Once Upon a Daddy: A Romance Anthology

by Kelli Callahan

  “There are plenty of women in America that wouldn’t complain if someone decided to tame them.” I couldn’t keep my smile hidden.

  Can I raise my hand and volunteer?

  “Maybe.” He chuckled. “She wasn’t one of them though.”

  We continued talking for about an hour before Declan decided that he needed to work on the house. I wanted to help, but I decided that it probably wasn’t a good idea with my knee. If I was going to help him with the house, I needed to get back on my feet as soon as possible. If I tried to do it too soon and ended up making my knee worse, then I would be useless for even longer. I did make lunch for us once he worked for a little while, and he was back on the job as soon as we were done. I found a spot where I could sit, pretend to play on my phone, and watch him. Once he worked up a sweat, the t-shirt clung to every muscle on his upper torso, and it was hard to even pretend that I wasn’t staring.

  He’s even hotter than I remember. It’s going to be really hard not to have dirty thoughts while I’m supposed to be working.

  Declan went upstairs to shower after he was done working for the day, and I had to fight the urge to test my knee on a flight of stairs. It would have been so freaking wrong, but I might have given in to that urge if my knee wasn’t injured. Then again, I wasn’t ready to give up quite yet—and peeping might push the boundary a little too far if he caught me. Working beside him was going to be hard enough without having more than a fantasy about how gorgeous he was without that t-shirt clinging to his body. I could respect his wishes, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t try to change them. I just had to figure out how to do it…

  I guess I’ll have plenty of time if we’re going to spend every day together once my knee is healed.

  Declan came back downstairs after his shower. He decided to order pizza for dinner and then he sat down to discuss business. We worked out a weekly wage that I thought was more than fair and he gave me a very generous advance. It was enough for me to catch up on my rent, pay my overdue bills, and get my power turned back on. I would also be in debt to him for a few months before I was back on my feet. The house looked like it would require a lot more work than that, so I didn’t feel like I was taking advantage of him. I would certainly do my best to pull my weight, even if I ended up with more blisters than broken nails.

  “Now that the business is settled, I’m going to grab a beer.” He leaned forward and started to stand.

  “Can I have one, or do I have to pay for my own now that I work for you?” I looked up at him.

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Considering what happened last night…”

  “I’ll be on my best behavior, I promise…” I tilted my head and grinned.

  It’ll be hard, but I’ll fight my urges…

  Six

  Declan

  I was nervous about giving Madie alcohol after she tried to kiss me the last time she had a few beers, but I caved. She had an emotional day and I was still in shock over what she told me. There was nothing that could have made me abandon my own child. If Anna showed up at my door with blood on her hands, I would want to help her hide the body—not turn her away. Yeah, Madie made a mistake—but that didn’t mean she deserved to be treated like the black sheep of the family. I knew her parents were religious—so much so that I would have called them nuts, but to each their own. If they didn’t want to help her out, I would. She spent so much time at my house when she was growing up that she might as well have been family.

  Granted, she’s not a kid anymore—I gotta keep reminding myself that those gorgeous curves belong to my daughter’s best friend.

  “Here ye go.” I handed Madie a beer. “It sounds like the pizza is here too.”

  “Awesome, want me to get the door?” She leaned forward, but I saw a grin on her face.

  “Ye stay right there.” I gave her a playfully-angry stare.

  The pizza was good even if it was nothing but grease and carbs. I hadn’t taken care of myself very well since my divorce, but I would never go back to kale shakes in the morning and kale salads with dinner. My diet might not have been the best, but I worked most of the calories off anyway. We had a few beers, watched a movie, and my eyelids were heavy by the time it was over. Madie didn’t seem to be ready for bed quite yet, so we made a quick trip outside for a smoke and decided to watch a show while we finished our last beer. After that, I couldn’t stay awake any longer, so I had to call it a night.

  We made it through one night without her trying anything—maybe this will work out after all.

  The next day

  “I really need to go back home.” Madie looked up at me and sighed after she finished eating her breakfast. “I didn’t bring enough clothes for a vacation—I just thought it would be one night.”

  “At least stay until yer car is out of the shop. It’s not like ye can get very far on that knee if ye need something.” I reached for my coffee and took a sip. “I can run by yer apartment and pick up a few things if ye want. I have a few errands to run anyway.”

  “My apartment is a mess…” She sighed.

  “I know.” I shrugged. “I stopped there after yer car was towed—and emptied the fridge.”

  “You did?” Madie blinked in surprise. “Wow, thank you so much! I definitely wasn’t looking forward to that.”

  “Ye stay put. I’ll be back in a bit.” I nodded and started to stand. “I’m sure it would be better to stay off yer knee as much as possible until it’s fully recovered—I need ye to be in tip-top shape once yer working on the house with me.”

  “Okay,” She sighed and nodded.

  I drove to Madie’s apartment first since my main two errands were buying supplies for the house and picking up groceries. She had power again. The fridge was empty, but it smelled, so I cleaned it with some bleach wipes that I found under the counter. Once it was cleaned and rinsed, I gave the freezer the same treatment. There were a few dishes in the sink, so I loaded the dishwasher and started it. There was nothing else that required my immediate attention, so I headed to the bedroom so I could pack a few clothes. I wasn’t sure how many days she would need, so I got a duffel bag from the closet and started filling it whatever looked comfortable.

