Finding Our Forever: Single Dad Romance (Stepping Stones Series Book 1)

by Laura Riley

  Cole smacks his hand on my sunburnt back. I clench my teeth together. Cole doesn’t notice, carries on talking. “I know, mate. I’m sorry, I wasn’t suggesting anything was going on. She’s way too young for you.”

  Although there’s humour in his voice, he’s giving me a warning. His eyes burn into mine before he laughs. “I’m just fucking with you.”

  Thank God Rick rejoins us and the conversation is steered back to the house.

  It isn’t long before Lizzie’s parents retrieve the gifts from the house for her to open. Chelsea and Amber run into the kitchen and bring out her cake, which is a unicorn of all things. Lizzie blows out the candles and we sing happy birthday. It’s like a child’s party, we all gather around and watch as she opens her cards and gifts. The blonde ladies have given her a voucher for their photography shop. Her parents have bought her a necklace. The lady with the baby has bought her a kettle.

  Cole appears, the balloon in one hand, a card in the other. She kisses him on the cheek. “Thanks, Cole.” She breaks the seal on the envelope and reaches inside, retrieving a Swiss Army knife. She frowns. “I wasn’t planning on going camping any time soon.”

  Cole looks from the crowd to Lizzie, then points at the balloon.

  With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she thrusts the knife into the balloon. The balloon pops and multicoloured confetti falls to the floor along with a silver key.

  I lean forward and watch as she inspects the key. “I don’t understand. This is the key to the front door.”

  He gives her an open-mouthed smile. “It’s yours.”

  She shrugs. “What, the key?”

  “The house, you idiot.”

  No one speaks. Mouths open wide.

  Lizzie’s whole face lights up. “You’ve giving me this house?”

  “Sure am, sis.”

  Squealing, she jumps up into his arms and he spins her round. Everyone is smiling, and all I can do is stand with my arms crossed tightly in front of my chest and frown. He bought her a goddamn house. I don’t know why it’s bothering me so much, but it is.

  The guests crowd around Cole, clapping him on the back like he’s the messiah. Anyone would think he’s just given her a three-hundred-grand house.

  Oh, wait, he has!

  How can anyone compete with that?

  A little hand tugs at my trousers. “There’s my girl.” I lift Ellie off the ground and set her on my shoulders. I have to move away from the scene unfolding in front of my eyes, so walk a little way up the garden, where I spot Freja. “Hey, Ellie, want to pop some bubbles?”

  She bounces up and down. “Yes.”

  Darcy joins me, and we stand and watch Ellie and Freja running together popping bubbles. The whole time Ellie is looking up, checking I’m still here.

  I clench my teeth as red polka dots appear in my periphery.

  “Oh, my God. That’s adorable,” Lizzie says. “That’s a massive step forward for her.”

  I can feel my jaw tighten, and can’t help the irritation that tugs at my nerves. “She has good days and bad. But then you wouldn’t know that, you’ve barely known her five days, I’ve had her for five years. She takes one step forward and two back. She’s only playing because I’m here watching her. It’s not a step forward at all.”

  Lizzie’s grin dissolves. I don’t think she knows what to say. Forcing a smile, she excuses herself and goes to talk to her parents.

  “Whoa, what’s up your arse?” Darcy asks.

  “None of your business.”

  “Well, I think that was incredibly rude of you.”

  She’s right. I don’t know why I’m so bloody worked up, but I can’t shift it.

  “Ellie,” Darcy calls, pulling a card from a plastic bag. “Do you want to give Lizzie your gift?”

  I don’t look what’s in the bag. I’m too embarrassed to. Instead I snatch it off my sister. “No. She’s not giving it to Lizzie.”

  “Giving what to Lizzie?” Amber asks, as she attempts to look over my shoulder. She’s tiny, so she can’t. She stands on her tiptoes, her head craned back, swaying side to side.

  “The card I made her,” Ellie says as she joins us.

  Great, now my daughter bloody decides to talk.

  Glaring at me, Amber reaches out her hand. “Come on, sweetheart, I’ll take you.”

  Ellie takes Amber’s hand then grabs mine. Great. Looks like we’re all going. We make our way to Lizzie and I allow Ellie to pass her the bag.

