by Megyn Ward
Diana’s face softens. “But she’s got that kindness of Blake’s. You know what I mean? That little buttery gentleness. I watched her rescue a black beetle from a water bucket this afternoon. She told it what a good bug it was and how happy she was he could fly away.”
I want to laugh but my throat closes and my eyes prick with tears. Kind. That’s Blake all over.
Now Diana’s gaze lasers into me. “He deserves to know he’s got a daughter.”
It’s as if she shot me with a freeze gun. I don’t speak or move, my watch vigilant on Ellie outside the window. Finally, I say, “I can’t tell him.”
So typical Diana, she is blunt. “Bullshit.”
“What good can come of it? He’s going to marry that stupid elf and have a great life. Why would he want to complicate it with a child?”
Diana drops a finger onto the counter to make a point. “Because he’s her father. He would be a good father.”
The best, that’s true. “But he’ll be in New York or wherever he and his wife decide to settle. He’ll hardly ever see her. It will be one visit a year and a card on her birthday. Or else, he’ll sue me for custody and I’ll lose her. Ellie needs me and Gram, Kylie and Zach. I won’t let that be taken away from her.”
Except you are. Gram is kicking you out.
Diana is getting mad now. “There you go with that fucking stubborn shit. Ellie would be better off knowing her father. He’d be better off knowing she is his. You’re afraid it all won’t go your own way and that’s selfish.”
It’s like a solid wall of granite is dropped on my head, flattening me into the ground. I lose my sense of place and time.
She’s right. I’ve been so afraid of losing the person I love the most I’ve lost sight of what’s most important for her. Ellie should know her daddy. Even if it breaks me in two to send her off to his lovely home in New York with another woman. It’s not up to me to deny Ellie and Blake, simply because I want to be the one she loves best.
I hate what Diana is making me see. I hate that I’ve been as bad for Ellie as Simone and Jonas were for me. Using her to make me feel better.
Diana puts a hand on my shoulder. “Hey. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mess you up.”
I shake myself from paralysis. “No. You’re right. I have to tell Blake about Ellie.”
Diana nods. “That’s what I think.”
Ellie bangs into the shop. “I’m ready to go home.”
Diana smiles at her. “Me, too.”
I wave Diana off. “You go on. We’ll lock up.”
“Great. Taekwondo night.”
She takes off toward the parking lot and I grab the keys to the tank shed and equipment room. Ellie skips along with me, peppering me with questions about what we’re going to eat for supper and the books we’re going to read and all the fun things Diana has planned for them tomorrow.
We take the keys back to the shop and are just about to walk out when the door opens. Even though I’m annoyed, I put a smile on my face because it might mean business for Kylie and Zach. But when I turn the smile falls off immediately.
The elf stands in front of me, hands on hips, a hostile frown on her face. “So. Liesa Temple.”
I locate Ellie by the front counter. She’s crawled on a high stool and has a pen and paper. “Lauren Knightly. What can I do for you?”
She eyes Ellie as if my darling little girl was a rattlesnake poised to strike. “You can keep your hands off my fiancé and keep that brat away from him.”
Whoa. I mean, what the holy fuck. “Excuse me?”
She takes a step toward me as if her soft, petite five-two body was any threat to me. “He loves me. Totally. And we’re going to be married in three weeks and have a great life together.”
“Congratulations.” I can’t sound any meaner. I’ve had years of practice on Liesa’s Life.
She gives me a sneer worthy of reality TV. “You probably think you can parade that ugly little brat in front of him and he’ll jump to your side.”
Again, I glance at Ellie and am relieved she seems to be ignoring us. That seems weird because she’s got to notice the tension. I address Erika. “It’s been four years. If I was going to win Blake over with his daughter, don’t you think I would have made a move by now?”
“I don’t know what your plan is. All I know is that he hasn’t been to Cayman since then and suddenly, here you are.”
“Okay, message delivered.”
“I mean it—stay away. For your own good.”
I hold up my hands. “Staying away.”
