by Rose Harris
****
Six thirty and Jace finally made it. His normally quiet home now bustled with activity. Entering from the door of the garage that led into his kitchen, he watched Ashlyn as she sat in her pink booster seat, spaghetti covering her mouth and chin. Squashed remnants of noodles hung from the edge of the table and chair.
Ava stood at the sink rinsing a dishrag with a harried expression that seemed strange since she normally looked so serene. She must have had a bad day.
I think I can make her feel better.
Taking one step into the room, he stopped short when Ashlyn cried out, “Daddy.”
Stunned by the greeting, he stopped in his tracks. Glancing at an embarrassed Ava and then to the excited spaghetti covered princess, Jace had the feeling of truly coming home and being where he belonged for the first time in a long while.
Going directly to the precocious toddler, he dropped a kiss on the outstretched hand that was eagerly reaching for him and tasted wonderful marinara sauce. “Hey, pretty girl. You taste almost as sweet as you look.”
The giggles that escaped the pint-sized angel warmed his heart.
He turned toward a startled Ava. “I always thought you fed kids through their mouths. If you throw that dishrag over, I’ll wipe her off.”
The words she wanted to say obviously were struggling to get out, but after a moment of stumbling around herself, she responded, “I can get her. I’m sure you’ve had a long day.”
“So have you, and I’ve got no problem helping out.” Watching her approach with the striped dishtowel in one hand and a plate of spaghetti in the other, she looked more like the help than the woman he was going to marry.
Marry? What the hell are you thinking? You just realized you love her.
The image of her wearing a wedding dress walking toward him in the church had him stammering. “You haven’t eaten yet?”
Holding out the plate of spaghetti, she met his gaze with amusement. “Do you really think I could eat this much? This is for you. I kept a plate warming in the oven.”
Damn this is the perfect woman.
“You don’t have to cook for me, but I appreciate it.” He took the plate with a mountain of spaghetti and meatballs that smelled of oregano and garlic. A golden brown slice of garlic bread lay across the side of the plate with a smattering of butter.
He dropped down in the chair at the table and dug into his home-cooked meal, while watching as Ava wiped off his sleepy girl.
His girl: that sounds good.
“I can clean up the kitchen, while you give her a bath,” Jace suggested.
“Deal. I have a lot of work to get done tonight.” Ava lifted the marginally cleaner Ashlyn, putting her down but holding on to her little hand. “You had quite a few calls this afternoon. I wrote them all down on a pad of paper from your office and left them in the family room.” The hesitancy in her voice had him worried.
“Anything that seemed important?”
“You got a call from Carmen and some other women who were calling to offer you a better option than the homely girl you were caught kissing.” The way she avoided his eyes proved, no matter how flippant she acted, the rude comments had hurt her feelings.
Jace reached out to her; he pulled her and Ashlyn both to his lap, wrapping a protective arm around her waist and resting his hand on Ashlyn’s tiny back. He nuzzled her cheek, and when she refused to look at him, he gently turned her face so he could make sure she understood what he was about to say.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Anyone who would make any comment about you in a derogatory manner is just jealous. You’re one hot mama.” The hint of a smile that curved the corners of her mouth made his troubles disappear. He did the only thing he could think of, he leaned in and kissed her tender lips.
The tiny hand that patted his head caused a laugh to escape. The moment for a long and lingering kiss was not now, and with a promise of more to come, he pulled back. Brushing the wet curls that covered the toddler’s head, he called her a spoilsport and urged her to get used to it. He planned on kissing her mama for a long time.
“I know you think I was upset about the rude comments, and I was at first, but the truth is no matter what happens between me and you, you’ve given me more than I deserve.”
“You’re my woman, and you will have anything and everything you want within my power.”
“All right, Hercules, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t need anything from you. Except…”
“Except what?”
“Can I set up Ashlyn’s portable bed in another spare room? I think the reason she keeps waking up so much at night is because she’s used to her own room. I’ve noticed she doesn’t budge until I go in and settle in bed.”
“My house is your house. You could always share my room.” Jace wiggled his eyebrows and sent her his legendary boyish grin.
“Not on your life. I may have been easy last night, but I’m not willing to share your bed nightly.”
He would have been upset by her words had she not delivered them with her velvet hand on his cheek and a gently placed kiss on his lips as a departure.
From the moment she stood and walked toward the door, Jace felt lonely.
Dude, she’s only going upstairs.
Disappointed in himself for his girly reaction, he finished his spaghetti before cleaning up the kitchen.
****
Ashlyn settled into the guest room beside hers, the transition easier than Ava thought. The moment she laid the little girl down in the playpen, she stuck her right thumb in her mouth and began to fall to sleep.
Ava left the door slightly ajar so she could check on her a little later without waking her, and she tiptoed out. Entering her own room, Ava felt restlessness unfamiliar to her. Having always been eager to complete her homework before, now it felt like a meaningless chore. The fact was she had taught a group of children the importance of books today, and watching the expression of joy and relief on the tiny faces as they discovered the wide and wonderful world of reading had given her a sense of peace and importance she wasn’t getting out of textbooks.
