“Still…” She mumbled and tears shimmered in her eyes.
“No,” I took her by the shoulders, “don’t blame yourself for any of that, okay? Just be thankful that he’s out of my life now.”
She nodded, sucking in a lungful of air to calm herself. “Well, if he shows up again you let me know.”
“I will, mom.” I hugged her again, even tighter than before. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“We better head back,” I told her. “It’s getting close to Mia’s bedtime.”
“Of course.” She pulled her hair back and secured it with a clip that had been pinned to her sweater.
I found Hayes and my dad in the family room and Mia was curled up in Hayes’ lap with her head rested on his chest, fast asleep. Her mouth was wide open and her drool had left a wet spot on his gray t-shirt, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was lying back on the couch with his arms crossed behind his head while my dad sat in his favorite weathered recliner. The recliner looked like it needed to be tossed in the nearest dumpster—it was ripped in places with stuffing coming out, and dirty, but he refused to get rid of it.
“We need to head home,” I told Hayes, leaning against the archway that led into the living room.
Hayes lowered one of his arms and looked at his watch. “Yep, you’re right.”
He held onto Mia and came into a sitting position before standing. Mia blinked her eyes open briefly before promptly falling back asleep.
Seeing her so content in Hayes’ arms made me smile.
“It was really nice meeting you both.” Hayes nodded at my dad and then my mom. “Next time we’ll have dinner at my house.”
“That sounds lovely.” My mom chimed, completely swooning over my boyfriend.
“Bye, dad.” I bent over to hug my dad, knowing that there was no way in hell he was getting out of his recliner.
“Bye.” He kissed my cheek and hugged me tight. “Visit your old man more often. I’m not getting any younger.”
“Sure thing.” I laughed. “Love you.”
“Love you too, buttercup.”
I hugged my mom goodbye and hurried outside.
Hayes had already put Mia in her car seat and started the car. The vents blew out warm air, which I was thankful for since even in the short time it took me to get from the house to the truck my cheeks and hands had grown cold.
Hayes had turned on the radio and some old rock song played softly out of the speakers.
“That wasn’t too bad,” Hayes chuckled, backing out of the driveway.
“It could’ve definitely been worse,” I agreed. “And by the end there my dad seemed to really like you.”
“It’s impossible not to like me,” Hayes chortled, “I’m a fucking awesome human being.”
I glared at him. “No cussing.” I pointed over my shoulder to the backseat where Mia was.
“Sorry,” he smiled sheepishly, “but she is asleep.”
“No excuses,” I grinned, poking his side.
I was glad that, for the moment at least, we were back to ourselves. I knew my melancholy attitude the past week was driving Hayes insane. At one point I’d heard him mutter to himself, “Fucking PMS always ruining everything.”
I wished my problem was as simple as PMS, but nothing with Todd was ever simple, and I knew that I had to share the note with Hayes tonight. The only person I was protecting by keeping it a secret was Todd and he was the last person who needed to be safe in this scenario.
“What are you thinking about over there?” He questioned, glancing over at me briefly before his eyes drifted back to the road ahead. “You have a wrinkle between your brows that tells me you’re thinking really hard about something. Care to share?”
My plan had been to wait until we got home to tell him, but what was the point in that?
“I figure it’s about time I explain why I’ve been so weird the last week,” I shrugged.
Suddenly, he paled and seemed to choke on his own saliva. “You’re not pregnant are you?”
“What?” I gasped, suppressing a laugh. “No! Of course not.”
“Oh, thank God,” he breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced over at me, even more horrified than he had been a moment ago. “Not that a baby would be a bad thing…I mean, I want kids…someday, not now. I think we already have our hands full.” He tossed his thumb over his shoulder and I smiled at his use of the word we, like Mia was his. “Alright,” he adjusted in the seat, “tell me what’s going on.”
“That day you took me by my house to get my car?” I prompted.
“Yeeeeaaah?” He drew out the word, waving a hand impatiently for me to get to the point.
“There was a note on the counter. A note that hadn’t been there.”
His teeth snapped together with a loud clank. “You have got to be kidding me,” he muttered, shaking his head roughly. “What did it say?”
“ ‘I’ll get what’s mine.’ ” Bile rose up in my throat from having to say the words out loud.
“Todd?”
“It was his handwriting,” I sighed.
I glanced behind me at my sleeping daughter in the backseat. She was so beautiful, and perfect, and sweet, and a million other things, and I’d never forgive myself if Todd used her to hurt me.
“We need to tell the police,” he said, his hands flexing around the steering wheel.
“What are they going to do?” I laughed humorlessly. “He hasn’t done anything physical and we have no solid proof that he’s the one that broke into my house. The fingerprints they found came back without a match, which I figured would be the case.”
“I’m flying Casey and Greg in.” Hayes said forcefully, like he was daring me to contradict him, which of course I did.
“And what are they going to do? They’re your bodyguards, not mine.”
“They do what I tell them,” he countered. “I’m their boss, and if I tell them not to let you and Mia out of their sight that’s what they’re going to do.”
I shook my head and glanced out the window where small flakes of snow swirled around and around in the night sky.
