Chloe burst into tears, and Ruby looked up at me in alarm. I gave a helpless shrug.
“She’s been scared to death from the moment I picked her up. Honestly I’m not sure why the teachers were talking about the hurricane so openly in front of a bunch of preschoolers. I’m no expert on kids, but that seems like a bad idea.”
Ruby sighed and pulled her sobbing daughter close. “Shh. It’s okay pumpkin. Miss Kate was exaggerating. The island isn’t going to be destroyed. And the hurricane can’t get you inside this big building. You’re safe in here.”
Chloe settled a little bit, but continued to snuggle as closely against her mother as possible and whimper slightly.
“I’m really sorry,” I said. “I tried to calm her but she only wanted you.”
Ruby shook her head. “It’s not your fault. Her daycare teachers mean well, but sometimes they don’t think about what they’re saying in front of the kids. I’ll be glad when Chloe starts kindergarten next year and moves on to new teachers.”
“Why don’t you just move her to a different daycare or preschool? Surely there must be a better one around.”
Ruby winced. “This was the only one I could afford.”
“Oh.” I was embarrassed that I hadn’t realized this. I had been so rich for so long that sometimes I forgot what it was like to struggle financially. But my embarrassment only lasted for a moment, and was soon overtaken by the realization that I could help here. “So let’s pull her out and put her in a better school. The best the island has to offer. I’ll cover the whole cost.”
Ruby frowned. “I don’t want charity.”
“It’s not charity! She’s my daughter too. And I don’t want her in a school where they are scaring her half to death over hurricanes and who knows what else.”
Ruby winced when I said the words “my daughter,” looking hurriedly down at Chloe to see whether she’d heard. But Chloe was still too distraught over the “hurry-cane” to be paying too much attention to what we were saying.
I could feel myself getting frustrated, though. “Ruby, you’re gonna have to tell her eventually. It’s fine to let her take a few days to get used to me, but you can’t wait months or another year to explain things. And you have to stop thinking that everything I do is charity. I want to be a part of her life. What parent wouldn’t want to give their child the best care and education possible?”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve just been doing this on my own for so long that I forget that I don’t have to.”
“You don’t have to. And I’m not going to let you.” I said the words with an unusual fierceness in my voice. I was feeling protective of Chloe, but also of Ruby. Chloe was my daughter, and I was ready to give her the world even though I’d only known her for a few days. But I cared about Ruby, too. She had been carrying this burden for so long on her own, and there was no reason she had to do that.
“Mama,” Chloe said, her little voice breaking into our adult conversation. “Danny at school said I won’t be safe from the hurry-cane because I don’t have a daddy to keep me safe. Is that true?”
Ruby’s eyes filled with tears, and I felt like my own heart was being ripped in two.
“Ruby,” I whispered. “Let me tell her.”
Ruby exhaled loudly, then nodded. “Chloe,” she said, raising her daughter’s chin so that she was looking into her eyes. “Danny is wrong about two things. First of all, you don’t have to have a daddy to be safe from a hurricane. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and the important thing is having a group of people who love you unconditionally. But second of all, you do have a daddy.”
I saw Chloe furrow her brow. “No I don’t. I only have a mommy.”
“No, Chloe,” I said. I could feel my heart beating nervously in my chest. I had no idea how Chloe was going to react to this news, and it was going to break me if she rejected me. I told myself to be calm, and to remember that she was four. Even if it took her a while to get used to me, she would eventually get used to me, right?
There was only one way to find out. When Chloe turned to look at me I smiled at her and simply said, “I’m your daddy.”
Time seemed to stand still. Chloe’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything. She looked back and forth between me and her mother, as though she was expecting her mother to tell her that what I was saying wasn’t true. But Ruby nodded in confirmation.
“It’s true, Chloe. I’m sorry you didn’t get to meet him sooner, but he is your daddy.”