The reality was in only a few short weeks she would be a college graduate and that alone had her stretching across the bed to finish the last of her assignment so she could forward it to her professor.
Unfortunately, her mind wasn’t on schoolwork but on the call she’d received from Cal Johnson, Jace’s biological father. The man sounded exactly like Jace; the timbre of his voice was identical, and the way he casually answered had her confused when she’d picked up the phone.
She didn’t have the guts to tell Jace about the message when she’d told him about his harem of girls who had called. The truth was she didn’t want to burst the bubble of domesticity that had surrounded them. When Ashlyn had blurted out “Daddy,” you could have knocked Ava over with a feather. What she couldn’t have expected was Jace’s casual acceptance of the title.
Actually, the boyish grin that crossed his face was one of happiness and longing.
I just have to figure out if this is something he truly wants, or if it is just because we’re here.
The image played out in her mind, as the thought of leaving him broke a tiny piece of her heart.
With a shake of her head to remove all bad thoughts from her mind, Ava got down to business and finished her last assignment for her professor. She would be free from homework for the next week and a half, and she couldn’t have been happier. Finally being able to hit send was exhilarating.
Ava slipped out of her room and headed toward the kitchen for the bowl of ice cream that was calling her name. She almost missed Jace pacing in his office.
She watched him from the dark corridor as he passed in front of his desk over and over; she recognized the fact he’d read all of his messages. Not understanding why yet another call from his biological father would cause such a nervous reaction, Ava blindly headed into his office.
She stepped into the room with t
he shiny wooden floors that surrounded an Oriental rug in deep blue and green. The walnut desk shone as if spotlights had been placed on it from the frequent waxing it received. The housekeeper made the office look untouched. Ava hesitated when he turned her way with hatred etched across his face. With her eyes attuned to the stress and anger that emitted from him, Ava considered backing out, but it was obvious he needed someone, whether he knew it or not.
So that she didn’t disturb the solitude he had cloaked around him, she spoke quietly. “Jace, are you all right?”
“What?” he practically shouted in the still room.
Stunned by his harsh voice, she braced herself against his attitude and controlled her own temper before responding. “I saw you in here and thought you might want to talk.”
“Yeah, that’s what I want to do with you…talk.” Turning cold, hard eyes toward her, he continued, “You prance around my house with your shorts and tank tops and expect me to think about anything but fucking you. I don’t think so. Your body screams fuck me, more often than some women in porn.” The words that came from him were mean, almost as if he wanted to hurt her.
Disappointment filled her, and she turned abruptly to leave him the way she found him. She got all the way to the door before she whipped around. “Stop being such an asshole. I came in here to ask if you wanted to talk, but as far as I’m concerned, you can kiss my ass.”
“Yeah, just like you talked to Cal. I just got off the phone with him, and he told me a sexy young chick answered my phone…”
His accusatory tone had her standing partially in the room with her mouth gaped open. She’d only taken a message, but before she could speak coherently with her jumbled emotions, he continued his tirade about being used by people.
“Every-fucking-body wants something from me. Coach wants another ten yards. Alex and Chris want perfect fucking throws. Mom expects me to be a fucking saint, and now I have to wait another fucking week for my life to get back to normal.”
He ranted and raved about people she’d never heard of, events that made no sense, and when he finally turned to her, Ava was sure he wasn’t really looking at her. “That bitch cancelled her appointment again. She didn’t make another one until late next week.”
He’s not mad at me. He’s mad at the situation.
The realization his anger should be directed at someone else entirely helped ease some of the hurt she’d experienced by his words. When he walked up to her and looked deep into her eyes, Ava was convinced he was going to ask for forgiveness, but nothing could have been further from the truth.
Eyes the color of blue of turbulent waves during a hurricane bore into her with disgust.
“Don’t look at me like you can fix me. You’re no better than that tramp accusing me of fathering her kid. You both are using your children to try and get a piece of me.”
The pain that coursed through her body was excruciating, and she honestly didn’t know how she was able to continue to stare at the only person in the world who could hurt her so deeply. The anguish on his face meant nothing to her. His repulsive words continued to sink in.
Ava watched him closely. She witnessed the moment he realized what he’d said, but before she could allow him to apologize, if he even wanted to, she did something she never thought she’d ever do to him. She walked out and sent a one-finger salute. She couldn’t even bring herself to speak.
Chapter Nineteen
The pounding on her door continued for several minutes, before it turned to gentle knocking for another hour. Lying in her bed, Ava contemplated leaving and going to stay at a hotel for the remainder of her two weeks, but the reality that the paparazzi continued to stalk the gates and would have access to Ashlyn was the deciding factor against her plan. No matter how upset she got with Jace, Ashlyn came first.
Time passed quickly, and when she noticed the midnight hour approached, she came to the decision to go home over the weekend. She and Ashlyn would leave right after school Friday and wouldn’t return until late Sunday night before her interview. The long trip would tire out the baby, but she needed the separation from Jace.
