by Lisa Worrall
Aiden couldn’t help chuckling at the expression on Kaylee’s face. “Like the Little Mermaid?” His daughter was practically vibrating in her Nikes with excitement.
“Exactly,” Chris nodded. “You clearly know your princesses. But you have to keep her name a secret.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “We don’t want them over at the ‘other’ park finding out we stole one of their names.”
“I promise,” Kaylee drew a cross over her heart with a tiny forefinger and then held her pinkie out to Chris. “Pinkie promise.”
Chris linked his finger with hers and shook it solemnly. “I see you know the code. I like that. Alright, come on, follow me.”
Aiden had to give the guy his due. He may look like he should be blazing up a dooby and passing round the bong, but he had a natural ease with children. Kaylee already looked at him as though he were her new hero, not that that didn’t burn just a little—but since he’d had Chris’s best friend locked up in a cell for attempted kidnapping, he’d let it go this once.
Chris led them through a set of double doors which took them out into the sunshine and three more pools. Aiden and Kaylee followed him past two smaller pools, and toward the larger pool behind the arena. As they drew closer it was Aiden’s turn to gasp when Finn Thomas climbed out of the water and shook a mop of dark hair, sending glistening droplets in every direction.
Aiden blinked, certain for a split-second that the man was moving in slow motion. He was sure the guy he’d slammed into the ground yesterday hadn’t looked like two hundred pounds of pretty. Hadn’t that Finn Thomas had beady eyes and a hook nose like the child-catcher from a fairy story? And he’d definitely missed that firm, rounded ass currently being hugged by the wetsuit Finn wore. Shit! He inwardly cursed as they came to a stop beside the pool. He could have begged forgiveness from beady-eyed, hook-nosed Finn Thomas, but how the hell was he supposed to apologize to this Finn Thomas without drooling all over him?
V
Finn pushed his hair back from his face and strode over to the toy basket. Ariel was feeling rambunctious today and he was having difficulty keeping her focused. Not that he could blame her. He’d rather play, too. The sun’s rays were hot on his back, drying his wet suit. The weather girl had predicted a steady sixty five degrees today and she hadn’t been wrong.
Getting out of bed had been the last thing he wanted to do this morning, but he’d agreed to help out with Ariel’s training before yesterday’s incident. Mario, who looked after the dolphins, had begged Finn to cover for him so he could attend his annual family reunion. Finn knew from experience the sadness of not seeing your family as regularly as one would like, so he was only too happy to agree. Of course, that had been before he’d spent the longest nine hours of his life locked in a jail cell with a fidgety crack addict and a drunken biker.
He’d spent an unsettled night tossing and turning in his bed, finally getting up at the ass-crack of dawn. After another scalding shower where he scrubbed at his skin until it was sore, he’d made himself a thermos of strong coffee and headed to the park.
His friend and colleague, Katie, had found him sitting on the benches watching the dolphins frolicking in the show pool. Finn smiled to himself as he rummaged through the plastic rings, floats and balls in the plastic chest. She’d clacked her way down the stone steps in her high heels and sat down. He’d leaned into her when she simply curled her fingers around his and laid her head on his shoulder. They’d sat there like that, neither saying a word until it was time to start work. Finn had been grateful for both her comfort and her silence. He’d met Katie his first day on the job and they’d clicked immediately. In fact it had been to Katie that he’d planned on taking Kaylee yesterday before the shit hit the fan and he’d hit the dirt.
“Finn, you got company!”
Starting at the sound of Chris’s voice, Finn turned on his heel. His stomach sank when he registered the man beside Chris was none other than Aiden Reid. Crap! What the hell did the man want now? He had to hold that thought as an excited bundle of arms and legs hit him just above his knees.
“Finn! ‘Member me?”
Finn disentangled himself and then crouched down in front of the little girl. He tapped his chin and exaggerated a frown, taking great care to look her over as he pretended to search for her name. “Hmm, let me think,” he said, drawing out the last word. “I got it! Frank.” His eyes widened when she giggled and shook her head, soft brown hair falling around her heart-shaped face. “Not Frank? I could’ve sworn you. Okay, give me a minute. Not Frank. Hmm, Petie? Mollie… Petunia?” Kaylee’s laugh escalated after each failed suggestion and even he had to admit that Petunia was probably pushing it. “Can you give me a clue?”
