t care if there are football sheets.”

  “You’ve got a lot to learn, mister,” she said as she headed for Archer’s room. “Maybe Levi can clue you in. Joey wasn’t always a tomboy.”

  He hurried down to the kitchen and found Jules, Daphne, and Hadley sitting on stools at the counter watching Levi on the opposite side, making faces and jumping around like a monkey. Hadley was nibbling on a cookie, completely unaffected by Levi’s antics.

  “This explains why you don’t have a girlfriend,” Jules teased. “Hey, Jack. He’s trying to get Hadley to smile.”

  “I figured.” Jock put one hand on Daphne’s shoulder, his other on Hadley’s. “Looking pretty cool there, Levi.”

  “Dude, she’s a hard nut to crack. Kids usually love me. What’d you do? Pay her off?” He looked at Hadley and said, “Come on, Hadley. Just one smile for Uncle Levi?”

  Hadley looked flatly at him and bit into her cookie. Then she looked at Jock and a wide, cookie-crumble smile lit up her face, making the girls laugh and Levi mutter under his breath.

  “Attagirl.” Jock kissed the top of her head. “Give it up, Levi.”

  Levi shook his head. “No way, man. I’m going to get a smile out of that cute little face before the day’s done.”

  “Have it your way,” Jock said. “Mom wants us to head over to the winery and get started.”

  “I already put everything in the hauler. We’re good to go,” Levi said. “Is Mom coming?”

  “No. She’s fixing up Archer’s room for Hadley.”

  “She doesn’t have to go to any trouble,” Daphne said. “Hadley can sleep with us.”

  Levi arched a brow.

  Jock ran a hand down Hadley’s back and said, “I think she’ll be more comfortable in her own bed.”

  “Should I stay and help your mom?” Daphne asked.

  “I offered. She’s fine.”

  Jules climbed off her stool and said, “She’ll have that room transformed into some kind of toddler haven by the time we get back.”

  “Okay, then I should run Hadley to the bathroom first,” Daphne said. “I want to grab the toy bag for her, too.”

  “Levi, why don’t you and Jules go ahead, and we’ll catch up,” Jock suggested, picking up Owly from the counter so they didn’t forget him. They’d gone for a walk on the beach the other night and had forgotten to bring it. He’d had to run back to Daphne’s apartment to get it.

  Levi snagged the golf cart keys from the counter, and Jules said, “Hey, I want to drive.”

  “And I want to get there in one piece,” Levi said on the way out the kitchen door.

  “Come on, babe. I’ll show you where the bathroom is.” As they went down the hall, Jock said, “I have a feeling everyone is going to try to get Hadley to smile.”

  “That’s okay,” Daphne said.

  “I know they mean well, but I worry about her. She’s just a little girl, and we don’t want her to feel pressured, do we? I mean, we have no idea what she’s thinking. Maybe it’s good that she’s discerning.” He turned on the bathroom light for her and realized Daphne was looking at him funny. “What did I say?”

  “You said we.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t realize—”

  She silenced him with a soft press of her lips and said, “I liked it. Thank you for putting her first. I understand what you’re saying, but since this is the first time your family is meeting us, and she seems to be doing well with them, maybe we should just let it go.”

  “Okay. You know her best.”

  After Hadley used the bathroom, they grabbed the toy bag and drove one of the golf carts to the winery.

  “This is so fun,” Daphne said. “You’re lucky to have such a close family. Levi told me all about Harborside. Did you know that he and two of your cousins—Jesse and Brent—are in the same motorcycle club as Chloe’s fiancé, Justin? Justin is a member of the Bayside chapter of the Dark Knights.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “Levi said his Dark Knights brothers are like uncles to Joey, who sounds incredible, by the way. Levi and Jules raved about her. I can’t wait to meet her. Jules said the same thing you did about growing up on the island, that everyone watched out for everyone else’s kids. You guys were so lucky. It sounds like another fairy tale. I can’t imagine Hadley growing up with that many people watching out for her. What a great life.”

  “Hadley’s lucky, too. She’s got you, your family, your friends at Bayside, and she’s got me.”

  “You’re right. We’re both lucky.”

>   Jock parked beside the other golf carts near the patio behind the winery. The building was U-shaped, with a courtyard nestled in the back and a covered pavilion just across the lawn. The courtyard had a built-in bar and fire pit. It bled into lush green lawn and was separated from the vineyard by a stone knee wall. All those rows of vines, between which Jock and his siblings used to race, was a glorious, comforting sight. But today he had bigger things on his mind than childhood games. He scanned the grounds for Archer, but all was quiet. His gaze swept over stacks of folded wooden chairs lying in the courtyard to the open double doors of the winery, and his nerves prickled.

