by Ivy Jordan
After about an hour, Kellie intervened, telling Bailey she needed to dry off so she could have lunch. It was obvious she was disappointed, but she obeyed her mother without a squeak. “Will you stay for lunch?” she asked, her big eyes staring up hopefully at me.
“Of course,” I smiled.
Kellie wrapped a fluffy towel around the girl, one twice her size, and walked towards the backdoor. “You can help me get lunch ready,” she offered, turning back to me as she opened the door.
I followed her inside, quickly drying myself with one of the large towels. Bailey ran off to her room to change while Kellie started preparing lunch. “Will you get our plates?” she asked, her eyes moving to the tall cabinet behind me.
I followed her instruction as clearly as Bailey, getting out three plates and setting them on the table. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” she asked.
I chuckled at her question. It was one I’d kept asking myself over and over. But, spending time with Bailey, hearing her sweet little voice, and looking into her giant eyes, I knew I was ready. “Yes,” I smiled.
“Bailey has been asking me about her father for a few weeks now,” Kellie started. “I think it's best we introduce you to her now,” she added.
My heart skipped a beat at the realness of the situation. “Now?” I stammered.
Kellie nodded. Her expression was stern. She knew what was best for the little girl. She was her mother. I was just a man that was intruding into her life, her father.
Bailey ran into the kitchen, climbing up onto the chair beside me as Kellie slid a turkey sandwich onto each of our plates next to a pile of fresh fruit. “Yummy,” Bailey exclaimed, picking up a strawberry and popping it into her mouth.
I was nervous. My stomach ached as I tried to swallow the first bite of the sandwich Kellie made for me. Bailey was already half-way through hers, eagerly popping pieces of fruit in her mouth, planning what to do next between each bite. “Bailey, remember how you asked about your father?” Kellie blurted out without warning. I swallowed hard as Bailey looked up at her mother with excitement.
“Yes, he’s a seal in the ocean,” she giggled.
“He’s a Navy SEAL, not a seal like the ones that swim in the ocean. He was on a boat,” Kellie rolled her eyes in amusement.
“Yes,” Bailey agreed, shoving another strawberry into her mouth.
“Elijah just got back from the boat. He is a Navy SEAL,” Kellie offered as a hint.
Bailey turned to me, her eyes wide. “You’re a SEAL, like my father?” she asked.
My eyes burnt as I fought back tears. “Yes,” I responded.
“Bailey. Elijah spent years on the boat, and didn’t know what was here on the island,” Kellie continued.
Bailey didn’t take her eyes from mine. “He didn’t know about me?” she asked, her voice softening as she began to put together what she was being told.
“No, he didn’t,” Kellie said softly stroking her daughter's hair, my daughter’s hair. My heart overflowed with emotion, an emotion I’d never felt before. I appreciated the way Kellie was handling this, that she was handling it at all. I wouldn’t have been able to tell this little girl that I was her father or explain where I’d been all her life.
“You’re my father?” Bailey asked, still locked with my eyes.
I nodded as a single tear fell down my cheek. Her little arms opened, and she leaped from her chair into my arms. I swallowed hard as her little arms tightened around my neck. I could feel her warm tears falling onto my neck, and her little body shaking with excitement.
Kellie smiled at me warmly, her eyes saying it all. I was a father.
Chapter Thirty
Taylor
I parked in front of Elijah’s house, staring up the walk and to the open front door. He’d sounded so relieved, so happy when he’d call the night before, and my heart swelled with admiration for him as he told me about his visit with Bailey. He didn’t say anything about Kellie, other than she was gracious and he respected her for handling things the way she had. There was no mention of them becoming a family, of him leaving me to make things work with her. I couldn’t have been more relieved.
The front door swung open and Elijah appeared on the porch. “What are you doing?” he called out to me as I opened my car door to get out.
“I’m coming,” I laughed at his eagerness. I pulled the two gallons of pink paint he’d requested I pick up from the backseat. He planned to paint his old bedroom the girlish color, giving it to Bailey for when she stayed.
“You’re really doing this?” I teased, tiptoeing to reach Elijah’s lips for a quick kiss.
“I am,” he beamed, his smile spread wide across his face.
He took the paint from my hands and held the door for me while I walked inside. The place was really coming together nicely. The floors were slick and looked like new, and the cracks and holes all patched in the walls. I giggled as I walked into the kitchen, taking notice of the cabinets, half torn down and sitting outside by the pool. “You’re not keeping anything the same, are ya?”
“Nope, not if I’m staying. This place has to have a new look. I don’t want any old memories haunting me,” he smirked.
“I’m really glad you’re staying,” I admitted.
Elijah sat the paint on the floor and pulled me into his hard chest. His eyes pierced into me, his mischievous grin sparked my arousal, and then his lips pushed into mine. His kiss was passionate, sensual, and warm. His hands held me tight instead of wandering down my ass, and once our lips released, he held me there, just staring into my eyes and saying nothing. Yes, I loved this man. There was no denying my feelings, and I was certain my eyes displayed the truth as he stared into them.
“I better get started on the painting,” I whispered.
Elijah let me slip from his arms, but not his stare. “Thank you for helping me,” he smiled.
