Unexpected Gift

by Lively, R. S.

  “She’s hungry.” Molly digs in the diaper bag and produces a bottle. She rolls it in her hands, trying to warm the liquid. She squirts a bit on the inside of her wrist to make sure it isn’t too cold. “Here you’ll need a burping rag.” She lays it on my shoulder, and her hand lingers there for a bit. A second too long, really.

  I like it, but I’m probably reading into things. The exhaustion and stuff is causing me to see and feel things I usually wouldn’t. That has to be it. “Thanks.”

  She sits back down and pushes her hair back behind her ears. “Yeah, it’s no problem at all. Really.”

  Her cheeks are flushed, and so is her chest, her breathing changes as I watch her chest rise and fall. Her breasts push against the material of her dress, showing the tops of the milk-colored flesh. Posie lets out another wail before I get my act together and give her the bottle. “There you go. It’s good, huh?” she suckles the nipple of the bottle.

  “You guys will work well together,” Mr. Newton says. “I don’t think Brandon had anything to worry about.”

  “If you only knew,” Molly mumbles.

  I don’t know what makes me do it, but I shoot her a wink. Her blush deepens a bit, trailing down her neck. She squirms, and that’s when I noticed, I make her flustered. I know she hates it when she shows how people affect her, but she is awful at hiding it.

  Again, I’m probably reading into things.

  “You don’t think you will be able to do what Mr. Lowell asked of you?” He sits back, folding his hands on the table.

  “I mean, we will. Of course, since it is what Brandon wants, but other than that, we won’t speak to each other much,” I say, never taking my eyes off the cutest little girl in the entire world. I dread the day she gets older. I’ll have to run off so many boys.

  “Is that right?” Molly asks, and the way her voice slows has me lifting my head from Posie to stare at her angry gaze.

  “I just assumed we wouldn’t. We don’t talk much now.”

  Molly huffs, spinning the chair to face me. “We have a reason to speak now. We are going to be sharing Posie. Practically like divorced parents. I want to know everything she does. If she coughs. Has a fever. Does something cute. Her first steps. Whatever. I want to know it all. This isn’t going to be us separately living our lives and only speaking because of Posie. If you can’t deal with that, then we are going to have to talk to this lawyer about you only visiting.”

  Oh, that gets my blood boiling. “You would do that? You would take me to court to fight for me to only get her sometimes? Are you fucking kidding me?” I make sure to keep my tone even, so I didn’t scare Posie. I cover her ears, too. I don’t want her to hear too much.

  “I will do what I see is best. If you aren’t willing to play an active part in this and be a team, then I want her. You can call and schedule a visit.”

  I want to say so many things. Things I can’t say because of Posie’s innocent ears. “You can forget that. I want the time that Brandon deemed mine. So, what is it, Mr. Newton?” I narrow my gaze at Molly. “You must be kidding yourself if you think I’d just roll over and let you take her.”

  She pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs, seeming a bit deflated and exhausted. “Just work with me then, Caden.”

  “You aren’t giving me a chance to!” I slam the empty bottle down on the table and hold Posie on my shoulder to pat her back.

  “You’re the one that said we weren’t going to speak until necessary. You were the one cutting me out of the picture.”

  I roll my eyes, groaning with how dramatic she is being. “I assumed that was the case because we hardly speak, Molly. I didn’t actually think you’d want to talk to me more than necessary.”

  “I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t want to interrupt your conquests.” She whips her head to the lawyer. “Would it even be safe for Posie to stay with him when he has a revolving door of women coming in and out of his house?”

  “Oh, that’s real rich coming from you, Molly.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” she gasps, appalled that I would say something like that.

  I shrug the shoulder Posie was about to burp all over. “You act like you’re better than everyone else with your nose in the air. And don’t act like you don’t have men coming in and out of your door. If you know what I mean.”

  Her mouth drops to the floor, and her knuckles turn white with how hard she grips the table. “Excuse me? You think you know anything about me? Think what you want, but even if I did, I don’t let everyone know, and I don’t brag about it.”

  “—I don’t brag about it.”

  “—Please.”

  Mr. Newton stands and claps his hands, silencing our argument. “This is getting us nowhere. I can see where Mr. Lowell would think I’d have fun with the two of you. You really don’t get along. I don’t see what he saw in this situation. I’m wondering if this is going to be good for the little one.”

  Both of us open our mouths to say something, but he holds up his hand, silencing us. “No, not another word from the two of you unless you can say something nice about each other.”