Chloe looked back at me and was silent for what felt like an eternity. But then, wonder of wonders, a smile broke out across her face. She wiped at the tears that had been in her eyes and came running toward me, jumping into my arms and throwing her own arms around my neck.
“This is the best news ever!” she said, laughing giddily. “I never knew I had a daddy.”
“I never knew I had a daughter,” I whispered, relishing the feeling of her chubby arms clinging to me. “But I’m never letting you go again.”
Chloe pulled back and looked at me, her green eyes sparking with mischief. “Emma at school told me that daddies are the best people to ask when you want ice-cream, because they’ll say yes even when mommies say no. Is that true?”
I looked over at Ruby, who was wiping tears from her eyes. I winked at Ruby, then looked back at Chloe. “It’s absolutely true. Daddies are the best person to ask when you want ice-cream.”
“Can I have some ice-cream now?” Chloe asked, with such a hopeful look in her eyes that I couldn’t help but laugh and kiss her forehead.
“Soon,” I promised. “But I think your mother will not be happy with me if I let you have dessert before dinner. What do you say we order dinner before the power goes out and the kitchen can’t cook anymore? Are you hungry?”
Chloe looked at me thoughtfully. “Maybe. Do they have mac n’ cheese here?”
I grinned. “I’m sure they can make you mac n’ cheese.”
Chloe clapped her hands together excitedly. “Yay! I love mac n’ cheese. Thanks, Mr. Ian. I mean, thanks, Daddy.”
That word coming from her lips was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I bent down to kiss the top of her head. “You’re welcome baby. Anytime.”
A little over an hour later, we were all finishing up the last of our dinner. I was about to ask if we should order ice-cream, when Ruby snapped her fingers.
“I almost forgot,” she said. “I have a box of pastries and cupcakes from the Conch Shell Café, if anyone wants dessert.”
“My favorite! My favorite!” Chloe yelled.
“I have no idea what the Conch Shell Café is, but how could I not give the pastries a try after a recommendation like that?” I joked.
“Oh, you definitely want to try these. It’s a café owned by one of my friends, and her pastries are to die for. She’s sort of famous around here, after she baked a wedding cake that was featured in Vogue magazine.”
“Alright then. Load me up.”
A few minutes later, Chloe was diving happily into a giant chocolate cupcake, Ruby was eating a slice of key lime pie, and I was trying out a strawberry champagne cupcake. I’d been reluctant to try the cupcake, because it was very pink. But Ruby had convinced me, and I had to admit it was one of the most delicious things I’d ever tasted.
Chloe begged for another cupcake, and when Ruby said no she looked imploringly over at me. I laughed.
“Sorry, Chloe. I can’t say yes when Mama already said no. Try asking me first next time. If I tell you yes before Mama says no, then you have a better chance.”
Chloe made a pouty face but nodded. She looked especially adorable with chocolate smeared all over her face, and I jumped up to grab my camera. I didn’t want to miss capturing this moment. Chloe was happy to pose for me, and I got several good shots. Then Ruby cleaned off Chloe’s face and asked if I wanted a picture with her. Of course I did, so Ruby took a few, complaining the whole time that my camera was too complicated, even though I’d set it all to auto mode f
or her.
I took some pictures of Ruby and Chloe together, and then Chloe complained that she wanted to try out the camera.
“No, baby,” Ruby said quickly. “That camera is much too expensive for kids to use.”
But I shrugged and handed it to Chloe. “I think she’s a big girl. She can handle it.”
Chloe beamed at the praise, then looked down at the camera. “Whoa. This thing is heavy.”
“Just hold it as steady as you can. What do you want to take a picture of?”
“My mommy and daddy,” she said without hesitation. I felt my heart warm, and I gestured to Ruby to come over and sit by me. I put my arm around Ruby, and Chloe took several pictures. She struggled a bit to hold the camera, but she seemed to enjoy the process. I was sure there were going to be a bunch of really blurry photos to delete, but maybe there’d be a few good ones in there. And besides, watching Chloe take pictures was a lot of fun in itself.
