Birth of a Baby Daddy

by Piper Rayne

  I hate when people pace in front of me, it makes me crawl on the inside. I once had a foster father who did that across the length of the couch as he dictated what I’d be responsible to do the next day in the house.

  I wrap my arms around myself, hating that I have to bear my soul to a stranger, but if I want him to cooperate, he needs to understand. “I grew up bouncing around from foster home to foster home.”

  His shoulders slump and I see the pity flaring on his perfect features before I can tell him not to feel sorry for me. I’m fine. In one piece and happy.

  “I don’t know much about my own family history and when I first realized that something was wrong with Calista, there was a lot of doctor’s appointments. Each one wanted a full rundown on Calista’s maternal and paternal family history, and I had nothing to offer. Nothing. I felt powerless to help my own daughter and I promised myself I’d never be in that situation again. So, I’m asking you to please get the DNA test. I swear I don’t want anything from you. Calista and I are leaving tomorrow, and you can open your restaurant and go on with your life.”

  He stares at me, his eyes narrowed with an angry glint. “You think I’m the kind of guy who’d just find out he has a daughter and not take care of her?”

  I stand, stuffing my hands into the pockets of my coat. “I don’t want your money.”

  “Too bad,” he says, his voice rising.

  I’m suddenly very glad we took this conversation outside so that Calista and Selene don’t have to listen to us argue.

  “I don’t want to up-end your life. That wasn’t the point of my coming.”

  “So you’ve said. Many times. Just a swab of my saliva and you’ll be on your way, right?”

  “Right.” I nod.

  He stands so fast I rear back in fear of what he’s going to do. His hands fall to his sides when he looks into my eyes. There’s that look of pity again. UGH!

  He stuffs his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I’m not that guy. I can’t go on with my life knowing I have a daughter out there and not be a part of her life.”

  Deep down I knew this was an issue as soon as I walked into that restaurant and found all those family members there to celebrate his restaurant opening. This is his hometown, not just a place he’s been holed up during our years apart.

  How stupid am I for not doing more research? When your child is sick you don’t really think rationally you just do what you need to, to make sure she has everything she needs. And she needs her father’s DNA.

  “I’m sorry, but we live in Seattle. I don’t really see how that will happen.”

  He gives me a blank stare like he’s in utter shock and doesn’t understand the words coming out of my mouth. From what I remember when we met, he was a guy who was never at a loss for words.

  “I think we need to make it happen. If the DNA test says I’m Calista’s dad, I have rights.”

  “If? You think I sleep around and don’t know who the father of my baby is?” I raise both eyebrows waiting for his answer. “Probably because now that you found out I’m a foster kid you assume I have all these issues and I sleep with men because I’m looking for someone to love me since I didn’t grow up with anyone who loved me unconditionally. Is that it?”

  “No!” He steps closer.

  I step back.

  He blows out a long tortured breath. “I don’t think that at all.”

  “Oh, that’s right, you don’t remember me.”

  “I do.”

  I quirk an eyebrow.

  “I mean I’m starting to. Your eyes. I remember them and God, I know what a fuck up I sound like that I wouldn’t remember your name. But I was a mess at that point in my life. I was a different person then. But the more I think about it, the more that night is coming back to me.”

  Figures. A night that I remember practically every second of with complete clarity is blurry at best for him. By the time we were in my car leaving the bar, the sexual tension was at a ten and I wanted him like my next breath. I guess I forgot how much alcohol might have clouded his judgment that night.

  “Good for you, but it’s no sweat off my back if you remember or not.”

  “You seem hell-bent on throwing the name thing in my face as often as you can. It seems you are upset that I don’t remember you.” The corners of his lips tilt slightly.

  I get the impression, both then and now, that Rome’s not normally this serious of a guy. Seems he doesn’t want to feel the emotions running through his system.

  Look at that, we have two things in common now.

  “Just take the test so I can get out of this town.”