“I hate this,” I muttered to myself, “I hate this whole situation and I hate him for doing this to me. For making me feel scared—and not even scared for myself this time.” I turned back to look at Mia before staring at Hayes’ profile. “I’m terrified of what he might do to her. I know that he wouldn’t think twice about hurting her just to get back at me, and look at her Hayes!” My voice rose with fear. “She’s so small and innocent. She might not be a baby anymore, but to me she is, and I never want her to have the kind of memories I do from what he did to me. I don’t want her to live in fear that every man or boy she meets is going to raise a hand against her.”
“And that’s exactly why Casey and Greg are getting their asses on the first plane I can get them on.” He nodded his head adamantly.
I scrubbed at my face, suddenly completely, and overwhelmingly, exhausted. “This should be a happy time for us,” I sighed, tears stinging my eyes, “we should be basking in our new relationship glow, and I should be excited about Mia’s birthday and Christmas coming up, but instead I have this to deal with.” I clenched my teeth together. “I’m so angry that he’s once again ruining my life. I was so naïve to think he was gone for good.” I shook my head, glaring out the window once more.
Hayes reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly, reassuring me without words that he was here and we could get through this.
I was glad one of us had faith that everything would be okay, because right now I was just done.
By the time we arrived back at his place I was ready to fall over asleep, but I had to get Mia in her pajamas and into bed.
Hayes carried her inside and up to her room.
While I was changing her, because she was too tired to dress on her own, he went downstairs to fix her a glass of water since she’d been waking up the past few nights thirsty.
I lifted her into the
bed and tucked the blankets around her. “Snug as a bug in a rug.” I bent and kissed her forehead as Hayes strolled into the room, placing her cup of water on the nightstand.
“Goodnight, Ms. Mia.” He said, kissing her forehead in the same spot I had.
She blinked sleepily up at us and yawned. “Night, night, Momma. Daddy.”
Beside me Hayes froze.
I was pretty sure he stopped breathing all together.
Mia yawned once more before her eyes closed and I knew she’d fallen back to sleep.
Hayes turned to me slowly, his eyes wide with wonder. His lips were parted with a silent gasp.
“Wow.” He murmured. “That was…wow.” He rubbed at his jaw, stifling a small grin, and I swore tears swam in his eyes. “I didn’t know it would feel like that to hear someone call me daddy,” he admitted as we backed out of her room, and I eased the door partly closed.
“And what does it feel like?” I stretched onto my tiptoes and wrapped my arms around his neck.
“It’s hard to describe,” he admitted, kissing the end of my nose, “but I liken it to that rush I got when I jumped out of a plane one time—like I’m invincible and can take on the world. Like I am someone.”
“You are someone,” I whispered in his ear.
He bent to kiss me softly, his lips lingering against mine. “And now I know it.”
“SO, I’VE BEEN thinking…” Hayes started, trailing his fingers down my bare hip.
“About what?” I snuggled closer to his warmth.
“I know you mentioned wanting to take Mia to Disney sometime and with her birthday and Christmas coming up, I thought maybe we could take her now. I would pay for the trip of course.”
I sat up and my hair swept forward over my chest. My mouth parted with shock.
“That’s expensive, Hayes. You can’t do that.”
“But I want to.” He sat up too and reached out to cup my cheek. “I want to do something special for her.”
My lips turned down into a frown. “I don’t know,” I hedged.
“Please,” he coaxed, nibbling on my chin.
“Hayes,” I groaned, pushing at his shoulders.
“Please.” He said again, this time kissing me on the lips. “Please.” His lips grazed the shell of my ear. “Don’t you want to make a little girl’s dreams come true?”
“Of course I do.”
“Please, Arden. I want to do this, so let me.”
“Ugh,” I groaned as his lips trailed down my neck, “fine,” I relinquished. Pouting, I added, “You don’t fight fair.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” He winked, climbing from the bed and pulling on his boxers. He padded into the bathroom and turned around. He reached up and grabbed ahold of the frame above the doorway and the muscles in his arms flexed. “Oh, Greg and Casey are flying in this afternoon, so don’t complain when they watch your every move.” He warned, staring at me with narrowed eyes.
I sighed. I wasn’t thrilled at the thought of being tailed by Hayes’ bodyguards, but I knew at this point their protection was necessary.
“Oh and one other thing…” He tapped his fingers against the top of the doorframe. “I know it’s last minute but the guys and all the girls are going to the Winter Festival in town tomorrow evening and they asked if we’d want to go.”
I wrinkled my nose with distaste. “I’m not really in the mood for socializing.”
Hayes snapped his fingers together. “And that is why I said yes.”
I flopped back on the bed and tossed an arm over my face. “Won’t you get mobbed?”
“People are pretty chill around here. I mean, yeah, I’m sure people will ask for pictures, but it’s never gotten too crazy.”
“This feels like a very bad idea.” I lowered my arm and turned to look at him.
He ran his fingers through his messy hair before standing with his hands poised on his slender hips. “We need to get out and have fun. All this shit lately with Todd has been taking a toll on both of us, heck even Mia. She certainly hasn’t been her normal bubbly self.”
“Ugh, you’re right.” I finally agreed.
