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

by Laura Riley

  I glance down to the floor and contemplate if I should tell him, but I don’t see the harm in him knowing. It’s not like anything is going on between us. “Seth and Ellie. It was totally her idea, her favourite pizza restaurant.”

  “I see.” A vein pops in his neck. “Have you forgotten what day it is?”

  Two days after my birthday. Is that a trick question?

  He passes me in the doorway to the lounge and makes his way to the settee. He notices the flowers, of course he notices them. He looks away as though they’ve personally offended him.

  He sits down and places his hands over his face. “Today would have been Granddad’s birthday.”

  God, how have I not remembered? I was so wrapped up in myself. I’ve been a terrible person, a terrible sister.

  “I was taking flowers to the cemetery after measuring up here. I was hoping you’d join me.”

  I look at the clock. Chelsea’s due any second. I’ll have to cancel our makeup session, she’ll understand. “I made plans—” I begin.

  “Your plans come before our granddad? You should be ashamed of yourself.” He lifts his head. Imprints from his fingers redden his cheeks.

  “No, it’s not like that, but Chelsea is—”

  “So now your friend comes before our granddad.”

  I place my hands on my hips. “Cole, that isn’t fair.”

  He barges past me and storms upstairs, the tape measure held tightly in his hand.

  I loved my grandparents, but he forgets, they passed away when I was young. They practically brought him up whilst our parents worked. He has lasting memories of them and a forever bond that even death can’t sever, whereas they were strangers to me. Two totally different relationships, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go and pay my respects.

  I’ll text Chelsea and tell her not to come. I feel in my pocket for my phone.

  Crap. It’s got to be here somewhere.

  I pat my pocket again if somehow it’ll be there. When I finally accept it won’t magically appear, I start rummaging through clothes on the settee.

  The ceiling lights tremble as heavy steps boom from above and doors slam. Cole and I have never argued. There’s never been bad feeling between us. I can’t leave things like this between us.

  “Cole,” I call, running out into the hallway. The doorbell rings just as my hand makes contact with the banister.

  Oh, fudge.

  I open the door.

  “Hey,” Chelsea singsongs as she bulldozes past me. She nearly runs over my feet with her carry case. Bypassing me, she hauls her pink sparkly makeup case into the lounge.

  Why can’t I look as good as her? She’s wearing a black tunic and tight-fitting black trousers. Her blonde hair has been secured in a French braid. Not a solitary hair is out of place. She’s wearing makeup, so natural that it enhances her already stunning features.

  She drops the carry case onto the floor, flips the fastenings and begins sifting through bottles of foundation. “Spill, who’s this big date with?”

  I didn’t mention a date. Great, I hope Cole isn’t eavesdropping. “Chelsea, I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to cancel.”

  She drops the cosmetics back into the case and stands. “Why? Don’t tell me he’s stood you up. What a jerk.”

  “No, nobody stood me up. There’s somewhere I need to go.”

  Explaining as quickly as I can, I grab a floral summer dress from the pile of clothes. I step in it and pull it up under my robe. When my breasts are covered, I drop the towelling robe to the floor and push my arms into the straps.

  We jump when Cole storms between us. His foot sends Chelsea’s makeup case flying. The cosmetics scatter across the floor.

  “Hey!” she hollers as she begins retrieving powders and eyeshadows.

  He crouches momentarily to pass her a handful of products. “Shit, sorry, I didn’t see it there. Let me help.”

  Chelsea’s eyes go wide when she opens one of the eyeshadows and the broken powder falls to the floor. “No, I think you’ve done enough.”

  “I’ll replace whatever I’ve damaged.”

  Chelsea turns her back on Cole and continues to gather the products.

  Cussing under his breath, he bends down in front of the hearth and swipes a handful of flowers from the nearest vase. “For Granddad.” He makes a beeline for the door.

  I trip over my feet, makeup, and Chelsea in an attempt to match his steps. “Cole, wait.”

  He stops dead and turns to face me. His eyes are bloodshot and the flowers shake in his hand. “I don’t get you, Lizzie. Playing happy families with Seth and his daughter.” He pounds his fist against his chest. “What about me?” His voice breaks. “What about our family?”