“My daddy called you a bad word!”
Finn heard ‘Daddy’s’ intake of breath and Chris’s not so well-covered snort at Kaylee’s completely innocent, but unfortunately accurate, turn of phrase. He slapped his hand to his forehead. “Oh yes, I remember now. Did I ever tell you Kaylee is my favorite name?”
“Yep.” Kaylee smiled brightly and took his hand. “Come on, Daddy wants to polerguise.”
“Does he now?” Finn couldn’t quite keep the sarcasm out of his tone.
“And this is for you.”
Finn took the stuffed Monty from the little girl and let’s just say the irony was not lost on him. “Thank you, Kaylee. I’ll make sure he gets pride of place at home.” He let her lead him by the hand to where her father fidgeted beside Chris, shifting his weight from one foot to the other in a nervous manner.
Selfish satisfaction curled its fingers around his gut. Good. He should be nervous. Sure, the good manners his mama taught him were desperately trying to remind him the man had been driven by panic. He’d thought his daughter was being stolen, for God’s sake. If Finn had been in his shoes, wouldn’t he have reacted the same?
Then there was the part of him driven by his own panic. The panic that had him sitting in a cell for nine hours with Twitchy the crack-addict and Biffo the bear who had been way too interested in finding out if Finn’s ass was as firm as it looked. The part that wanted to shake the stupid asshole in front of him and demand exactly how many different kinds of idiot thought someone clearly an employee of the park was a friggin’ kidnapper?
It was just a series of unfortunate events, like that Lemony Snicket dude. Finn drop-kicked his inner voice’s attempt at reason through some goal posts in his head and politely suggested it go fuck itself.
“Hey,” Aiden Reid said sheepishly.
“Mr. Reid,” Finn replied politely, letting go of Kaylee’s hand and folding his arms across his chest. If he thought Finn was going to make this easy for him, he was sorely mistaken. It would take more than a Monty, that was for damn sure. The man’s gaze flitted to his and away, but Finn refused to stop eyeballing him. He didn’t particularly care if he was making the asshole uncomfortable. Or if his eyes were the same shade of green as his daughter’s. What the hell has that got to do with anything? Finn admonished himself and mentally scratched the thought.
Before the pregnant silence between them became even heavier, Chris cleared his throat. Finn glared at him.
“Kaylee, honey,” Chris said with an easy smile. “Why don’t we see if Ariel wants to play while Daddy and Finn talk?”
Finn, immediately contrite, tossed Chris a grateful smile. His friend was right, the little girl shouldn’t be a witness to this discussion. When the two of them were out of earshot, Finn raised an eyebrow and his tone was heavily laced with sarcasm as he said, “Did you plan on saying anything, or did you just drive over here to see if you could have me arrested for something else? Wearing a wetsuit on Sunday perhaps? Running poolside? Would you like me to throw some balls into the pool so you can have me charged with dolphin abuse?”
“Look, Finn—”
“Mr. Thomas.”
“Look, Mr. Thomas.” Flushing, Aiden nodded at Finn’s correction, and Finn felt a flash of guilt. “I know you’re angry and you have every rig
ht to be. I came here to apologize for my behavior and…”
“And?” Finn prodded when he paused.
“And for having you arrested. I’m really, really sorry.”
Was that it? Finn couldn’t believe the gall of the man. Was that really it? Seriously? Glancing over his shoulder to make sure Kaylee couldn’t hear them, Finn took a step closer to Aiden and lowered his voice. “I think you’re forgetting calling me a pedophile, humiliating me in front of half the park, assaulting me.” Finn ticked them off on his fingers as his anger boiled over. “And scaring the crap out of your kid while you were sitting on my ass!”
“I’m sorry,” Aiden replied, reaching toward the discoloration on Finn’s cheek, then snatching his hand back as though he suddenly realized what he was doing. “So sorry.”
“Thank you for your apology, Mr. Reid,” Finn snarled, oddly disappointed that the man’s fingers hadn’t completed their journey. “But you can take it and shove it where the sun don’t shine.” Finn spun on his heel but was stilled by the warm touch on his forearm.