“Don’t think of telling him about her because I already did.”
I am trying to keep my face neutral. But inside, I’m horrified. She told him? What does that mean?
“Yeah. He’s so naïve and trusting it never occurred to him someone would fuck him over like you did. Have his baby and never tell him. But the minute I saw her, I knew who her father is. So, yeah, I told him.”
She smirks at me and waits for me to react. I can’t move or speak because I don’t want her to know I’m truly rattled.
“And you know what he did? Nothing. He did that thing he does by not saying anything for a while. He sat there looking at his beer and after about twenty minutes he said, Okay.”
That sounds like Blake. He not one to react to news immediately. He tended to let himself absorb it, mull it over, and make a decision. It was a trait that would make him an excellent attorney.
She had the aura of a prizefighter gloating over a win. “He said, If she wanted help, she’d have told me about the child when she was pregnant. If she didn’t want me then, she’s got no claim to me now.’”
He had a point.
She raised her chin. “So, I’m telling you for your own good. Don’t come to him now. He wants nothing to do with you or your child. If you ever loved him, you wouldn’t make him feel guilty about turning you away.”
Blake would feel guilty. If he truly didn’t want me and Ellie, then going to him now would be cruel. I stare at Erika and try to see through her. Is she telling me the truth?
If she’d have said Blake got angry or made some disparaging remarks about me or Ellie, I’d know she was lying. But saying he took the news and thought about it before making a decision sounded so like Blake. I can’t find argument with what she said.
I can, however, hate her. I hate her for showing up here in her smug triumph. I hate her for calling Ellie a brat. I hate her for being the woman Blake is going to build a life with. Mostly I hate her because Blake picked her over me.
“Message delivered. Now, get out.”
Ellie pops her head up from her work and says in Gram’s stern voice. “Please.”
I don’t know if she’s adding it to my demand or reminding me to say it. So, I say, “Please, get out. Now.”
Erika lifts her hand and wiggles her fingers in a cute little toodle-loo gesture. She blows a kiss to Ellie and disappears out the door.
I look at Ellie. How much of what went on sifted into her three-year-old brain? She doesn’t look upset or confused. I hope the conversation between me and Erika flew over her head. “Okay, how about we go see how much Gram missed you today?”
“Yay!” She jumps from the stool and scurries out the door, barely waiting for me to lock it before running to the pickup.
Chapter 26
Blake
I surface slowly and even before I open my eyes my heart slams into my ribs. “Damn it!”
I throw myself to sitting and jump from the bed, still not exactly sure where I am but knowing I’ve fucked something up.
“Lauren.” I mumble her name. Then it all rushes back.
Erika asked me to lay down with her. She wanted a little comfort. And I did. I can tell by the angle of the light streaming into the window that I’ve slept several hours. I wanted to be on the dock when Lauren’s boat returned and I’ve missed it.
Where is Erika?
I don’t care. Maybe she’s already on her way back to Ne
w York.
I dash into the bathroom. A quick shower and some clean clothes. I’m in a hurry to see Lauren, but I can’t go to her smelling like a homeless person.
Finally ready, feeling like it took hours instead of the ten minutes, I yank open the door and nearly trip over Erika.
She looks tiny and frail. Her eyes are giant and she’s holding on to her stomach. “I’m sor—”
She shoves me aside and rushes into the room on a straight line for the bathroom. I hear the gag and splash of vomit hitting the water in the toilet.
I look down the hall, wanting to run out and go to Lauren. I glance at the bathroom and hear Erika heave again. With reluctance, I shut the door and head back to Erika.
She’s on her knees, head over the toilet. “I thought I was better. I went down to the beach. I didn’t want to wake you since you were up with me all night long.” She starts to whimper. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be sick.”
I reach over and pat her back. “It’s not your fault. Here, let’s get you into bed. I’ll bring the trash can for you to throw up in.”
She gets to wobbly feet. “I hate throwing up in a trash can. Can you just do like last night? I’ll let you know when I need to go and you can help me?”