  I guess she needs underwear…

  I opened a few drawers until I found the one that had panties. It was tempting to see what she liked to wear, but I avoided it and just tossed a handful of them into the duffel bag. A few sports bras and one that was hanging in the closet completed my mission. I hoped it would be enough. After I left her apartment, I took care of the rest of my errands. I wished I had a truck instead of a car, because it would have saved on delivery charges at the hardware store, but I really couldn’t justify the cost. My last stop was the grocery store. I grabbed a few things that I hoped she would like, stocked up on beer, and headed back home.

  “It’s me.” I opened the front door of the house and stepped inside.

  “Good; I don’t know what I would have done if it was a stranger.” She looked up at me and smiled.

  “Here’s yer stuff.” I dropped the duffel bag on the couch beside her.

  “Awesome.” She leaned over and grabbed it. “Can I shower in the bathroom down here, or do I have to go upstairs?”

  “The one upstairs has been renovated, but I’d recommend using the one down here for now.” I motioned down the hallway. “Yer knee isn’t ready for stairs.”

  “Good point.” She nodded and started hobbling down the hallway.

  I sat down on the couch and picked up the television remote. I really needed to work on the house, but I was feeling a little lazy after my trip out. I decided to watch the news, catch up on some current events, and then get to work once Madie was done with her shower. I stared at the television screen until I heard the shower turn off, and the bathroom door opened. My eyes shifted to the side as she walked out—in nothing but a towel. It looked like she had found the smallest one I had, because it barely covered her ass.
My eyes stayed locked on her for a moment, but then I managed to look back towards the television.

  It’s been way too long since I got laid…

  Madie’s curves really were irresistible. While I was married, there was no temptation when I saw the desire lingering in a woman’s eyes. My daughter’s friends were—just children back then. They giggled a lot and whispered to themselves, but I ignored it. After my divorce, I thought about going to a bar and chasing the lust that built up over time, but I never did. Fear played a part in it. I didn’t want to fall for someone again and end up in a similar situation where the loved smoldered out in my partner’s heart while mine still burned. Maybe that was foolish—because the absence of closeness and passion was certainly toying with my head with a woman that didn’t hide her desire was a few feet away from me on the couch.

  “How did yer knee do?” I looked up at Madie as she walked back down the hallway in a t-shirt and a pair of cut-off jean shorts.

  “It seems to be a lot better. I think the bandage was probably making it more immobile than the swelling.” She walked over to me. “There’s some bruising, but it doesn’t hurt like it did yesterday.”

  “Good.” I nodded. “Hopefully you’ll be ready to work in a couple of days.”

  “I could try to start tomorrow if you want.” She sat down on the couch.

  “Nah, let’s wait until yer car is done and you get things settled back at yer place.” I turned towards her. “Is there anything else ye need in the meantime?”

  “I’m good. I don’t want to keep you from working on the house if you need to. I can keep myself entertained.” She looked my way and nodded.

  “Alright, lass.” I stood up and looked down the hallway. “I guess I’ll get started then.”

  There was something therapeutic about working with my hands. My father ran a construction company in Scotland, and I was on the job site as soon as I was old enough to gather nails people dropped or carry a piece of lumber. It was honest work, but my mother wanted to give me an opportunity to have a better life. That’s why she pushed for me to move to America when my great aunt offered to let me stay with her. In retrospect, I’m sure my mother regretted that decision when an unexpected pregnancy changed the direction of my life dramatically. My mother loved Anna though, even if she didn’t expect me to start a family that early. I just hated that they didn’t get a chance to see her much. She would have been a spoiled lass if they lived close enough to visit regularly.

  “What are you planning to do to this room?” Madie walked through the door and sat down in one of the chairs.

  “I was thinking it would be a nice office since there’s no need for another bedroom downstairs.” I turned towards her. “Most people like to have a room they can work in.”

  “Yeah, that’s true.” Madie nodded. “You’ve got a really awesome library though. Why not just make that into an office?”

  “I dunno.” I shrugged. “I thought about it, but that’s one of the few rooms that doesn’t need much work—it might be nice to leave it untouched.”

  “Ah, yeah.” Madie tilted her head slightly. “That makes sense. It’ll maintain some of the history that this house has.”

  “People like that sort of thing—or at least that’s what the real estate agent told me. Ye might have a future in renovations.” I grinned. “Good thing that’s yer job now.”

  “Aye.” She winked and tried to mock my accent, but it didn’t have the right inflection to sound authentic.

  “What are ye? A pirate?” I narrowed my eyes at her.

  “It doesn’t sound as good when I say it…” She shrugged. “Makes me sound like some tavern wench from the middle ages.”

  “Well if yer a tavern wench, why don’t ye fetch me a beer?” I pointed towards the kitchen. “Since yer able to walk now.”

  “Why don’t you ask nicely?” She narrowed her eyes at me, and I could detect a hint of sass in her tone.