  “The test is important to you, huh?” His smirk says his mind is working something over.

  “Not at all. I love traveling over two thousand miles with my eighteen-month-old daughter, finding her father in front of a room full of strangers and finding out some random blog on the internet is talking about me. I’m weird like that.”

  He smiles. An amused, cocky, arrogant smile. The same smile that drew me in the night we met. My stomach flips.

  “Well, it’s important to me that I get to know my daughter.”

  I glare at him.

  He laughs. “Yeah, looks like we find ourselves at a crossroads.”

  “Are you saying you’re not going to take the test?”

  He sits down on the bench, his demeanor much different than minutes ago. Leaning all the way back with one arm stretched out across the back of the bench and his ankle resting on his one knee, the cocky smirk has yet to fade from his face. “Not at all. I’ll take the test. I’m not a monster.”

  “I hear a ‘but’ coming.” I raise an eyebrow.

  He winks. “Yeah, you do.”

  I grunt and he chuckles again. I hate it when I give people exactly what they expect me to. Like I’m playing in their hands instead of them playing into mine.

  “What do you want?”

  “Give me a week. I get to spend time with Calista and at week’s end you get your DNA test.”

  “And then what? You’ll just be done with her?”

  He laughs. “Sorry. You’re stuck with me for life. Who would’ve thought you’d be the lucky girl?” He pats my knee.

  “Lucky? Lucky as getting audited by the IRS.”

  There’s nothing sexual at all about his touch, but it still causes me to stifle a shiver.

  “Lots of women would think they were winning the lottery.” He winks.

  I roll my eyes at him. “Don’t we think highly of ourselves.”

  He stands and puts his hand out between us for me to shake. “The ball’s in your court.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “No test and I sue you for parental rights.” He drops his hand when I don’t move to shake his. “I’m not trying to torment you, Harley, but I want to be involved in my daughter’s life.”

  Men like Rome Bailey have been my kryptonite my entire life. The cocky swagger makes me bite every time. I should say no. But it’s too late. Rome is going to be a part of our lives forever. Might as well give him this week to find out how hard raising a toddler is. With any luck, he’ll prove me right. Men like Rome Bailey don’t stick around when things get tough.

  “Deal.” I put my hand out.

  He cocks his head back in surprise, wraps his large hand around my small one. A flutter of goose bumps scatter up my arm.

  “Let’s get started.” He winks, turns and heads for Selene’s back door.

  Eight

  Rome

  Leaving Harley, I walk to Selene’s backdoor. I’m not sure I had a clue what I was going to do when I rang the doorbell after I first got here. The hesitancy I felt when I walked in is gone now though. There’s a little girl I believe is my daughter who is sick and that changes everything. I’m not wasting any more time.

  “Rome.” Harley catches up, stepping in front of me before I can open the back door.

  “Yeah?”

  “What are you planning to do? We n
eed to talk about this. You can’t just barrel in there and pick her up and take her somewhere.”

  I shake my head at her. “I’m not going to do that, but I’m not a sit-on-the-sidelines kind of guy either.”

  “Can we at least establish what your intentions are this week?”

  I slide my arm under hers to the doorknob, but she slides her body in front of it.

  “My intentions are to get to know my daughter.”

  “And then what?”

  I blow out a breath. “I thought we’ve been over this. I’ll get the blood test and we figure out how to make sure we’re both a part of her life.”

  “We live two thousand miles away from one another,” she yells and then lowers her voice. “We can’t exactly do joint custody.”

  “We don’t need a plan right now. I’m just going in there to play with my daughter and tell her I’m her daddy.” I get my hand in the small opening she’s leaving next to her ribcage and turn the knob.

  “Rome,” she says through gritted teeth.

  Frustration looks cute on her.

  “I remember now the way my brother’s name sounded from your mouth... it was more pleading in a ‘don’t stop’ kind of way. Much different than now. Makes me wish I hadn’t lied about my name.”