  “You were right about the view. You can see everything. I bet the lights on the island are gorgeous at night,” Daphne said as they climbed out of the cart. “I can’t believe you live next door to a winery. This is so cool. Do you ever regret not becoming part of your family’s business?”

  “Down,” Hadley said, trying to wriggle free. Daphne set her down, and she ran to Jock, arms up, clutching her owl. “Up!”

  Jock picked her up and said, “No. I wanted to get out in the world and become a great screenwriter.”

  “You became a great author instead.”

  “With a great girlfriend,” he said, and leaned in for a kiss. “Who has an equally great little princess.” He kissed Hadley’s cheek, earning one of her special smiles.

  “You gweat!” Hadley said.

  Holding Hadley, with Daphne looking at him like he was pretty damn special, he sure felt great.

  “There you are,” Jules said as she came out of the winery with an armful of string lights.

  Levi and their father followed her out, each carrying a long wooden table. Steve Steele was thick-chested, with short silver-and-black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He was Jock’s soft-spoken pillar of strength. He believed in hard work, family, and taking care of those around him, which was why they had very little turnover of staff at the vineyard.

  “That has to be your father. Wow. I thought you looked like your mom, but you look just like him, without the salt-and-pepper hair,” Daphne said.

  “Yeah, that’s my old man,” he said proudly, although Archer looked more like him than Jock did. “Come on. I’ll introduce you.”

  His father laid the table he was carrying down on the patio, studying Jock with a mischievous grin. “If I’d known all it would take was a pretty woman and an adorable little girl to get you here, I would have started recruiting years ago.” He put his arms around Jock and Hadley, embracing them warmly, and said, “I’ve missed you, son. Missed you so damn much.”

  “I missed you too, Dad.” Jock breathed deeply, trying to ease the emotions clogging his chest. “Dad, this is my girlfriend, Daphne, and her daughter, Hadley. Daph, this is my dad, Steve.”

  “Hi, darlin’.” He embraced her and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for bringing my boy home.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” she said.

  “I think we both know better.” His father put his hands on his hips, and his face turned serious as he looked at Hadley, who was staring stoically back at him. “So, you’re Hadley?”

  Hadley’s expression didn’t change.

  He clapped a hand on Jock’s shoulder and said, “You take good care of my son, you hear me, sweet one?”

  Hadley put her arms around Jock’s neck and said, “My Dock.”

  His father laughed and said, “Oh my goodness, son. Your mother is going to eat this one up.”

  “She already has.” Jock put an arm around Daphne and said, “Hadley and her mama have that effect on people.”

  He pressed a kiss to Daphne’s temple as Archer strode around the corner of the building, scowling like he was full of piss and vinegar. Jock held Daphne a little tighter, his nerves knotting as his brother stopped cold several yards away, staring him down. Archer had military-short dark hair and a short beard, which made him look a bit menacing. He was beefier than Jock, with a thick neck, barrel chest, bulging biceps, and about a thousand pounds of hatred aimed right at him.

  Jock lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. “Archer.”

  Archer scoffed and strode back the way he came.

  Motherfucker. Jock handed Hadley to Daphne, and as calmly as he was able, he said, “Be right back, angel.” He eyed Levi. “You got them?”

  “I’ve got you,” Levi said, holding his gaze. “Jules—”

  “We’re good. I’ve got them,” Jules said cheerily, and she went to Daphne’s side.

  “Jackson.” His father gave him a warning look.

  “I’ve got this, Dad. It’s time.” As he and Levi went after Archer, Jock sure as hell hoped he was right. “Give us some space, okay?” he said to Levi as they strode across the lawn.

  Levi held his hands up and stopped walking, planting his feet firmly in the grass, and said, “You got it.”

  As Jock closed the distance between him and Archer, his skin felt too tight, his veins constricting. He gritted out, “Archer.”

  Archer slowed to a stop, his shoulders rising as he turned. “What the hell do you want?”

  Jock stopped a foot from him, hurt and anger rushing through him like a tsunami held back by the gigantic force of sadness. “Don’t you think it’s time we talked?”

  Archer gritted his teeth, hands fisting, eyes narrowing.