  Oh, there is plenty I can say, but I’m too stubborn to be the first one to say it. Both of us remain silent as he glares at us. The only sound that can be heard is the thud of my hand against Posie’s back.

  “Right, that’s what I thought.” He takes his seat and fingers through a few pieces of paper again and sighs when he finds the one, he wants. He moves his eyes from her to me and back to her before he starts reading. “The only way Mr. Lowell will allow both of you to be the godparents of his daughter is if you live here in Glendive. Together.”

  “We can live in the same town. That isn’t an issue,” Molly says.

  Mr. Newton sets the paper down and looks her in the eyes with his old ones. “I think you misunderstand what Brandon is wanting, Ms. Lowell. He wants you here, together, in the same house.” He leans back in his chair, lacing his hands behind his head, watching and waiting for any type of reaction.

  We sit there, stunned to silence. Even when Posie spits up, it doesn’t distract me from the bomb the lawyer just dropped.

  I chuckle until I outright laugh. Molly looks at me like I’m crazy, but I have to laugh to keep from crying.

  This is typical Brandon, stirring the pot like he always loved to do. The damn bastard.

  Chapter Ten

  Molly

  “You’re serious?” I brace myself on the table, wondering how, even beyond the grave, Brandon can slap me in the face. Caden laughs so hard, he has tears rolling down his face. It gains the attention of Posie, and she starts to laugh, giggling and throwing her fist in the air.

  Caden stares at Posie and starts to bounce her. “Daddy was silly, huh? He was so silly.”

  Her high-pitched giggles make me smile, but that doesn’t mean I’m not pissed at Brandon. Caden smiles wide at Posie, grabbing her fist as she laughs. It feels good to see her happy. I haven’t seen her smile in a week.

  It’s hard to be mad when her happiness fills the room. “Please, tell me you mean for us to be next door neighbors?” My palms sweat from the idea of sharing the same space as Caden. I might be stubborn, but I’m not blind. No woman could ignore how devastatingly handsome he is. My thoughts go to running into him after he’s showered with the towel wrapped around his waist. I bet he has a great body. Wide, sculpted chest, abs, carved-out hips that give him the perfect ‘v’ that leads to his cock. I’d look down to see the outline of his manhood pressing against the towel. I’ll be stunned by how big he is, hanging there against his thigh. He’ll catch me gawking for too long and smirk, feeling smug because he knows how beautiful he is. He’ll walk away, and right as he grabs the handle of his bedroom door, he’ll shuck his towel off. Enough to give me a quick, teasing glance, but not long enough for me to get a good look.

  No. This cannot happen.

  “It states here that you must live together. They were pretty insistent on it. They want you here, in Gl
endive. He said jobs wouldn’t be an issue for you both since you work from home and Mr. Jackson is a doctor,” Mr. Newton explains, reading from the paper Brandon created.

  Caden switches Posie in his arms again and takes a sip of his tea that he hasn’t touched since we sat down. “This has to be some type of mistake. Brandon knew that Molly and I don’t exactly get along.”

  “Yes, he mentioned that.” The old lawyer smirks, a twinkle in his mischievous eyes.

  “Then you should know this can’t happen,” Molly counters.

  “It has to, I’m afraid or Posie will go to the next of kin. Something Brandon and Amelia said they didn’t want.”

  “Damn it,” I cover my mouth with my hands. “I mean, darn it. Gosh darn it.” Having a kid around all the time will help me curve the potty mouth.

  Caden lets out a loud scoff. “Like it matters now. She already heard it.”

  I roll my eyes. “Like you’re going to be any better.”

  “Challenge accepted.”

  “You’re ridiculous.”

  He sits Posie down on his leg and bounces her, making her scream—in a happy way. “You know what’s ridiculous?”

  “That’s enough. Both of you. Stop acting like children and start thinking like parents.” Mr. Newton loosens his tie and tossed off his glasses halfway down the table. “Mr. Lowell was right. I have my work cut out with you two.”

  “Sorry, sir,” I say, feeling ashamed.

  “Mr. Newton, we are sorry. This is just a big adjustment for us.”

  Caden is right. The adjustment will be life-changing, but maybe we can do it, for Posie. We can have our lives separate from one another. Just because we have to live together doesn’t mean we have to be friends. We can coexist, like a married couple that doesn’t like each other and sleeps in different bedrooms.

  Yeah, that sounds so healthy for Posie.

  “Kenna would love this,” I sigh, craning my head back against the large, leather chair.