Jace’s accusations had hurt more than she ever wanted to admit, not because they weren’t true, but because they were. She really wasn’t better than Felicia Frampton; the only thing separating them was she’d continued to keep her secret. Now Ava didn’t know if she ever wanted to tell him. But their families knew.
What are you going to do about them?
With her decision made, sleep came quickly, but not soundly. She fell asleep with damp cheeks, a moist pillow and fitful dreams.
Nightmares kept Ava from resting the entire night, and when Ashlyn’s wakeup call came earlier and more unexpectedly than she would have liked, she realized life went on. She had only three days to get through before she could head home.
Luckily, Jace had left before she’d come downstairs for the day, and she was able to sneak out without a confrontation. Slipping a pink jacket on Ashlyn, she walked out into the garage to notice her car wasn’t in the spot it had occupied before.
Confusion and aggravation at having to deal with a missing car wasn’t something she had time for, and with the possibility of being late for work, Ava made the decision to deal with her car later. How far could it have gone? It was in a locked garage in a gated community. Jace probably moved it.
Ashlyn slipped willingly into the car seat in the Escalade. Making sure she buckled her securely first, Ava shut the door gently. When she got in, she tossed Ashlyn’s bag and her own purse into the passenger seat.
****
It was as if her day was destined to be shitty. A blue car stalked her every turn, she ran a red light trying to drop the tailgater, and a cop pulled her over.
The officer thankfully only gave her a warning, once she explained the circumstances. The request for Jace’s autograph had surprised her. Once she agreed to get it for him, he’d actually turned pleasant, and she noticed he followed her from a safe distance until she’d reached the school.
Luckily, she hadn’t been late for work, but with a case of strep throat going around the class, she’d spent most of the day carting whiny children back and forth to the school nurse.
The group she normally worked with was cut down from seven to two, and Ms. Hawkins had her working with some of the other more highly strung children. The stress of the day had her contemplating the intelligence of her decision to become a teacher. The only thing that convinced her it was the right choice was when one of the more rambunctious students thanked her at the end of the day for helping; his unexpected hug did wonders to her fragile psyche.
On her way home, she pulled into a Pizza Hut and picked up a medium pizza she could share with her daughter. Purposefully putting black olives on the pie was spiteful, but the satisfaction she got knowing Jace wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole gave her pleasure. He’d always hated black olives, and whenever she and Roxi wanted to insure they would have an entire pizza to themselves, they made sure the offending black circles covered their dish.
The act may have been childish, but today she would take the little things that made her happy. She opened the door to an empty house; she felt momentarily deflated she wouldn’t be able to flaunt her deep-dish piece of heaven in his face.
The dinner finished, she placed the leftovers into the fridge. Ava took her active toddler out to play in the back yard before her bath.
****
What kind of man was scared to go home and face a five-foot-four woman? A six-foot-three football player who had laid his heart out in a note, asking for a call if she felt the same way, a call that never came. The day had dragged on, and his lack of sleep the night before had put him in such a foul mood that, unfortunately, Alex noticed.
“Woman troubles?” Alex questioned.
“You couldn’t even begin to imagine.” Normally, he wouldn’t have burdened his friend with personal stuff; hell, guys didn’t talk about feelings, but he had to get someone else’s
perspective.
“I fucked up. I accused Ava of dangling Ashlyn in front of me to get something out of me.”
The shake of Alex’s head proved he’d royally screwed up.
“I found out last night after a call from my lawyer Felicia Frampton cancelled her appointment again and didn’t reschedule until next week. I took out my frustration on Ava. I tried to apologize, put a note in the car right where she couldn’t miss it. Radio silence.” He conveniently left out the part about his biological father contacting him and his comment about what a sweet, sexy girl he had answering his phone. Cal had all but said she flirted with him. The absurdity of his accusation should have hit Jace immediately, but after learning about Felicia, his faith in the opposite sex was low. He could kick himself for not having faith in Ava.
“If it helps, everyone thinks you’re pissed about the paternity thing. Hell, it could be any one of us in your predicament.” Alex was a good friend, and his attempt to commiserate helped, but the one person he wanted to hear from had never called.
“How about we grab dinner and discuss your epic stupidity over beers?” Alex shoulder bumped him toward the door.
Leaving the facility and heading straight to their favorite dive bar for greasy burgers and fries made Jace’s mood moderately better, he would have to add an extra daily hour on the treadmill with all his unhealthy eating habits lately. A couple games of pool and he finally sat down across from Alex to get his advice.
“So when are you going to face the reality that you are Ashlyn’s father?” Alex questioned casually.
Sputtering and coughing up the beer he was drinking, Jace felt his heart drop to his stomach.
Alex continued, “Come on, man, you had to know or at least suspect. She is the perfect combination of you two. Your eyes and coloring combined with Ava’s dark hair and facial features. I didn’t notice it immediately, but I saw you two together the other evening and the way Ava watches you with her kid.”