“Of course,” I sighed, picking up the paint and walking into the back room.
I knew I’d been silly to worry about Elijah. He was a good man, an honest man, and a loyal man. The way he held me, looked at me, and kissed me, there was no denying he had feelings for me as well. He wanted me here, helping, and becoming a part of his new life. There is no other place I’d rather be.
I opened up the first can of paint and carefully stirred it with the wooden stick. The color was bright, vibrant, and so feminine that it made me laugh thinking about tough Elijah with a little girl in his life. It would certainly soften any of the edges left unsmoothed from his years in the military and unloving childhood.
I poured the paint into the pan and prepared my roller. The first swipe of pink on the white walls was dramatic and instantly brightened the room, as well as my mood. I was looking forward to spending time with Bailey, getting to know her, and hopefully becoming a part of her life.
I could hear Elijah tearing out the remaining cabinets from the kitchen, and I knew he was excited about the overhaul of the old house. Even though he’d cringed at the thought of even spending a night in the house when he first arrived on the island, I knew Bailey was going to turn it back into a home for him.
The doorbell rang as I finished the first coat on the first two walls. I set my paint roller down into the tray of paint and listened for Elijah. The ruckus of tearing out cabinets had silenced, and after a few seconds, I assumed he was out back. I walked out of the room and towards the front door, shocked to see Kellie standing on the front porch. Her long dark hair was perfectly smoothed into a ponytail that flipped over her shoulder to show off the length, while mine was frizzed and probably speckled with pink paint.
I pushed open the door, smiled as I explained Elijah was out back. She walked in, no smile returned, and her expression filled with irritation as she looked me up and down. “Taylor, right?” she asked, the flinch in her voice obvious.
“Yes. I was just helping Elijah paint. He’s so excited,” I tried to lighten her mood without success.
“He’s out back?”
she asked, ignoring my attempt at small talk, and headed through the house.
I was tempted to follow her but decided that privacy was in order for whatever she’d come to say.
I could hear Elijah’s voice, and then Kellie’s high-pitched screeching as it sounded as if she were arguing with him. Suddenly, everything grew silent, so I stepped back into the hall towards the bedroom. It felt like an eternity as I waited for something, anything to happen. Finally, Kellie’s high heels clicked against the smooth floor, threatening to scuff it as she stormed back through the house and out the front door. She turned to me, glaring at me like the devil as she pulled the door shut, hard, behind her.
What has her in such a foul mood? From what Elijah had said, she was gracious and sweet just the day before.
I walked through the house, carefully making my way to the back door. Elijah sat on the back steps, his head buried in his hands. “What was that about?” I asked, stepping outside to comfort him.
Before I could reach out and touch him, he stood, shrugged, and headed towards the red cooler by the pool. “You want a beer?” he asked, pulling two bottles out of the ice.
“Yes,” I agreed, feeling as though whatever had happened would require a drink. “Is everything okay with Bailey?” I asked.
He let out a sigh and sat back down where he’d been before I walked out. I sat down beside him as he handed me the beer. I sipped the cool liquid from the bottle. It wasn’t wine, but it would have to do. Elijah stared down at his shoes, twirling his beer bottle in his hand as he appeared to struggle with whatever he needed to say. “So, Kellie isn’t going to be quite as gracious as I originally thought,” he chuckled nervously.
“I can see that,” I said softly, reaching my arm to his shoulder for support. His muscles were tense and tight. Whatever she’d said, it had him a mess. “What did she stop by for?” I probed, hoping to shine some light on this situation.
“She came by to plan a time to bring Bailey over this week,” he sighed. “But, that isn’t happening now,” he growled, chugging half his beer with one gulp.
“Why? What changed?” I asked.
“Apparently, she thinks it’s a bad idea for me to have another woman in my life,” he groaned.
My stomach flipped as he spoke. I sat my beer on the step next to me, no longer able to swallow the putrid concoction. That’s why she stared at me so hatefully, why she’d been so angry and rude. Fuck, it is me or Bailey, that’s what she was telling him.
“She said she hasn’t had any other men around Bailey, and that it would only confuse her if I were with another woman,” he explained, pushing his head back into his hands. I felt so bad for him, and for me, for us. “Since she told her I just got back from the ship, it would be too much for her to understand that I already shacked up with another woman besides her mother,” he groaned.
He turned and looked at me, his eyes filled with sorrow and confusion. I couldn’t deny that Kellie was right, but I hated to think of what this meant for us. “So, we’ll take it slow,” I offered.
“I told her I’d keep you at a distance when I had Bailey, at least until things were settled. She wouldn’t have it. She said that my distraction with another woman would interfere with Bailey, and if I cared for her, I’d understand that she needed me, without sharing me,” he scoffed.
That part to me was ridiculous. If I wasn’t around Bailey, what difference did it make to Kellie what Elijah did with his spare time? Unless she wants him for herself?
Elijah turned to me, his arms stretched out around me, and his eyes staring into mine. “It doesn’t matter what she wants. She can’t tell me what to do, or who I can have in my life,” he assured me, pulling me into his chest. His tense embrace displayed the stress he was feeling, and I knew that this was bothering him far more than he was letting on. By choosing me, to stay with me, he was risking his relationship with his daughter.