  My remark sets her back and her grip on the door frame falters and I step into the house as a result of her weakness.

  “I’m not sure we’ll both survive this week,” she says, following me.

  Selene looks up at us when we enter the room, seeming surprised that we’re together.

  Calista smiles at me for a split second but looks past me almost as fast. “Mama!” Her smile grows and jealousy takes over any rational thinking I had. I want that smile directed at me. It’s a great smile. The cutest.

  “Hey, sweet girl.” Harley walks by me and sits down next to her. “Thank you, Selene. Go do whatever it is you were doing. I’ve got this.”

  Selene passes the plate of food she’s feeding Calista to Harley. “I have a piece to get back to. Nice seeing you again Rome.” She squeezes my arm before she walks out of the room.

  “You too, Selene. I’ll be back.”

  She giggles in a low voice and leaves me alone with Harley and my daughter.

  My daughter… who would have thought?

  I slide into the seat on the other side of Calista and her eyes zero in on me but instantly go back to Harley, peeking at me every few seconds like she’s checking that I’m still there.

  Great, I’m freaking out my own baby.

  “Calista,” Harley says, not giving her any more food. “This is Rome.” She gestures to me.

  “Daddy,” I correct.

  “Rome,” Harley squares her shoulders.

  “Daddy.” I smile and inflect my voice with happiness.

  Harley gives up. “She doesn’t even understand the meaning of the word.”

  “Doesn’t matter. I’m her daddy.”

  Calista’s head shifts from me to her mom and she laughs. Stopping us both from arguing. I don’t want her to think I’m an evil monster to her mom.

  “Let’s take her to the park after she eats,” I suggest.

  “Wee,” Calista smiles and rocks herself to get out of the high chair.

  “Not yet.” Harley directs her stone-cold stare at me. “Rome just doesn’t know we finish all our lunch before we say words like that one.”

  “Words?” I stare sweetly at Calista and point myself. “Daddy,” I say.

  Harley rolls her eyes. “The place with the swings and the slide.”

  “The park?”

  “Wee,” Calista says, rocking again, her small little fingers moving to her belt.

  “Not yet,” Harley says in a sweet voice I’m sure I’ll never hear directed toward me.

  “What’s wrong if she’s excited about going to the park?” I ask.

  “Wee!” Calista screams, this time growing upset that neither one of us has let her out.

  “Nothing is wrong, but as you can see now, she’s not eating.”

  “Let’s just bring it with us. She can eat it on the way.”

  Harley pinches the bridge of her nose but leans back while I unstrap Calista from her highchair and pick her up. Yes, I am your favorite person right now. The king saving his princess from the evil mother dictator.

  “She’ll need a nap too, Rome.” Harley follows us out to the foyer.

  “Didn’t she just wake up?”

  Harley rolls her eyes and my hand moves to open the door.

  “Coat. She needs a coat!”

  Selene comes out of her studio, her fingers doused in yellow paint. “Everything okay?”

  “We’re just taking Calista to the park and maybe for ice cream,” I say with a smile.

  “Yum Yum,” she says in my arms, patting my jaw like she did to Harley last night.

  “Calista,” Harley’s tone is one of warning.

  The word ‘no’ is not in our vocabulary today. If I didn’t think she’d lose her shit, I’d suggest I take Calista out by myself, but that would go over as well as me trying to seduce her into bed again. And I like my balls, so screw that.

  “I don’t have a stroller,” she says, reaching into the closet for Calista’s coat.

  “Good thing you got me.” I flex one arm.

  She rolls her eyes again. I’m starting to think that maybe Harley has some rare condition that causes her eyes to constantly roll. She should get that looked at.

  “You realize that the first time I met you, you never rolled your eyes.”

  She worms Calista’s arms into her jacket and grabs a hat for her. “I guarantee I did.”

  “Nope. You were all dreamy-eyed and gaga over my abs.”

