I lay back with my hand on my stomach, catching my breath. In a minute, I’d have to cut off the video call with Ginger and go to the bathroom to clean myself up. But right then, all I had was eyes for her as she calmed down as well.
“We are doing this again,” I muttered.
Ginger heard me, but all she did was give a tired laugh that I took as approval.
Chapter Seventeen
Ginger
I was locking up the salon one evening. It had been two weeks since Ben left, and I missed him terribly. At first, when he told me he was going to stay over longer because his dad’s health had taken a turn for the worse, I had been a little worried.
But, I really trusted him. So I didn’t think too much, even though it wasn’t the one week he’d initially promised me. I was okay with it, because he was still calling me and Fern every day.
There had been no more sexy video calls after that first one, partly because I was embarrassed I’d actually gone through with it, but also because I didn’t want to risk it. I usually left my room unlocked for my daughter’s sake, for when she had nightmares and didn’t want to sleep by herself. She almost caught me that night after I’d already cut off the call with Ben. I’d still had my lingerie on when she walked in, but I managed to hide behind the sheet until she’d fallen asleep on my bed, then gone to get changed before lying down beside her.
Ben had hinted at wanting one, though, and it was enough to make me giddy.
With the door to the salon locked, I looked through my purse to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, then dropped the key inside and started to walk away, headed for home. Mom had left earlier with Fern, and I’d stayed to clean up. We hadn't come in with both cars, though, and because I’d declined when Mom said she could wait for me, or come back for me, I was going to walk.
“Ginger!”
I was preoccupied, but when I heard my name called, I automatically looked over my shoulder to see who it was.
“Hunter?”
I was confused to see him for a moment. It had been a while since Hunter had come by. He’d attempted to call me a few times, but every time I was busy with something, or waiting for Ben to call me, so they were usually cut short. I’d all but forgotten about him, not that he had been that significant in my life to begin with. Both times I’d gone out with him, I went at his insistence, not because I thought we were out on a date.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise at his vehemence.
“I’m going home,” I said slowly, holding my purse close to my body in case I needed to make a quick run for it.
“That’s not what I mean and you know it,” he retorted. “I’m talking about Ben. After everything he’s done to you, leaving you for four fucking years, how can you take him back so easily?”
I hadn't known what he was talking about, but the moment he mentioned Ben, I was annoyed. Ben getting jealous was one thing. I was actually in love with him, and he didn’t deserve to get mad after what he’d put me through. Hunter, though, I’d dealt with it enough from him already, and I was sick of it.
“Look, Hunter. I’m tired and I want to head home to my daughter, so if you could please leave me alone.”
Without waiting for a reply, I turned back around to continue on my way.
“I’m not going to let this go, Ginger.”
Those words had me stopping again, and I turned to Hunter, incredulous.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me! You can't just go out with me, then toss me aside because Ben came back!”
I laughed. “Hunter, the only reason we went out for coffee, was because you insisted on it, after you nearly hit me with your car. Again, with the dinner, you insisted, because it was your birthday and you told me you had no one to spend it with. I was being nice to you when I agreed to it both times. I never once said I felt any interest in you.”
“Well, fuck that,” he spit out. “I’m not someone for you to fucking pity, Ginger. You better break up with Ben, or else.”
I felt like I wanted to laugh again, but he was completely serious.
“Are you threatening me? Because I’m not into you? Hunter, are you nuts?”
“You’re the one who’s nuts,” he countered. “I mean really, Ginger. Ben of all people? I noticed he hasn’t been around by the way. He abandoned you once and now, what, he ran from you again? And you think that kind of guy is reliable? Are you just going to keep being that bastard’s whore?”
“He didn’t run,” I snapped, starting to grow angry. “He’s dealing with shit right now, but it’s not like we don’t talk. And what does any of it matter to you, anyway? He fathered my child, so it’s not like everybody didn’t know we must have been fucking before that. Back the fuck off, Hunter, I’m going home.”
I was turning away to walk, when once again, he stopped me with his words.
“I saw you.”
“I’ve seen you around, too,” I called carelessly over my shoulder.
“In the salon,” he continued. “That day, when Ben came? I had a really nice view of you fucking Ben in your salon that night. You’ve gotten bold with age, haven’t you?”
That had me feeling a little cold, and I couldn’t help turning around, even though I wanted to get away as fast as possible.
“What did you just say?”
“You give into him so easily, but when it’s me, you can't even give me five minutes for a phone call.”
All I could do was watch as he advanced on me. I was frozen, because he said he’d seen. Ben had closed the blinds and turned off all the lights, leaving only one lamp on. The blinds in the salon barely had slits between them, so for him to have seen, he would have had to be pressed up against the glass.
How much did he see? How long did he just stand there and watch us, and we had no idea?
A cold shiver washed over my body. My stomach was churning uncomfortably. By the time I clued in that he was a little too close, and I wanted to turn and run, I didn’t get the chance to. He caught me by the tops of my arms, and shook me, even as I tried to back away from him.
“Why, Ginger! I came here for an explanation, so why the fuck aren’t you saying anything!”
Because you’re not giving me the chance to say anything!