I ought to do just that. A good guy would. A nice guy wouldn’t leave a girl alone in a hotel room in a foreign country and go to find another girl. Only a complete prick would abandon his fiancé for a former girlfriend.
Ex-fiancé. And I’ve already established what an asshole I am.
“I have to go out.”
She stares at me, her eyes big and brown and probably so darned cute most normal guys wouldn’t be able to resist them. “Go out?”
“I’m sorry.”
Now those eyes lose some of their little girl innocence. “I know we’re not engaged anymore, but I’m sick. I need you.”
I’m so impatient to get to Lauren I have lost my ability to be nice. “You have food poisoning. There’s nothing I can do for you. It’ll run its course.”
She suddenly slips around me and blocks the door. “You can’t leave. You owe it to me to stay.”
What? “I know I haven’t done right by you. I’m sorry but I—”
She yells, “I’m sick of you saying you’re sorry. You’re not sorry. You’re hurting me over and over and you need to stop doing that. You love me. I know you do.”
I have no idea what to do with this hysteria but I’m not going to play into it. “No, I don’t. Now please get out of my way.”
She narrows her eyes. “I know where you’re going. I know why you came to Cayman and why you suddenly think you don’t love me anymore. But Liesa Temple isn’t good for you.”
“Liesa Temple?”
“You don’t think I figured it out. But I did. She let you go. She didn’t fight for you. But I will.”
I hate this desperation in her. “I don’t want you to fight for me. The truth is I never stopped loving Lauren. She may not want me but that doesn’t mean I don’t want her with everything I am. Even if she can never trust me again. If she sends me away. I can’t marry you. I would ruin your life.”
She’s crying now, huge heaving sobs. “No. You won’t ruin my life. Listen to me. Go ahead, go fuck her. Get it out of your system. But I’m the one who’ll make you a good wife. I will never leave you or forget you. I’ll take care of you.”
She turns the color of school cafeteria ham and lunges for the little trash can by the side of the desk. She lets go a flow of pinkish vomit and I try not to smell it. I could run out the door while she’s distracted but that seems too mean, even for me.
When she finishes, she looks up at me, her face glistening with sweat and her eyes rimmed with mascara. “Look what I did for you. Would she do this? Make herself sick so you’d stay and care for her? But I will. Blake, I’ll do anything for you.”
That’s too much. “You’ve got to stop this, Erika.”
She looks at me now. Waterworks done. “What if I told you I’m pregnant?”
Pregnant? God, what a mess. “I’d say if you’re pregnant we’ll get through it together and I’ll definitely take my share of responsibility and cost.”
She gives me sly eyes. “You’ll marry me and stay with me?”
I don’t think she’s pregnant. We haven’t had sex in months. I blamed graduation and LSAT stress but the truth is, the closer we got to the wedding date, the harder it was for me to touch her. Because I don’t want her. Love her. I never did. “No, Erika. Regardless if you’re pregnant or not, we’re not going to be together and I’m not going to marry you.”
She glares at me now, all that puppy-dog devotion gone in a swirl of vitriol. “I hate you. You’re a pig, always rutting and wanting to fuck me. You lied to me just to have sex. You used me.”
I don’t know what to do with this. I step toward the door. “Goodbye, Erika.”
She slips to the floor. “Please, Blake, don’t leave me.”
With my hand on the doorknob, I turn to her. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours. We can arrange your flight and get everything taken care of. In the meantime, I’m going to call my friend Diana to come over and help you. She’s been through some rough times and she’ll be good to you.”
I know it’s a coward’s way out. But in the lineup between Erika and Lauren, I need to put Lauren first. Erika’s got neediness and manipulation down to a science. If I keep staying to help Erika, I’ll never get out.
I get in touch with Diana on my way out to my rental car and she agrees to come be with Erika and help her get a flight. I hate sloughing Erika off, but it’s the best I can do.