  “I know I fucked up, Archer, and I haven’t tried hard enough to fix things between us, but come on, man. I’m standing here looking at you, and I see my old best friend. I want to fix this and get back to that.”

  “That’s what you see?” Archer’s chest expanded. He took a step forward, getting right in Jock’s face, and said, “When I look at you, I see the guy who killed my best friend.”

  He turned to walk away, and Jock grabbed his arm. Archer spun around with fire in his eyes, yanking his arm free. Jock stood his ground and bit out, “You don’t have to like me, but you sure as hell are going to respect Daphne and Hadley.”

  “Oh yeah?” Archer scoffed. “Respect your fucking replacements?”

  His words hit like a knife to the chest, and it took all of Jock’s control to curl his hands into fists and channel all of his energy to them instead of pounding the hell out of Archer. “There’s no replacing Kayla or Liam,” he seethed. “I lost them, too, Archer. And then I lost you. I’ve given you space. I stayed away so you wouldn’t have to see me, but I’m done with that. I’m here for Grandma, for Jules, for Mom and Dad. I’m here for myself, and you’re just going to have to deal with it.”

  Archer’s nostrils flared. He lifted his chin, his eyes shooting daggers. Baring his teeth like a rabid dog, he said, “Stay the fuck out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”

  Archer stalked away, leaving Jock reeling with anger, disappointment, and everything in between. They weren’t done with that conversation.

  Not even close.

  DAPHNE FELT LIKE her heart was going to climb out of her chest to get to Jock as he stood with his hands fisted, staring after Archer. She had to go to him.

  His father touched her arm, stopping her, and said, “It’s best to give him a minute.”

  “He’s right,” Jules said. “Let him calm down.”

  Daphne’s heart raced, and she didn’t know if she was making a monumental mistake that his family might never understand or forgive, but she knew one thing for sure. Jock needed her.

  She put her hand on Hadley’s back, speaking as calmly as she could, and said, “I appreciate where you’re coming from, but I told Jock he wasn’t alone in this, and I meant it. If you’ll excuse me.”

  She hurried toward Jock, hoping he wouldn’t send her away. He was standing with his back to them, head bowed. He turned as she approached, sadness brimming in his eyes, and her heart sank.

  “Jock,” she said, reaching for him.

  He shrugged and shook his head, and then his strong arms circled her and Hadley. He held her without saying a word for a long moment. Daphne felt his heart racing. He tightened his hold on t
hem, and she ached for him.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  He drew back, gazing down at her with determination in his eyes, and said, “I’m not done trying.”

  “Dock sad?” Hadley reached for him.

  The edges of his lips tipped up as he lifted Hadley into his arms and said, “A little sad, princess, but don’t you worry. It just makes me more determined to fix things and be happy.”

  A hint of a smile lifted Hadley’s cheeks. She held out Owly, offering it to him, and said, “Be happy.”

  Tears stung Daphne’s eyes.

  Jock kissed Hadley’s cheek and put an arm around Daphne. “I’ve got all I need, Had. You keep Owly.”

  Hadley clutched the stuffed animal to her chest.

  Daphne loved that he was putting up a strong front for Hadley, but as much as she appreciated it, she needed him to know she was there for him through the good and the bad. “Are you okay, Jock? Do you want to go someplace to talk?”

  “I’m still processing what just happened.” He kissed her temple and said, “He’s still filled with hate, but I’m not giving up. It might not be fixable this trip, or next, but I realized something when I was with him. I miss the friendship we had more than I let myself know, and I’ll fight tooth and nail to get that back, even if it takes years. But as I said, I’m not going to let it ruin our time here.”

  “I’m glad you want to make it better, but if you need time alone to be sad or to process this, it’s okay. Hadley and I will be fine.”

  “I’ve been alone for so long. I never want to be alone again.”

  Chapter Twenty

  JOCK REASSURED DAPHNE that he was okay, and after he did the same with his father, Levi, and Jules, there was a flurry of activity as they joined the others in setting up for the party. Hadley played in the grass with her toys while Jock and Levi carried out more long wooden tables and Jules and Daphne draped them with table runners. When Archer showed up, he and Steve strung lights in the trees surrounding the courtyard. The tension between Jock and Archer was as inescapable as a cage riddled with rusty nails and topped with barbed wire. Daphne had no idea how Jock was able to carry on with that type of tension, but he seemed to be having a good time with Levi, while Archer didn’t say much to anyone.