But the words couldn’t make it out of my mouth. He shook me so hard I thought I’d bite my tongue if I tried to speak, anyway, and I was too frightened to let out any words. His hands on my arms were squeezing me tightly, enough that I knew I would have bruises later. I kept pushing at his arms, his chest, but I might as well not be doing anything because he didn’t seem the slightest bit affected.
I was getting ready to scream when he was suddenly pulled away from me. I cried out as his nails dragged on my arms, stumbling back away from him. In the next moment, I saw Ben getting ready to throw a punch at Hunter.
Chapter Eighteen
Ben
Finally, after two weeks of us being apart, I managed to get back home. It was only for a short break before I had to go back. Dan had gone over Scarlett’s decision and appeared with Makas to keep her company, so she and Dad could survive at least a day without me.
I was hurrying to Ginger and her mom’s salon to see her before she closed. It was pretty late already, so she might have closed, but I wanted to try and surprise her. If I didn’t find her there, I’d probably just call her so she could come out. I wanted to have a talk with her mother properly before I showed up at her doorstep asking her to lend me her daughter for a night out.
But by the time I got there, it was with disappointment to see that the salon was closed. I parked my car and got out, and stepped up to the door, but I couldn’t see any lights on behind the blinds.
“Damn,” I muttered, feeling regretful.
It only lasted for a moment, though, and I started the walk toward Ginger’s home as I pulled my phone from my pocket to call her. But I’d only walked a few feet when I heard shouting voice
s, and looked up.
At first, all I could see was a guy harassing a woman. I started to jog forward to interrupt, because I couldn’t just leave it alone. But when I saw who the two people were, I was immediately enraged, and I broke into a sprint. I caught Hunter and forcefully dragged him away from Ginger, the surprise probably the only reason he went so easily. I rounded him to face me, pulled back my fist, and punched him right in the face.
The first punch seemed to stun him, and I didn’t wait for him to get back his senses before I followed with another punch. By then, he’d started to fight back, but with the advantage of my first surprise attack, I managed to beat him up good. When he stopped trying to attack me, I turned my attention to Ginger.
“Let’s go,” I said urgently.
As much as I didn’t feel like I’d done enough, I wouldn’t think of going into a full out fight until you pass out brawl with Hunter with Ginger standing right there. For one thing, we weren’t still in high school where all something like that would get you was some reprimanding and a note in your record. I was banking on the hope that Hunter wouldn’t take legal action if I didn’t rough him up too much, because I could easily go overboard, and even arguing that he was harassing Ginger might not be enough help to get me out of trouble.
With Dad’s bills, I needed every bit of money I could manage to scrunch up. I had to keep my cool, if only for that.
Ginger didn’t hesitate to run to me, and when she took my hand, I rushed her over to my car. I took her to the front passenger side and opened the door for her, waited for her to climb in, then closed it behind her. I quickly rounded to my side and got in.
“Do you want to come to my place?” I asked, internally begging she would say yes, because I couldn’t bear to let her go home in her current state. Looking closely at her, she was shaking, and her eyes glistened a little.
She didn’t give a verbal answer, just nodded, and I decided it was good enough. As I started the car and drove us toward the hotel, I glanced at Hunter one last time, wanting for a moment to forget I was a responsible adult so I could go fuck him up, because he was already on his feet looking lucid.
“He saw us,” Ginger suddenly said.
I glanced over at her, not sure what she meant. “What?”
“That day, when you fucked me against the sink, in the salon. Ben, he was watching us.” Ginger’s tone was a little complicated. She sounded like she was about to cry, at the same time frustrated, and there was a tiny bit of disgust thrown in, too.
The latter, I totally agreed with, and when it sunk in for me, my hands tightened on the wheel and my foot slammed on the brakes so the car came to a complete stop.
“Fuck!” I cursed, slamming a hand on the steering wheel. My heartbeat and breathing were both up, and I leaned my head on my hand, still holding the wheel, to try and calm down. After a beat, I sat back up, deciding there was no point. “I’m gonna go beat him black and blue some more.”
Right after that declaration, I was reaching for my belt and the door at the same time so I could run back. We hadn't gone far yet, and hopefully, he hadn't run. But Ginger caught onto my arm.
“No!” she cried out. I turned to her, ready to argue, but then she went on, “No, don’t leave me, please.”
It wasn’t the reaction I expected, and I frowned at her. “Did he scare you that much?”
Her face twisted. “How disturbed do you have to be to watch two people in such an intimate moment? And that would definitely fucking bother me, Ben. He saw us!”
Her last words were up to screech levels. I could see her unraveling at the seams, and I reached for her, pulling her into a hug. With a rough sound in her throat, she fell into me gladly, clutching back at me as her body shook.
“I’m sorry I was away for so long,” I murmured into her hair, holding her close and breathing her familiar scent in. “I wanted to come back way sooner, but I only just got some time in today, and the drive took so fucking long…”
“You were there for me at just the right time, though,” she countered, her voice quieter, muffled against my shoulder. I could feel her slowly calming down as the trembling in her body decreased. “I’m so happy you came back.”