I race across the island. It’s been twenty-four hours since I saw Lauren. Twenty-four hours for her to believe I don’t love her. I need to tell her.
I was being honest with Erika when I said I didn’t know if Lauren would send me away. I’m hoping with all my heart she won’t.
Chapter 27
Lauren
Ellie doesn’t seem any worse for the battle between me and Erika. Maybe after all this time I’ve learned to keep the drama out of my voice. We get back to Gram’s compound and I’m craving the sanctuary of our sweet bungalow.
Ellie runs ahead of me across the piazza into Gram’s house. She hollers as she hits the sitting room. “Gram. We’re here to see you.”
Deborah appears from the kitchen. She’s barefoot, as usual, and wearing a colorful scarf wrapped around her head. “She’s in her room.”
Ellie races down the hallway. I stop and address Deborah. “How is she?”
Deborah’s throaty laugh cascades through the living room. “She’s in a state, that’s for sure.”
I don’t like the sound of that. “What do you mean?”
“Jonas and That Woman been buggin’ her all day. They t’ink she needs to go to the old folks home back in Miami.”
Rage boils up. “What?”
Deborah laughs again. “Don’t worry. Your grandmother ain’t got nothin’ to do with that. But she finally hid out in her room.”
I scan the sitting room and out the open doors to the piazza. There’s fight in my voice. “Where are they?”
“Don’t worry. I told them we had no gin and that made them leave real fast.” Her dark eyes twinkle. “Would you care for a gin and tonic? I accidentally found the bottle.”
I slap Deborah on her back. “Gram is lucky to have you.”
Deborah nods. “She’s lucky she got two granddaughters to take care of her.”
Yeah, one granddaughter that’s on her way out.
But I’ll never stop taking care of Gram. Even if I don’t live here.
I trace Ellie’s path to Gram’s room and find my daughter stretched out on Gram’s fainting couch with Gram sitting in the chair, a crystal highball glass with what appears to be a gin and tonic.
I kiss her offered cheek. “I hear you’ve had a trying day.”
She purses her lips. “I am bearing up. But might have to make some travel plan
s soon.”
I perch on her bed. “It’s your home. You shouldn’t have to leave. Let me and Kylie handle getting rid of Jonas and Simone.”
Gram sips her cocktail. “That’s kind of you. But Jonas is the monster I created. I’ll deal with it in my own way.”
I know Gram can be resourceful and I hope she’s forming a plan. I’d hate to think of Jonas and Simone running her out.
“Kylie and Zach will be back tomorrow.”
Gram nods. “That’s good. When you’re not filling in for them, you’ll have time to contact some galleries.”
My stomach drops. “Right.”
Deborah brings Ellie a small glass of pineapple juice and we visit with Gram for a half hour before retreating to our own place.
We don’t make it across the bricks before Jonas and Simone pop out of Gram’s house and catch up to us.
Simone smiles at Ellie and hands her a brightly wrapped box with a red satin bow. “This is for our little princess.”
Jonas squats in front of Ellie. “Go ahead and open it. We saw it and thought of you.”
Simone adds, “Because you are our little princess and we love you.”
I glare at Simone and Jonas.
Ellie’s eyes get big and her sweet little mouth forms an O. “For me?” She looks up at me. “Can I, Mommy?”
I force a smile for Ellie but I’m boiling mad. “Sure.”
I help her set the box on the ground, my stomach roiling in anger over this display. I’m not sure what they’re after, but I know it’s not good.
I have to help Ellie pull the ribbon off and then watch her rip at the paper. She squats over the box on the bricks and pries off the lid. A rustled of tissue paper and she pulls out a white dress with red polka dots, crinoline skirt with ruffles. If this piece of shit isn’t a dead ringer for a Shirley Temple costume I don’t know what is.
I have to bite my lips together to keep from shouting at them.
Ellie looks at it in puzzlement. “I don’t know what princess this is.” She gazes up at me. “Beauty’s dress is yellow.”
“It’s a made-up princess.” I don’t know what to say.