  My mouth falls open, and I grab his arm to stop him from leaving. “Cole, I’m coming with you.”

  “I wanted you to come because you wanted to, not because you feel guilty or obligated.” He glowers at me, shaking his arm free. He’s out of the door and in his car before I’ve had a chance to pull my shoes on. He reverses off the drive and speeds away.

  I yank my cardigan off the coat hook. My keys jangle in the pocket. “Chelsea, I’ve got to go. Let yourself out.”

  She emerges from the lounge. “Go, I’ll be here when you get back.”

  “Are you sure?” I ask, already halfway out of the door.

  She nods. “Yes, go.”

  The cemetery is a ten-minute drive. I park besides Cole’s Land Rover and make my way to Granddad’s plot. Cole crouches as he arranges flowers in front of the headstone.

  I stop at his side and place my hand on his shoulder. “They look beautiful.”

  He jumps to his feet. Without uttering a word, he opens his arms and wraps me up in his embrace. I close my eyes, letting out a long sigh.

  We sit down and I listen as he reminisces. Granddad was an avid fisherman—Cole tells me about the hours they spent at the lake and the time Granddad pushed him in. Cole paints such a perfect picture; I can’t help but feel that life cheated me out of time with Granddad.

  “He told me I was the son he never had.” Cole’s voice breaks. He shakes his head as if trying to rein in his anguish, but try as he might, he can’t hide his bloodshot eyes and sombre expression. He leans forward and squeezes my hand. “Means a lot you’re here.”

  We get to our feet and stand a while, looking down at Granddad’s grave.

  Cole wipes his nose with the back of his hand. “I can’t believe this is all that’s left of such a great guy, you know.”

  A solitary tear makes a path down my face before falling to the grass. It’s in this moment I feel a great loss. What gets to me the most is I don’t remember him, I don’t remember sitting on his knee as a child, I don’t remember the tenor of his voice, I never got to hear his tales from when he served in the war. My granddad will only be a picture, a moment captured in time, and this headstone. “I wish I could have got to know him.”

  Cole nods his head in the direction of the car park. “Go, you’ve got to get ready to go out.”

  I kiss my finger, lean forward and press it to the headstone. “Goodbye, Granddad.”

  I walk away and jump back into my car. Wiping my face, I take a deep breath, then start the engine.

  Chelsea certainly worked her magic with the limited time I had to get ready. I’m wearing a long, flowing, green maxi dress. My makeup is subtle yet fitting. Chelsea added a little green to my eyeshadow to compliment my outfit. My hair has been secured into a neat bun. I don’t admit this very often, but today I feel sexy.

  Seth arrives at five o’clock on the dot. His work van parks up outside. I can see him unbuckling his seatbelt to get out and ring the doorbell.

  I take a long and calming breath. You’ve got this.

  I stand, grab my bag from the coffee table and pull on a pair of black sandals. I open the door as Seth stands on the welcome mat with his finger poised over the doorbell.

  He looks me up and down. “Ding-dong.�
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  I playfully hit him with my bag, and we make our way to his van. The passenger side door is already open. Ellie bobs up and down in her seat.

  “We’re going for a pizza,” she singsongs.

  I smile at Seth before sliding in next to Ellie. I can’t miss how cute she looks. She’s wearing a navy-blue summer dress; her hair has been braided and secured with a matching blue ribbon.

  Seth, now seated in the driver’s side, motions his hand around the interior. “I would have brought my Mercedes, but I thought we’d travel in style.”

  “You’re spoiling me.” I laugh and close the door. I don’t know the ins and outs of his financial situation. Frankly I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me one bit that he doesn’t own a car.

  His deep blue gaze wanders over me. “Hi.”

  I bite my lower lip. “Hi.”

  Smiling, he slides the gear stick into reverse. It’s only now as we drive away from the house that my gaze starts wandering. His brown hair has been sleeked back and his trim beard is a little neater than usual. My guess is that he’s been to the barber’s. He’s wearing a short-sleeved white shirt, which makes his tattoo appear more striking.