  “Either the blackout you experienced that night is fading or you’re making crap up.” She pushes me lightly on the shoulder.

  “Hey, I got a baby here.” I pretend to stumble and wobble in place. Calista laughs, her head falling back, and I quickly straighten.

  Whoa, that wasn’t funny, her head was like an inch from the coat hook.

  Harley stares at me for a moment with an ‘I told you so’ expression and opens the door. “Let’s go wee,” she says.

  “Your baby talk is impressive. For future reference, I’m not much of a baby talk kind of guy in the bedroom.” Why is it so fun to get a rise out of this woman?

  “Unfortunately, the kind of talk you like in the bedroom should never be spoken in front of those little ears.” She follows me out the door, shutting it behind her.

  The air is warmer than when we were out in the backyard and I look forward to the nicer weather. I kind of hope Harley sticks around for Founder’s Day. Especially since Calista is a Bailey.

  Whoa… I just realized that she’s the first in the next generation of Baileys. The awestruck feeling is mixed with longing because Mom and Dad will never get to meet her.

  I should stick to the here and now anyway and set aside my thoughts about the future right now.

  I’m not a grudge holder. I’ve always been more of a process-and-move-on kind of guy. So, I’m not surprised that once I made the deal with Harley to keep her in town for a week that I’m going all out here. It scares me to be responsible for another human being until they’re at least eighteen years old. But it’s not so much Calista as it is the cold-shouldered mommy walking next to me. I’m surprised at how natural the idea of being a father feels to me. If you’d asked me last week what my reaction would’ve been if a virtual stranger had shown up claiming I was her baby’s daddy I would’ve told you I’d be sailing down the river of denial.

  “What do you do for a living?” I ask.

  “I bartend. Same place as two years ago. Oh, but you probably don’t remember.” She puts on a saccharine smile before straightening the purse on her shoulder.

  “I get that you’re insulted I didn’t remember you at first, but don’t think of it as you weren’t memorable.”

  She stops dead and bores her eyes into
me. “I’m not insulted. I could care less.”

  “Then why do you keep bringing it up? I told you it’s coming back to me slowly.”

  Calista runs a hand down the scruff on my face. “Ow.” She yanks her hand back.

  “I know, Daddy hurts,” Harley says to our daughter.

  “I’ll shave tomorrow sweetheart.” I kiss the palm of Calista’s hand, but she places it back on my cheek, poking me with her finger.

  We have to walk through town in order to reach the park. Which means eyes and ears will all be in our direction. Should I prepare Harley for this or just let her experience it without a warning? Hmm. Let’s see how well she does on her feet.

  “We have to cut through Main Street to get to the park on the other side of the library.”

  “I had no idea Selene was this close to downtown.”

  “When you drive you practically have to go around the entire lake, but we can cut through and walk the path beside the lake.”

  “Um… how do you expect us to get back? She’s going to be tired. You don’t take a baby out all day, especially in this weather.”

  I wave off her concern, but from the evil look she’s sporting she doesn’t much care for other people taking charge. Which oddly enough is not the memory coming back to me right now. I have a vague memory of her enjoying when I told her exactly what I wanted her to do. Especially when she undressed in front of me.

  “It’ll be fine.”

  She raises her eyebrows. Her hair is cute today, pulled back in a ponytail that swings side to side as we walk the path. And no, I’m absolutely not thinking about how much fun it would be to wrap my hand around that ponytail while I took her from behind.

  “Wa Wa.” Calista points to the lake.

  “Water. Yeah. You’re so smart.” I poke her stomach and she giggles.

  Is she this welcoming to everyone or am I doing something right here?

  “I bet most women would beg you to sleep with them watching you with her.”

  My head snaps to Harley who raises her hand and covers her mouth, eyes wide.

  “Shit. Did I just say that out loud?” she mumbles between her fingers.

  “You did.” I laugh which makes Calista laugh which makes it appear like we’re both laughing at her.