  “Won’t you please fetch me a beer—wench?” I chuckled under my breath.

  “That’s a little better.” She laughed and started to stand.

  Madie returned with two beers and talked to me while I worked. It was a little distracting, but I didn’t mind the company. It was nice to spend time with someone who seemed to like me for who I was—someone that didn’t cringe when a ramble made my accent thicker than it was when I tried to control it. I just naturally did that after my divorce because I had done it for so long. It felt a little more natural not to have that weight in the back of my head when I tried to have a conversation with someone. Madie and I talked for several hours before I was finally ready to stop for the day. I didn’t get as much work done as I would have liked, but I had accomplished enough for the day not to feel like a total loss.

  “Anything ye want for dinner?” I unplugged my drill and wiped some sweat off my brow.

  “Is it that time already?” She looked towards the clock on the wall. “Oh wow, I guess it is. I’m fine with whatever…”

  We relocated to the kitchen and I started making dinner while she watched from the dining room table. Our conversation picked up like we hadn’t missed a beat. I thought the generational gap would make conversation more difficult than it was. I barely understood half the things Anna talked about and just nodded along most of the time. Madie was a little different. She had a broader philosophical view of the world and life in general—the vice of her religious upbringing seemed to make her seek clarity instead of blindly following what society spoon fed her generation. I didn’t mind having someone challenge my point of view when they did it with intelligence and it was clear that Madie was quite brilliant. We talked through dinner, and once we were done, we went to the den to watch a movie.

  “So, what are ye going to do once yer financial situation is sorted out?” I picked up the remote and looked over at Madie.

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged and leaned back against the couch. “I’ve been so focused on getting by that I haven’t much thought into the future.”

  “Ye should try to finish college.” I nodded aimlessly. “It’s going to be tough to find a good job without a degree.”

  “Yeah, you’re right about that.” She sighed. “It’s already been a barrier—and the places hiring people straight out of high school don’t pay well.”

  “Maybe ye could apply for another scholarship, especially if ye enroll and do well yer first semester.” I tilted my head slightly. “I know ye did well in high school.”

  “I did—and I thought I had a bright future ahead of me because of it. I certainly wasn’t planning to throw it all away…” She shook her head back and forth. “I was such a freaking idiot.”

  “Don’t beat yerself up over it. Ye made a mistake—I’m sure ye wouldn’t have done it if ye realized the outcome.” I picked up my beer and took a sip.

  “No…” Her words trailed off for a moment. “I knew it was dumb at the time too, but I was enjoying the freedom. You just don’t understand what it was like living with my parents. They restricted everything I did so much that I cut loose a little bit when I got to college—too much, obviously.”

  “Aye, perhaps.” I nodded. “But that doesn’t mean yer entire future has to be defined by one mistake.”

  “One good thing came out of it though…” She looked down at the couch and hesitated for a moment. “I’m here—with you.”

  “Well, yer cut off—that’s definitely yer last beer tonight.” I narrowed my eyes at her.

  “You just make me feel good about myself.” She looked up at me. “I’ve never had that before—I’ve always felt like I was being judged no matter what I did.”

  “Aye, I can relate to that.” I nodded. “A different situation, but one I understand.”

  I feel that same freedom too—but that doesn’t make the situation less complicated.

  The conversation drifted away from us after that. I decided not to cut Madie off, even though I threatened to. We took a trip outside to smoke, grabbed two m
ore beers, and found a movie to watch. Madie sat a little closer, but she didn’t do anything but stare at the screen once the movie started. I found myself struggling with my own temptations. It wasn’t just because she was so damn beautiful. I wanted to pull her close—hug her—tell her that things were going to be okay—but that was dynamite and doing it could light the fuse. I managed to hold back when she tried to kiss me. I wasn’t sure I could do it again, even if I knew it was the right thing.

  It would be so easy to stop fighting that war in my head—and maybe we both need something right now that doesn’t have to be as complicated as I’m convincing myself it would be…

  I was wearing myself down. I knew it, yet I didn’t put another wall up when the previous one started to crack. Every time something funny happened in the movie, we looked at other—and it felt like each look lasted longer than the one before it. I wasn’t ready to bring the wall down completely, but the cracks were definitely leading to it—I could feel it in my soul. We ran out of beer and Madie offered to be my beer wench—one more time. When she returned, she sat a little closer to me. I didn’t scoot away. The next funny scene in the movie caused her to lean towards me when she laughed—I wanted to kiss her and devour those soft, pouty lips—but instead, I just reached for her hand. Our fingers locked together, and she moved closer. We spent the rest of the movie that way—just two people living in a moment.

  This does feel nice…

  “I guess it’s time for bed. I need to get started on the house earlier tomorrow.” I looked down at our interlocked hands.

  “Okay.” She leaned towards me and put her head on my shoulder. “You can wake me up if I sleep in—I don’t want to keep you from being able to work.”

  “You’ll be here bright and early soon enough.” I chuckled under my breath.

  “Wait, you said a job—you said nothing about bright or early.” She leaned up from my shoulder and tried to give me a serious stare but couldn’t avoid smiling.