  My drooling over Seth is cut short when Ellie waves a colouring book in the air. “It’s The Little Mermaid.”

  Seth reaches across, pushing her arms into her lap. “Don’t do that when I’m driving, please.”

  Ellie’s shoulders drop, like Seth extinguished her excitement. I place my hand over hers. “I hope Daddy remembered to bring the crayons. I love colouring, maybe we could colour a picture together.”

  Ellie sits taller and nods.

  It’d probably make more sense to have Ellie’s car seat beside the window. I mean, I have no issue squashing in the middle, next to Seth. I know his hand would brush against my knee as he changed gear.

  Within twenty minutes we pull into the small car park at the back of the restaurant. It’s right on the beachfront. We have an amazing view.

  I open the door and slide out. I’m about to close it when Ellie stretches out her arms and waits for me to help her out. I comply and hold her for a second before placing her feet on the floor. She grins up. “Thanks, Lizzie.”

  I smile. Well, that was unexpected.

  Seth walks around to meet us, holding out his hand for Ellie to hold, but she doesn’t take it.

  “I’m going to get you,” Ellie calls, jumping on my shadow.

  Seth grins. He leads, watching out for cars, as Ellie runs in front of me jumping on my shadow.

  When we reach the path, Seth slows and walks at my side. For a split second our eyes meet. It’s one of those seconds I never want to end. His eyes say so much more than his words ever could.

  “Come on, Daddy, she’s getting away.”

  Seth laughs. At this point, Ellie is jumping on and off my shadow. Seth isn’t quite as enthusiastic as Ellie. Instead of jumping, he takes a giant step forward and treads on my shadow’s left leg.

  I shove him and he falls forward onto my shadow’s chest. “Be careful, don’t stomp on my heart.”

  I hadn’t meant the ambiguity of my words, but I guess they’re apt. He’s the only man to make it beat uncontrollably. He’s also the only man who has the power to shatter it into a million pieces.

  He gets my meaning; he pauses for a second before Ellie pulls him back into the game. I’m desperate not to dwell, so I run ahead.

  “You can’t catch me,” I holler. Ellie and Seth run after me. I didn’t think it was possible to have so much fun chasing shadows. In fits of laughter the three of us step, or more like fall, into the restaurant, struggling to catch our breath.

  Seth

  The moment we enter the restaurant we’re hit by the strong scent of cheese, garlic, and pepperoni. Lizzie and Ellie follow as I lead the way to the front of house. With my girls either side of me we join the small queue and wait to be seated.

  I cross my arms over my chest and look around. The restaurant has a modern feel, polished wooden flooring and high white ceilings dotted with spotlights. Tables with checked tablecloths are set a nice distance apart from one another. I motion around the large space. “I did the interior fit-out here a few years back.”

  Lizzie’s eyes go wide. “Wow, you did a great job.”

  I smile big, feeling proud showing Lizzie my workmanship. My gaze focuses on the bricked cooking station positioned at the back of the room. Staff dressed in white uniforms knead pizza dough and apply toppings. The owner, head chef Francesco, is standing beside the clay oven, balancing a pizza on a wooden paddle. The Italian flashes me a smile before depositing the pizza into the oven.

  Lizzie nudges me. “Seth, we’re next.”

  A woman positioned front of house greets us. “Welcome to Pepper-Oni’s Pizza Express. Do you have a reservation, or would you like me to find you a table?”

  “My sister made a reservation, Darcy Summers.”

  Her finger moves down the list of names in her reservations book and stops at Mrs Summers. She squints at the writing. “It says here reservation for six.”

  I shake my head. “There was a last-minute change of plan.” The conversation went something like, ‘Thanks for booking the table. By the way, you’re not invited.’ In my defence, my sister bulldozed over Ellie’s idea of taking Lizzie and took it upon herself to book the table.

  “No problem. Right this way, sir.” The hostess swipes three menus from her workstation and leads us through the restaurant. We pass through the main room and enter a large conservatory. She points to a round table next to the window overlooking the sea. Our table couldn’t be more perfect—too perfect. It screams romance. Tonight was meant as a peace offering between friends, not a date.