  Lizzie bends down. “Is that for me?”

  Ellie smiles.

  Lizzie opens the bag and peers inside. “Oh, my God, Ellie. I love it. Did you make this all by yourself?”

  Ellie’s nodding. Lizzie opens up a card with a picture of a fish on the front. The shells we collected from the beach are stuck onto its body. As if one cue, one shell falls off, followed by another. Noticing this, Lizzie carefully places it back in the bag. “I’m going to put this in a frame.”

  Ellie couldn’t have made anything more perfect. But why do I feel so shitty right now?

  I should be wishing Lizzie happy birthday, I should be chatting to her, but I’m the quietest I’ve ever been, and all I’m doing is counting down the hours till I can get out of here.

  I should have told Darcy to buy the damn flowers.

  Lizzie

  I can’t help but wonder, did I do something wrong? Seth’s been off with me all day and I cannot for the life of me work out what I did to upset him. We had such a lovely day together at the beach yesterday and the park the day before. It just doesn’t make any sense.

  It’s three o’clock, and people are slowly starting to leave. My folks and Cole are the first to go, followed by my cousin Veronica with baby Grace. Seth disappeared some hours back—he said something about painting a door. Everyone else has been sitting in my garden, talking and drinking wine.

  Amber and Chelsea swoon over Rick, honestly, they’re like his harem. Darcy fetches some of Ellie’s toys from the toy box in the lounge and the girls play happily in the grass.

  Seth is right about one thing. Ellie will only play when he or his sister are around—the moment they leave her or stop watching her, she stops playing. I can see little moments when she opens up, but it doesn’t take long before she disappears into herself.

  I’ve made a real effort to strike up conversation with her today. She’s smiled at me a few times but hasn’t spoken to me as yet. It’s like the last few days haven’t happened, but as Seth said, one step forward and two back. He was right. Who am I to offer any kind of advice on his daughter? It must be so frustrating and heartbreaking for him.

  “You never told me your brother was loaded,” Amber pipes up.

  Chelsea sighs. “If you had, I’d certainly have been a little nicer to him.”

  I pull up a chair and sit with my friends. “I didn’t know he was. I mean, I knew he was doing all right for cash.”

  Clearing his throat, Rick joins in our conversation. “Your brother is like Jesus. He had the ability to turn water to wine, Cole has the ability to turn bricks into gold.”

  Has his business become that successful and I don’t even know?

  “How much gold?” I ask.

  Rick wags his finger. “That is not for me to discuss.”

  Feeling somewhat smaller than I did moments ago, I pinch the imaginary zip on the corner of my mouth and zip it shut.

  Our father gave Cole and I fifty thousand pounds on our twenty-first birthdays. Cole invested in his company, CSR’s Cornwall Construction Ltd. The abbreviated CSR stood for Cole, Seth and Roderick. I believe Cole was the one who took all the financial risk, whilst the others were named shareholders. I know my brother calls the shots.

  My money went toward my education and student accommodation. It was worth every penny; I love my job.

  “How long until the house is done? You’re having a housewarming party, right?” Amber’s question sends a stabbing pain in my stomach. I know that when the work on the house is com
pleted my time with Seth will come to an end, and although he blows more hot and cold than a sandstorm in the Arctic, I like spending time with him. I’ll miss him and Ellie.

  My eyes tear up. Quickly wiping them, I stand. “I’m going to run to the little girls’ room.”

  I doubt anyone will even miss me. Darcy and the girls are playing happily amongst themselves. Rick reclines on my outdoor lounger, his arms extended on the back of the seat. If my friends were to sit any closer, they’d be in his lap. I wouldn’t put it past Amber.

  I run through the house and stop at the front door, the front door Seth was supposed to be painting, except he isn’t there. He’s propped against his work van, smoking. Running my hands down my dress, I approach him.

  “The door looks good,” I say, standing at his side.

  Nodding, he exhales smoke into the air. “Looks a damn sight better than infernal orange.” He turns his head so that he’s facing away from me and continues to smoke.

  Why is he being like this?

  I place my hand on his forearm. “Did you want to join us out back?”