He grinned and his whole smile transformed his face, somehow making him look younger and softer. “I’m always right.”
“I hate you.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Love you too, babe,” he said as he closed the door, “Love. You. Too.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” My voice shook with nerves as Hayes scanned his laptop for flights to Orlando.
“Absolutely. Stop asking me that.” He found what he was looking for and bought the tickets on the spot.
He’d already booked the hotel and bought the Disney park passes.
Once Hayes made a decision he didn’t mess around. That thought made me smile because he’d done the same way with me when he knew he wanted more.
“She’s going to be so excited.” Hayes smiled widely. “I can’t wait to see the look on her face when we tell her.”
We were going to be leaving next week, so we’d be at Disney for Mia’s birthday on the fourteenth, but home in time for Christmas because we knew there was no way either of our parents would forgive us if we weren’t home for the holidays.
“She’s going to scream—in a good way.” I laughed.
Hayes grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into his lap. He nuzzled his head against my neck and I squealed, kicking my legs, when I felt his wet tongue swipe against my skin.
“Please, for the love of my sanity, don’t forget I’m in here.” Greg fake-gagged and held up a hand to block his eyes.
“Don’t be a baby.” Hayes chuckled.
Greg lowered his hand and Hayes seized the opportunity to basically shove his tongue down my throat to piss off his bodyguard.
“I liked you better when you were single.” Greg grumbled, hiding his eyes once more.
“That’s a lie and you know it.” Hayes smoothed down my hair where he’d mused it. “You love me at all times. I’m irresistible to both males and females.”
“You’re a cocky asshole.”
“Hey!” Hayes scolded with a raised finger. “If I’m not allowed to cuss in my own house then neither are you.”
Greg huffed a breath. “I don’t get paid enough for this.”
“Ignore him,” Hayes told me, sweeping his lips against mine in a gesture so light it couldn’t even be called a kiss, “he’s just jealous that he’s single.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Greg grumbled.
Kissing Hayes on the cheek, I disentangled myself from his arms. “I better go relieve Casey of babysitting duties. Besides, we need to get ready to meet everyone at the festival.”
“You’re right,” Hayes agreed, shutting his laptop. He stood and stretched his arms above his head. “I’m going to go shower.”
I found Mia in the family room where I’d left her with Casey. Casey was being a good sport and watching Pocahontas with her.
“Momma!” Mia cried excitedly when she saw me and began to tell me everything I’d missed in the movie while I was gone.
“That’s great, baby girl.” I ruffled her hair and bent to kiss her forehead. “Do you want to go out in the outfit you have on, or wear a dress?”
“Dress!” She cried enthusiastically. I wasn’t one bit surprised.
I took her hand and led her upstairs to the room she’d claimed as hers. In the short time we’d been here the room had exploded with stuffed animals and dolls everywhere. It was safe to say that Hayes liked to spoil Mia.
Mia hopped up on the chair in the corner while I pulled two dresses from the closet.
“Which one?” I held each up for her inspection.
She tapped her lip with her index finger like she was thinking long and hard about this decision. “Da blue one!”
I put the other dress away and grabbed a pair of black tights and her shiny black shoes. I helped her into the tights and she giggled when she kept tripping over her own two feet.
With another giggle she finally stayed still long enough for me to finish putting her tights on and pull the dress over the top of her head. It fell to the tops of her knobby knees and had long sleeves with black polka dots.
I led her into the bathroom and lifted her onto the counter so I could brush her teeth and then her hair before braiding it in two pig-tails—her signature style.
She turned to look at herself in the mirror and smiled as she stroked the ends of her hair. “I’m bootiful.”
I laughed and kissed her forehead before helping her down. “Yes, you are.” I agreed.
Once her feet touched the floor she went running out of the room and I heard her shoes clap against the stairs.
“Cwasey!” She called and I shook my head.
Poor Casey. She wouldn’t leave the guy alone.
I headed down the hall to Hayes’ room so that I could change. I didn’t think my leggings and thin t-shirt would be acceptable with the suddenly frigid weather.
Hayes stepped out of the bathroom as I was closing the bedroom door and I stopped in my tracks, letting my eyes roam over him from head to toe.
He looked completely fuckable—he always did—but suddenly, I was overcome with the fact that he was mine.
He was my guy.
The one I woke up thinking about and fell asleep looking at.
The one that stirred butterflies in my stomach every time he smiled in my direction.
“You’re looking at me funny,” he frowned, “did I miss a spot?” He rubbed at his freshly shaven face.
I stepped closer to him and stretched onto my toes to wrap my arms around his neck. “Nothing’s wrong,” I assured him, kissing his chin, “I was just thinking about how good it is to love you.”
His blue eyes sparkled with excitement. He wrapped an arm around my waist and lowered his head to kiss me. His tongue pressed against my lips and my mouth parted with a gasp.
Once I was breathless he pulled away with a pleased smirk.
With a chuckle, he pinched my butt and let me go. “You know,” he said as he started towards the bedroom door, “I used to make fun of the guys for being such saps when it came to their girls and now look at me. I’m the worst one of the four of us.”
Take A Chance Page 21