  I’m about to ask the lady if there’s another table when Lizzie squeezes my arm. “Oh, my God, Seth, this is amazing.”

  Ellie is already sitting down with her colouring book open, her hand moving back and forth as she colours in the picture.

  The woman eyes me speculatively when I don’t sit. “Is the table to your liking?”

  No, it is not to my fucking liking.

  “It’s great,” I say through gritted teeth, forcing a smile. Great, great, great!

  I pull a chair out for Lizzie.

  “Very chivalrous of you,” she says, about to sit down.

  “No, Daddy, I want Lizzie to sit by me,” Ellie says.

  Moving around the circular table, I pull the seat out next to Ellie. I wonder if it’d be rude to sit at the opposite end. I stand surveying each chair. I don’t want to be too close to Lizzie, but I can’t be so far away that we can’t have a conversation.

  Lizzie pulls on my arm. “Seth, will you sit down already?”

  Without thinking, I sit in the chair that may as well have a big warning light on it—the chair beside Lizzie. As the table is circular, we are in each other’s personal space. My elbow touches hers and our knees meet under the table. She may as well be sitting on my lap. I jerk my knee away from hers and pivot my body around slightly.

  Confusion skates over her features. “Is everything okay?”

  I lean back in my chair. “Fine, why do you ask?”

  “I don’t know, you just seem a little tense.”

  I blow out. “I’m fine.”

  Lizzie turns her back to me. She’s so close that I get a whiff of her strawberry-scented hair. She reaches across the table for a menu and reads Ellie the different types of pizzas and the list of toppings. It dawns on me how much Ellie is starting to relax around Lizzie, possibly even like her.

  After a debate whether pineapple does in fact belong on pizza, we order a Pepper-Oni Family Feast, which includes two large Hawaiian-style pizzas, one garlic pizza bread, potato wedges, chicken bites, and three glasses of cola.

  I tap my fingers on the table, thinking of what to say. “So, how was your day?”

  Great, I’ve resorted to small talk. Next, I’ll be asking her about the weather.

  Lizzie shrugs. “I
’ve had better.”

  I lean towards her on my elbows. “Why? What happened?”

  Slumping in her chair, she looks heavenward. “It would have been my granddad’s birthday today, I’d completely forgotten.”

  “I’m really sorry.”

  “It’s fine. It’s harder for Cole than it is for me.”

  This I know to be true. With career-driven parents, Cole lived with his grandparents well into his teenage years. “Your grandparents were good people.”

  She smiles, but it’s forced. “When they died and Cole moved home he became a father figure to me. He’s been the best big brother I could have ever asked for, and today I let him down.”

  Shit, that’s heavy. What do I say after that?

  I pinch the bridge of my nose. Cole doesn’t deal with this time of year well. He’s usually MIA in some swanky hotel room getting drunk and smoking pot. I make a mental note to call him later and check he’s okay.

  She fidgets with a napkin. “The house is coming along well.”

  “Sure is. The subcontractors Cole hired have finished boarding the loft. I think Cole said he’s going to get an electrician to sign off the wiring upstairs so Rick can carry on with the plastering. Then the painters and decorators will be called, and finally Rick will lay the carpet. Job done.”

  Her eyes go wide. “Does that mean I won’t see—” There’s a crack in her voice as she looks from me to Ellie. She looks at us as though we’re a package deal, which we are.

  I run my fingers over my beard. “I’ll be around. I’ll have snagging to do.”

  Lizzie frowns. “What’s that?”

  “I’m sorry, snagging—going over anything we’ve missed or things that may need correcting. I have at least another three days of work.”

  She sits taller. She likes my company, and I’d be lying if I said the feeling wasn’t mutual.

  I give Lizzie a sideward glance. “I won’t be around on Monday; I’ve got to go to an auction.” In all honesty, I would rather spend my day with Lizzie than be stuck at an auction all day. “Cole has given me the go-ahead to buy a property for the three of us to invest in. We’re going to try our hands at the domestic side of building, as opposed to commercial.”