  He pulls his arm from my hold. “Not really, no.” He blows out more smoke.

  What the hell’s up with him? I want to shake him, like physically shake him and tell him to stop being this way. He’s not being a jerk per se, but he’s being weird.

  “Ellie’s playing nicely. She asked for you,” I lie.

  He gives me a sideward glance. “I won’t keep my baby waiting.”

  He puts out his cigarette on the side of his van and makes his way through the house to the back garden. He walks past Rick and his harem, then sits on the grass beside his sister and the girls, his back toward me.

  I place my hand on Ellie’s shoulder. She doesn’t tense at my touch, but rather looks at me with growing interest. “Hey, Ellie, Freja, would you like me to play with you?”

  Freja shakes her head. “No, we don’t have enough dolls.”

  She’s right. Darcy, Freja, Elle and Seth each have a Barbie doll in their hand. There isn’t another.

  Crossing my arms, I look at Amber and Chelsea, who sit chatting to Rick. They’re meant to be here to see me, and yet none of them give a damn whether I’m here or not.

  I slip away into the lounge, grab my book from the coffee table and continue where I left off earlier.

  I’m halfway into my chapter when a hand rests on my shoulder.

  “Hi, Lizzie.”

  I smile up at Darcy. It’s now I can see a resemblance between her and her brother. Her hair is slightly longer than Seth’s—it’s been sleeked back. She has a harsh look about her, and her face brings new meaning to resting bitch face. She’s wearing a long black dress, which she straightens before sitting on the settee next to me. “It seems my niece has taken a liking to you.”

  “Hardly,” I say, leaning my head in my hands.

  “You seem to have made quite the impression on her over the last few days. She’s talked about you all morning, and Ellie doesn’t talk about anyone other than her dad.”

  Smiling, I sit taller. “That’s nice to know.”

  Nice to know? Understatement, that’s made my day. I am making a lasting impression on that little girl and it fills me with hope that one day she can live a normal life free from anxiety.

  “Which is why”—Darcy breathes deeply—“I’ve managed to get out of some of the shifts I was meant to be working next week.”

  I turn to face her. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “You only need to babysit her on Tuesday. Tomorrow and the rest of next week I can have her as normal.”

  I don’t know why it bothers me so much, but I rearranged my own plans so that I could look after Ellie. “I don’t understand, I thought I was going to babysit.”

  “We can’t afford for her to get too attached to people who she won’t see again, it’s too confusing for her.”

  I frown, fumbling with the book in my lap. “But surely you can’t stop her interacting with people? She’s going to meet children at school who may leave to go to another school. You can’t protect her forever.”

  Darcy taps her foot on the floor. “Okay, you’re not understanding me.” Her tone is derogatory and patronising. “I’m not concerned about her forming connections with other children, Lizzie, I’m concerned about her forming a connection to you.”

  My mouth falls open. “Me? Why? What have I done?”

  Her expression hardens.

  “There you are.”

  Both Darcy and I jump. Amber appears in the doorway.

  “Get your ass outside. Chelsea’s had a little bit too much to drink. She’s trying to play kiss chase and is currently chasing Rick around the garden. It’s fucking hilarious.”

  Darcy stands, placing her hand over her mouth. “Oh, my. Not the behaviour a child should witness. I think I’m going to take Ellie home now. It was lovely to see you again, Lizzie.” She looks down her nose at Amber. “It was nice to meet you, Amber.”

  Amber snort-laughs. When Darcy is out of earshot she whispers, “That stuck-up cow has been giving us dirty looks all afternoon.”

  I don’t argue with her. I saw the way Darcy glared at them. “I don’t think it helped that you and Chelsea were trying to dry-hump Rick.”

  Amber’s eyes go wide. “We were not.”

  Laughing, we head out to the garden.

  With Darcy and Ellie gone, Freja asks Amber if she can watch cartoons in the house. Seth locks the now dry front door, and Amber checks on her every five minutes.

  Chelsea holds up an empty wine bottle. “Hey, want to play spin the bottle?”

  Amber laughs. “What are you, twelve?”

  Winking at us, Chelsea nods her head towards Rick. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

  Rick folds his arms over his chest. “Fine.”