Then Chloe stopped and frowned, lowering the camera slightly and looking back and forth between Ruby and me.
“Wait a minute. If you’re my daddy and you’re my mommy, does that mean you two are married?”
Ruby’s face turned beet red, and she hurried to shake her head. But before she could get any words out, I jumped in.
“Not yet.” I said, then pulled back to wink at Ruby. “Not just yet.”
Ruby looked at me in surprise. “What do you mean ‘not yet?’”
Before I could answer, a loud crack of thunder rang out, and then the lights went out. Chloe immediately started whimpering, and Ruby went to grab her. I went to grab a flashlight from the small coffee table in the living room. I’d made sure to have several flashlights and candles on hand, and I was glad of it now. Chloe calmed down a bit as soon as the flashlight was on.
“I think now is as good a time as any to get ready for bed,” Ruby said. Chloe protested a little bit, but not for long. I got the feeling that Ruby was strict with bedtime, and that Chloe knew better than to push her on the issue.
The suite had two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and Ruby headed to the smaller of the bedrooms with Chloe. In no time at all, the little girl was ready for bed and was requesting that I help tuck her in. I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten so lucky that she was so accepting of me, but I wasn’t going to complain. My heart had already grown several sizes larger than I thought possible, and I had a feeling things were only going to get better from here.
“Good night, Chloe,” I whispered.
“Good night, Daddy,” she whispered back.
My heart melted into a complete puddle. But Chloe wasn’t the only one melting my heart. Ruby started singing Chloe a goodnight song, and I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sound of Ruby’s voice. I’d forgotten how beautiful it was, and I wondered once again why she was working as a maid when she had what it took to wow a crowd with her singing.
I asked her as much a few minutes later, when we left Chloe fast asleep in the bedroom.
Ruby rubbed her forehead, as though the question itself gave her a headache. But I wasn’t going to let her off without explaining things to me.
“Really, Ruby,” I said as I lit several candles. “You have so much talent. Why do you sit around and let an awful boss treat you like shit? You could be a star.”
She snorted. “I don’t know if I could be a star. But I will say that I did decide not to let my boss treat me like shit anymore.”
I swung my head around to look at her. Her face glowed in the soft candlelight, and I saw a mixture of fear, happiness, and determination there. “What do you mean?”
“I quit today.”
My eyes widened. “You quit? Just like that?”
“Just like that. I decided to do better for myself, and to set a better example for Chloe. I don’t want her to think that it’s okay to be treated like I was treated as a maid here. So I quit first thing this morning, then went looking for another job. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so easy to find something. But I’ll keep trying. There’ll be something.”
“Ruby, that’s fantastic! Why don’t you start singing? That’s what you always wanted to do, right?”
She shrugged. “Well, yes. That’s what I wanted to do when I was young and had no responsibilities. But I can’t afford to not have an income now. I have Chloe to take care of.”
I shook my head. I wasn’t going to let her give up on her dream just like that. “You can start out small, but you should start. The resort has live singing in its steakhouse every night. Why don’t you see if you can get a gig there? I’ll vouch for you, if you need a hiring reference. And you’ll make plenty of money. As soon as all the resort guests hear your voice, you’re going to get crazy tips. Trust me.”
She blushed so deeply that I could see it even in the candlelight. “I dunno. It seems risky. I need a steady income.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me it’s too risky when you just quit your job with no backup plan.”
“That’s different. It was an extreme situation where my boss was practically abusing me. Besides, speaking of plans, what is your plan for being in Chloe’s life now that she knows you’re her dad? She’s going to be awfully sad and confused when she realizes you’re not actually living with us.”
I took a deep breath. Now was the moment I’d been waiting for, but I felt much less confident than I had when running over the plan in my head earlier today. It didn’t matter how I felt, though. I had to figure out a way to make Ruby see that this would work.
“Why don’t I live with you?”
Ruby paused for a beat, and then her jaw dropped. “What do you mean?”