“Finn, wait. I mean, Mr. Thomas, please wait.” Finn turned to meet Aiden’s now imploring gaze. “I am truly sorry for what happened. Is there any way I can make it up to you?”
Yanking his arm from the light grasp, Finn snorted loudly and stomped away, his bare feet slapping on the tile. Make it up? What is this guy on? Whatever it is must be good shit, because he’s fucking delusional.
“Please don’t press charges! I’m a single parent. An investment banker. It would kill my career!”
Finn paused mid-step and turned around. So that’s it. He came to suck up to make sure I didn’t have him arrested. What a fucking asshole! He shook his head in stunned amazement and huffed out a joyless laugh. “You, Mr. Reid, are unbelievable.” Leaving the man with that parting shot, Finn dived into the pool—hoping Aiden Reid took the hint and was gone when he surfaced.
No such luck.
Breaking the water, Finn drew in a lungful of fresh air and shook the hair from his eyes—then wished he hadn’t. He heard Kaylee’s scream followed by a splash, then stared in disbelief when Aiden Reid surfaced a few feet from him. What the fuck? Finn hoped he only thought it, but he wasn’t so sure. Then the man disappeared beneath the water again and came up spluttering.
“I can’t… swim!” Aiden coughed convulsively and dipped below the water again.
“Jesus!” Finn hissed and swam quickly toward Aiden. He grabbed the man around the chest as he came up for the third time and pulled him to the side. Turning Aiden’s back to the wall, Finn put his hands either side of him and caged Aiden in. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he demanded, vibrating with anger or frustration, he wasn’t sure which. “What did you dive in for? This ain’t the kids pool, you idiot!”
“I figured—” Aiden paused as he was overcome by another coughing fit. “It’d show you I’m really sorry.”
“You figured drowning would convince me you were sorry?” Finn echoed. “Are you high? Do you have a white jacket that ties at the back? There is something seriously wrong with you.”
“Please forgive me,” Aiden pleaded. “You couldn’t possibly make me feel any worse than I do now. I’ll buy you dinner, wash your car, mow your lawn, anything… Please?”
“He can kiss you, too, if you want,” Kaylee said excitedly. “He used to kiss Sam a lot.”
Finn’s gaze met Aiden’s and he couldn’t hold back his amusement at Aiden’s obvious discomfort. The man practically squirmed inside his skin. “Is that so?”
“Kaylee, honey,” Aiden said, glancing up at his daughter. “Could you keep some personal information to yourself? Is my shoe size next?”
Finn knew the question was rhetorical, but someone forgot to tell Kaylee as she replied brightly, “He’s a ten like me. The big ten, I mean. He doesn’t wear my shoes.”
“Maybe you could just let me drown before she says anything else,” Aiden mumbled.
“I don’t think so.” Finn smiled. “I’m enjoying this way too much.”
“Does that mean I’m forgiven?”
Finn gazed at Aiden’s hopeful, albeit damp, expression and sighed heavily. “I’m not sure,” he replied honestly. “I’m still angry, but I am losing the desire to throw you in the gator pit. Not that I can guarantee how long that’ll last.” Aiden smiled and Finn felt slightly breathless at how his entire face lit up, and gold flecks appeared amongst the green of his eyes.
“Does that mean you’ll let me buy you dinner tonight?” Aiden asked, tilting his head. “Kaylee and me were thinking pizza.”
Before he could respond, Finn was nudged in the back and pushed against Aiden. The cold snout in his ear told him Bubbles had decided to interfere in the proceedings, the look in her eye saying ‘Why the hell not?’
Finn shook his head slowly, more at himself than Aiden. He should be calling the cops, not accepting a free meal. Yet something in those green eyes had created a warmth in the pit of his stomach. A warmth he wasn’t completely against investigating. Huffing out a sigh, Finn nodded.
“Okay. I must be nuts, but okay.” He grinned as Kaylee squealed happily, and hauled himself out of the pool. Bending down, he held his hand out to Aiden and between them, he and Chris pulled him out. “Pizza it is,” Finn said. “And make sure you bring your schedule with you.”
“My schedule?” Aiden queried, confusion in his eyes.