  Amber beckons. “Come on, Seth.”

  “I’m not playing.”

  Amber isn’t one to take no for an answer. She runs over and grabs his hand. Shaking his head, he looks heavenward before finally giving in and joining our little circle. “God help me,” he mumbles.

  Chelsea claps her hands together. “Oh, goodie.”

  She spins the bottle, and of course, it lands on Rick.

  “Truth or dare,” she fires.

  “Always dare, baby, no one will know my truths.”

  Chelsea’s eyes go wide. “A man of mystery. I dig that.” She takes a deep breath and runs her tongue over her lip. “I dare you to kiss me.”

  Amber tugs at her sister’s arm. “You can’t nominate yourself; you have to pick someone else.”

  “Oh, right.” Chelsea glances around the group, her eyes fixing on mine. “I dare you to kiss Lizzie.”

  “Bitch,” Amber berates, glaring at her sister.

  My gaze shoots to Seth. His jaw is clenched, his arms folded. He watches every step Rick takes towards me. If looks could kill he’d be reading Rick’s eulogy.

  Rick reaches for me. I take his hands and he pulls me up to my feet. My heart is racing, not because of the adrenaline, but because I feel as though I’m being unfaithful to Seth, which is crazy because we’re not together.

  Maybe kissing someone else is exactly what I need to erase the idea of Seth from my mind.

  Rick places his hand on my cheek, tilting my head so that I’m looking at him. It hasn’t escaped my attention how gorgeous he is. His face is full, yet angular. Dark brown hair blows across his face and when pushed back touches the nape of his neck. I look straight at his lips, which he puckers. Closing my eyes, I lean forward. I feel the soft kiss he places on my forehead before he releases me.

  “That’s cheating,” Chelsea scolds.

  Rick shakes his head. “You said I had to kiss Lizzie, you did not specify where.”

  “On the lips!”

  Rick wags his finger in the air. “I’ve done my dare, now it is my turn to spin the bottle.” Rick retakes his seat. He takes the bottle in his hand and spins it. It lands on Amber. “Truth or dare?”


  I zone out of the game and look at Seth. His eyes are on mine. Unblinking, he doesn’t smile, nor does he look away. I wrap my arms around my waist, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, exposed and vulnerable. It feels as though I don’t need to play this game for Seth to know all my truths. It’s as though he has the power to take them from me.

  In my periphery I can see Chelsea doing a rather unsteady-looking handstand, followed by Amber and Rick slow-dancing. I kind of know where this game is going. Unsurprisingly, Amber and Chelsea both choose dare.

  My attention is only brought back to the game when the bottle finally lands on Seth.

  Amber taps her nail against the glass bottle. “Truth or dare?”

  Dropping his shoulders, Seth sits back. “Truth.”

  “Boring,” Chelsea scoffs. I gather she wasn’t expecting anyone to choose truth.

  Amber leans forward, her elbows on her knees. “What are your intentions towards our dear friend Lizzie?”

  His face is stoic. “My intentions are purely platonic whilst I finish the work on the house.”

  “I smell bullshit,” Amber pipes up, at which Seth stands.

  “I’m going for a smoke.”

  Rick leans forward in his seat. “It’s no good playing with a little boy, you need to play with the big boys who’ll be up for a challenge. I will take Seth’s turn. I choose dare. I will show Lizzie what it feels like to be kissed by a man.”

  Slowly, Rick manoeuvres himself out of his seat. With a confident stride he makes his way towards me. He leans down, scrunching the collar of my dress in his hand, pulling me to my feet. “I have one question. Tongue or no tongue?” He flashes me his tongue piercing, which he bites between his front teeth.

  I fan my face with my hand, feeling very hot all of a sudden. Rick’s gorgeous. I forget how to use my mouth. I forget how to talk. I forget how to kiss.

  He reaches up and fists my hair. “Tongue it is, baby girl. Now pucker up, ’cos once you’ve kissed me, I’ll ruin you for any other guy.”

  “I—I—”

  “Put her down already, some of us have eaten,” Seth barks out.

  Rick tilts his chin in Seth’s direction. “The way I see it, you wasted a perfectly good dare. So either you get your arse here and kiss her, or I will.”