“Why don’t I live with you in your beach house? We can all squeeze in there until I have time to find us a bigger place here on the island. The point is, why don’t we become a real family, living together and enjoying all the good times together?”
“But what about your life back in New York? Can you run your company from here?”
“Realistically, no. But I don’t care. I’m going to sell my company and move here whether you want to be with me or not. Now that I know about Chloe, I don’t want to miss out on a single minute with her. But I’m hoping that Chloe isn’t the only one who wants to spend time with me once I’m here. I want you, too, Ruby. I came back here to find you again. Chloe was a spectacular bonus, yes. But you were the one calling my heart back to the island. You’re the one who makes this place home for me.”
Ruby chewed on her lower lip, and I could tell she was close to tears again. This day had been a lot for her to take in, but I had to let her know how I felt. I had to let her know that I hadn’t just asked to move in with her because of Chloe. I had fallen in love with Ruby long, long ago. I was kicking myself that it had taken me five years to admit it to myself, but I wasn’t going to waste another minute.
“I would love to be a family,” she finally said, her voice cracking despite her attempts not to cry. “I’ve wanted for so long to be part of a family, and to have Chloe know her daddy. But can I really trust you? Are you sure you won’t come here and then realize after a few months that island life is too slow paced for your liking? It would break my heart if you left. It would break Chloe’s heart if you left.”
I came over to kneel in front of Ruby on the floor in front of the couch where she was sitting. I took her hands in mine and looked at her earnestly. “Ruby, island life is all I’ve thought about for the last five years. I kept pictures of you and of Driftwood Island in my office in New York. Whenever things were stressful with my company, which honestly was quite often, I would dream of escaping here to be with you instead. It was during one of those times last week that I finally made the decision to come here again and see if I could find you. I wanted to see if you’d still have me. I had no idea I had a whole family waiting here for me, but I couldn’t be happier.”
“I wish you’d come sooner.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper. Outside the wind howled and I could hear the rain beatin
g against the windows. But the storm out there was nothing compared to the storm in my heart. I could not lose Ruby now. I would not lose her now. I had to make her see that she was mine, and I was hers. And that I would do whatever it took to make life on this island work.
“I wish I’d come sooner, too. But the important thing is that I’m here now. Give me another chance to love you. This time, I promise I’m not leaving when summer ends. I want to stay here with you forever. I want to build a giant beach house that we can fill with brothers and sisters for Chloe, and then I want to grow old with you in that beach house.”
“But what will you do if you sell your company? Won’t you be bored with no work?”
“I’ll spend lots of time with you and our kids. And I’ll spend lots of time watching your singing career take off. Maybe I’ll turn my photography hobby into a business. It doesn’t matter. The important thing is that we’ll be together. And you’ll never have to worry about Chloe again. She’ll have the best of the best of everything. I’ll make sure of that.”
Ruby finally looked like she was relaxing a little. She gave me a small smile and squeezed one of my hands. “This could actually work, couldn’t it?”
“It will work,” I said. “I promise.”
And then, I couldn’t hold back any longer from kissing her. Her lips looked so perfect there in the soft candlelight. I wanted to kiss them forever. I wanted to hold her close and never let her go.
To my delight, she willingly kissed me back.
Wind howled outside, but I barely heard it anymore. All I could hear was the pounding of my own heart in my chest, telling me that Ruby was mine and I should claim her.
And I had every intention of doing just that.
Chapter Ten
* RUBY *
Everything felt like a dream as Ian lifted me off the couch and carried me in his arms to the suite’s master bedroom. I had never imagined that this night would go the way it had, but I felt so lucky right now.
Chloe knew about her dad, and she was happy about him. I hadn’t even realized how much fear I’d been holding onto about how she would one day react to finding out she did have a dad and that I’d been keeping her from him. Now, all of those worries were gone.
Trusting Him: A Billionaire Beach Island Romance (Billionaires of Driftwood Island Book 5) Page 7