“Yeah. So you can work out when you’re going to wash my car and mow my lawn.”
I
Finn stepped into the shower and sighed contentedly as the warmth of the cascading water seeped into his aching shoulders. He’d swear he’d lifted at least a hundred kids today, all chanting Monty at the top of their voices, and demanding to be held high in his arms. The muscles across his back throbbed in complaint as he rubbed shampoo into his hair. He ignored the discomfort and turned his thoughts to the evening ahead—his first date with Aiden. Well, when he said first date, he meant first date that wouldn’t have a height requirement, or the word pizza on the menu.
In the last month they’d spent a lot of time together… all three of them. Not that being a trio was a problem, far from it. Kaylee was the sweetest kid he’d ever met. Considering her age, her vocabulary was wide and varied and she would often have him and Aiden in stitches with her nonsensical anecdotes. With that butter wouldn’t melt smile and those big green eyes, she had her father wrapped around her little finger, and Aiden knew it. If Finn was pressed for an answer, he’d have to admit that she may already have him wrapped around the other one.
Finn rinsed his hair and then washed it again. Being inside his alter-ego’s suit all day left him hot, sweaty and a little less than fresh. Although he’d showered at the park before he left, the last thing he wanted was for Aiden to get a whiff of Monty instead of Finn. He smiled as Aiden’s face swam behind his closed lids. Soft honey-blond hair, full lips, green eyes that sparkled with laughter and adoration for his daughter that shone from every pore. Aiden had a gentleness about him so different from the rough and ready type he usually dated that Finn couldn’t help but be intrigued by him.
Their meeting had definitely been less than conventional and the last thing on Finn’s mind as his face was pressed into the concrete was whether or not he found Aiden attractive. He’d been too busy being angry about spending time in a cell at the police station with Biff the hairy biker to really look at him. Then there was having to save Aiden’s crazy ass when he’d jumped into the dolphin pool in an attempt to prove his remorse—not bothering to point out he couldn’t swim until he’d sunk below the surface for the second time.
Then what was supposed to be one apology pizza, had turned into another, then a private tour behind the scenes of the park, followed by a picnic on the beach while Kaylee frolicked in the sand. As Finn got to know Aiden the father, he found himself wanting to know more and more about Aiden the man. When he’d suggested an evening together, Aiden hadn’t hesitated in his acceptance, so Finn hoped
he felt the same, and that tonight they’d be able to hold a conversation without Kaylee to help keep it flowing.
Satisfied he’d “de-Montied” himself; Finn turned off the shower and grabbed a towel off the rack. Rubbing his hair vigorously, he then wrapped the towel around his waist and padded down the hall to his bedroom. Even after three years in LA, he missed his own bathroom back home. The apartment Chris and he shared was not exactly spacious—more like a box with smaller boxes shoved into it—but the best they could afford on their combined salaries. Finn had learned very quickly to close his eyes to some of the atrocities Chris committed in their bathroom, although he’d drawn the line at the suspicious looking plant on the windowsill—medicinal, yeah, right.
Kicking his bedroom door closed behind him, Finn wandered over to his closet and pulled the string to turn on the single bulb inside. “What the hell am I gonna wear?” he mumbled to himself as he scanned the contents.
“How many times do I have to tell you talking to yourself ain’t a good sign, dude?”
Finn glanced over his shoulder at Chris leaning in the now open doorway, a large bag of Doritos in his hands. “How many times do I have to tell you to knock?” he countered, pushing aside hangers and frowning at his wardrobe, which suddenly seemed woefully inadequate.
“Mi casa is su casa, my friend.” Chris loped into the room and threw himself down on the bed. “Choosing a dress for the big date? I don’t think you need clothes for what you’ve got in mind.”
“Fuck off,” Finn said, reflexively. “This isn’t a Saturday night hook-up. It’s two grown-ups with a mutual attraction having a nice quiet dinner, and learning more about each other in a civilized manner. Not that I’d expect you to understand the concept since your brain never left puberty.”
“I am crushed by your harsh and insensitive attack on my character,” Andy gasped, mock affronted, although Finn noticed he didn’t bother denying the harsh and insensitive attack on his character. “Where are you taking him?”