After a moment, when she was completely relaxed against me, I caught her by the shoulders and pushed her back into her seat.
“Put your seatbelt on,” I instructed as I did the same. I waited until she had it on, then held my hand out for her to take. She gave me a grateful smile that I returned, and I started driving again, slower. It was a bit awkward with her holding my hand, but she willingly accommodated what I needed without releasing me.
“What did he want from you, anyway?” I asked darkly.
She snorted. “The usual, only ten times more creepy and scary about it. Why did I pick you, why not him instead?”
I sighed. “If you and I were permanent, in a way that everybody could tell, this kind of thing wouldn’t happen. I want us to be permanent, Ginger.”
She didn’t have an immediate response to my words, but when I turned to look over at her, she was grinning at me.
“Would you be up for it?” I asked.
“Is that a rhetorical question?” she said, laughing.
I stayed serious, though. “I know things are moving fast between us, even with the two weeks I spent out of town, but is there a need for us to take things slow, anyway? And you do realize that even though we say it, we’re really not?”
“Oh,” she teased, arching an eyebrow.
“We’re already back together, Ginger,” I stated the obvious. “The only thing we haven’t done is seriously talk about it. If we can get that out of the way, I can even talk to your mom, and whatever other problem that’s in our way, we can take care of it. I’m not going to leave you this time, so trust me, okay? Please, Ginger?”
When I glanced over at her again, her expression was serious, too.
“Yes,” her voice matching her expression. “Fucking yes, Ben, I want us to really be together. I missed you the past couple weeks, and I definitely trust you. No more running or hiding from this for the both of us. After tonight, I’m yours, you’re mine, end of story.”
I didn’t expect her decisive little speech, but by the time we made it to the hotel, I was in a much better mood, and I was smiling as I eagerly led Ginger into the hotel and up to my rooms.
Chapter Nineteen
Ginger
It had been a week since Ben and I declared our relationship official. He’d even managed to talk to my mom, and while the conversation had been hilarious in a lot of ways, especially seeing how my mom had Ben cowed, it ended well. Mom forgave Ben for breaking my heart, and he swore to her just as he had to me to never break it again.
Like me, Mom believed his sincerity, and so, while things had changed, it was as if we were picking up where we’d left off four years ago.
The next step, was to let Fern know, and we had plans to do it that day.
It was a Saturday, and the whole family was out on a trip to the park, with Mom, me, Fern and Ben. I’d invited Scarlet and Dan with their son, but Ben had let me know they wanted time to themselves, so they’d be joining us another time.
Ben and I mostly just watched from a bench as Fern played around with the dogs, and Mom was with her. Ben was too nervous to go and join her this time, and he sat with me. Mom didn’t last long before she had to go into work, though. She was only there for moral support, after all. It would have to be up to us to give the news.
“Do you think she’s going to take it well?” Ben asked.
I just smiled at him, watching how he kept rubbing his hands down his thighs and his leg wouldn’t stop bouncing.
“I’m sure she’ll take it just fine,” I told him, trying to be reassuring. “She has absolutely no reason to dislike you, and the few times she did ask about her dad, it’s not like I badmouthed you in front of her. She loves you already.”
Like she knew what our conversation was about, what his insecu
rities were, Fern started running toward us, shouting Ben’s name the whole way. Immediately, he was on his feet, taking a few steps toward her. He had his arms ready, and she jumped into them, giggling in delight as he raised her high and spun her around. Then he held her in his arms, and listened intently as she started babbling about how awesome dogs were, and how she wanted one.
“We’ll talk about that later, sweetheart,” I said gently, taking her out of Ben’s arms and setting her down, then crouching in front of her. After a moment of standing awkwardly beside us, Ben did the same. “We have something we wanted to tell you, though.”
“What is it?” she asked with a curious tilt of her head.
“Fern, do you remember how you asked me about your daddy before?” I waited, and she nodded dutifully. I held her by the shoulders, giving her a calm smile. “Well. We wanted to wait a bit before telling you, but meet Ben. Your dad.”
Ben shot a horrified look at me, that I just rolled my eyes at.
“Really?” Fern squealed, turning to Ben with a huge grin on her face.
There was this stunned expression on his face that I couldn’t help but laugh at. Fern, reacting just as I’d thought, and secretly hoped, threw her arms around Ben’s neck and hugged him tightly. Still with that expression, he hugged her back.
“I always wanted to meet my daddy!” she chirped. Then she pulled back to give Ben one of her disarming smiles. “And I’m happy you get to be my dad because I really like you, mister. But can I call you Daddy, now?”
Ben’s expression was shifting, and he almost looked like he wanted to cry. Clearly, he’d expected it to be a difficult road to getting Fern to accept him, but I could have told him not to worry. She was a happy child, and not a particularly stubborn one most of the time.
“We have another surprise for you, too,” I said, nodding at Ben.
He cleared his throat, taking a minute to find his composure. He blinked his glistening eyes, holding back tears, and I reached for his hand to give him some comfort.
“Your mom and I really want all three of us to live together, if that’s fine with you?”
Seal Daddy (The Single Brothers Book 4) Page 7