“We’ll figure it out,” I whispered in his ear, stroking his back with my hands. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew it was up to me to figure out the next move. Elijah obviously couldn’t handle more big decisions or changes in his life. He’d reached his limit. “Let’s get this done,” I pulled away from him gently.
His eyes were stricken with grief. I hated to see him hurt so badly. “I don’t feel like dealing with this now,” he sighed.
“It will help take your mind off of it, and besides, it needs to be done,” I urged, standing and reaching for his hand. I pulled him to his feet, slid into his arms, and tiptoed for a kiss. A slight smile emerged on his face, and I could feel the tension starting to loosen his muscles. “It will be fine,” I smirked, reaching behind him and slapping his ass.
“You’re amazing; you know that?” he smiled.
I nodded, and gave him a quick wink before disappearing back into the house. In the room, the pretty pink room, tears rolled down my cheeks as I finished covering the walls. When I finished, I wiped my tears, sucked up my pain, and enjoyed an amazing evening with Elijah. After he grilled steaks, and we took a dip in the pool, he gripped me around the waist and pulled me into him. “Let’s go to bed,” he whispered in my ear.
He’d never stayed in the house since he’d been back. He was finally ready to let go of his old painful memories and start new ones. The realization that I may not be a part of them crushed my soul. I leaned in, let our lips push together and our tongues entangle. I forgot about the future for a moment and just lived in that moment. I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t want to think about it while warm and safe in Elijah’s arms.
Chapter Thirty-One
Elijah
I woke up surprisingly well-rested. I stretched out on the new bed, stared around the freshly painted room that used to belong to my father, and felt at ease, almost an ‘at home’ feeling, but not quite. I rolled over expecting to see Taylor snuggled under the sheets beside me, but the bed was empty.
I sat up and looked around the room for any signs of her clothing, but everything was gone. “Taylor,” I called out as my feet hit the smooth hardwood floors. My voice echoed down the hall in the practically empty house, but I didn’t get a response. In the kitchen, there was a note on the table. I picked it up, rubbed my eyes, and started to read.
Dear Elijah,
I realize things in your world have changed, but they haven’t in mine. I started this sexual relationship with the belief you would be going back to the States, not staying here to make a life and home.
I understand that we have grown close, but it was easy to let go when there was no fear of commitment. This isn’t what I signed up for, and not what I want.
Since this has caused you grief with your new family situation, it’s best we end it now before anyone gets hurt.
Taylor
I let the paper slip from my fingers as I soaked in the words she’d written. It didn’t sound like Taylor, not the Taylor I knew. We had grown close, or at least I had. My heart was aching at the thought of what we had between us being fake, unimportant, and disposable. What the fuck?
My knees buckled slightly beneath me, causing me to grab the chair next to the small table. I sat down, thought about her note, and realized maybe I was just caught up in the game. It was easy, no strings, no pressure. I’d thought about staying and not returning to Miami, especially after that night in the tent. I knew she’d said she loved me, and I’d said it too, even though she didn’t hear it. I never told her I was staying. I never made any arrangements back home with anyone to take care of my place, or possibly put it up for sale. Was I serious about her? Did I love her, or was I just enjoying the comfort of a relationship without the actual commitment?
Anger started boiling inside of me as I thought about the words on her note. Fuck her if she wanted to be that way. Now that I was staying, there was nothing she wanted to explore, no desire at all to maybe find out of we’d work? I didn’t need this shit. Relationships weren’t my thing. I’d said that over and over again. I wasn’t going to let this woman get
under my skin, no matter how much I really liked her.
I gathered my clothes, quickly dressed, and headed out the front door. A part of me wanted to head to Taylor’s, to tell her she was a coward for writing me a note and not telling me to my face. Nah, she doesn’t deserve to have me chasing after her. I used to hate it when women did that to me. Fuck!
I climbed into my car and drove to Kellie’s. I banged on the front door without bothering to use the bell. When she opened it, I took a deep breath and pulled back my anger. I wasn’t happy with her either, making demands on my personal life like she had any fucking right. “I’m here to see Bailey,” I announced firmly.
Her eyes narrowed as she puckered her lips in boredom. “Oh yeah? I thought we discussed that last night,” she sassed.
I could reach out and strangle her little fucking neck. I was in no mood for her games too. I’d been played enough already. “Taylor left me a note this morning; she’s gone,” I snapped. “There’s nothing to worry about; I’m alone just like you wanted.”
My tone had grown to a deep growl, one I could tell Kellie didn’t like. “I’m sorry. I’m just irritated. But, the fact remains, Taylor is out of the picture, never to return. So, it’s just me and Bailey, and I’d like to spend some time with her,” I said much calmer.
Kellie moved out of the doorway and motioned me inside. “She’s just finishing breakfast,” she pointed towards the kitchen.
Before I made it into the room, Bailey was already on her feet and running towards me. Her little hands gripped around my knees with a tight embrace. “Daddy,” she exclaimed cheerfully. That was a name I never imagined being called. Daddy: it did have a nice sound to it coming from Bailey.