  “Well, Brandon and Kenna were a lot alike when it came to situations like this. I wouldn’t be surprised if she helped him set this idea up,” Caden says offhandedly.

  I wouldn’t have put it past her either.

  “What are you guys wanting to settle on?” Mr. Newton takes the top off his fancy pen that is impossible to write with. I like my cheap, ballpoint pens just fine; thank you very much.

  Posie gurgles and gains everyone’s attention. A big glob of spit drips down her chin and pools onto the table. I snag a wet wipe from the diaper bag and wipe her mouth, chin, and spit on the table. “Sorry about that. You know how messy kids are.”

  “I do. I have seven of my own.”

  “Seven!” I stare at Mr. Newton like he’s lost his mind.

  “That sounds nice. Good for you. I always wanted a big family,” Caden admits.

  I want to say something about that so bad, but I keep my mouth shut. He watches me, waiting to see if I’ll backtalk him. He knows I want to. He can see it. I pinch my lips together to make sure not even a peep leaves my mouth.

  “Yes, thank you. But let’s get back to the two of you. Where will you live here in Glendive?” Mr. Newton asks.

  “I don’t know. We don’t know the area very well, but I’ll buy us a house with a beautiful view. Make sure Posie has a backyard to play in with the dog we will get her,” Caden answers.

  “We’re going to get her a dog?” I ask with a raised brow. “Can we just get to where we are going first?”

  He stares at me like I’m the one who is crazy. “Of course. Every little girl or boy needs a best friend. We are going to get her a puppy. We have to.”

  “I have a feeling this puppy will be more for you than her,” I joke, trying to show him I can be supportive. I love dogs.

  He covers her ears with his hands. “Shhh, she doesn’t need to know that.”

  I love how good he is with her, and it makes it more difficult not to like him. “I just ask that we adopt instead of shop. There are plenty of dogs out there that need homes, agreed?” I ask as if it is a question, lifting my brows to see if he will argue with me, since we argue about everything.

  He nods, giving me a crooked smile. “I think that’s a great idea. We can all go together.”

  Like a family.

  But we aren’t. Not by a long shot.

  “If this is what Brandon and Amelia want, then I’ll do it. This is the least I could do for how much I love Posie.” I stand, smoothing my dress down as I walk over to Mr. Newton. He holds the fountain pen out, waiting for me to grab it. I lock eyes with Caden, and we speak without words. This is going to be a really hard adjustment, but it will be worth it, because Posie will be happy.

  I just hope we can find our own happiness one day.

  The pen is heavy between my fingers, and I take one last look at Caden before the ink meets the paper. I close my eyes, and an image of Brandon emerges from my memories. It is a moment from his wedding where we danced. He told me all the things he wanted in life, and I have a feeling he knew he wouldn’t live long enough to have them. I don’t know how or why, but why else would a thirty-year-old man have a will? Maybe he just had an instinctual feeling. I’ll never know.

  His smile is the last thing I see before I open my eyes and scribble my name on the line that says I agree to the terms and conditions. I keep the pen in hand and walk back to my seat, but before I sit down, I hand it to Caden. “I’ll trade you.”

  He nods, lifting Posie off his leg. We trade, and Posie stares at me with large, confused eyes. She has no idea what is going on, but at least she isn’t crying anymore. “It’s okay, sweetie. We are almost done. Then, we are going to go get lunch and maybe a nap. Oh, a nap sounds good, doesn’t it?” I speak to her in the softest baby voice I can muster.

  “Molly.”

  Caden’s deep voice makes me turn my head to him. He holds the pen in his hand, tapping it against his palm. “I just want you to know that I’ll do anything for that little girl, too. We can make this work.” He points the pen back and forth between us. I know that he doesn’t mean he and I can work. He means the situation as a whole, but it doesn’t stop the other part of me that yearns for something more with him. A part of myself that I always ignore, because on a fundamental level, we don’t match.

  Hopes and dreams are fantasies, just like Caden Jackson. He looks too good to be true on the outside, but the inside, he’ll never be happy settling down with one woman. Before all this, before burying Brandon and Amelia, I had no clue another side of Caden existed. I thought he was an always-partying playboy who didn’t have a care in the world. I thought he was selfish, but this week he has shown how selfless he is.

  And it makes me dislike him a little less, but then sometimes, he’ll open his mouth, and all I want to do is tape it shut and walk away.

  Now isn’t one of those times, though. Right now, his words make my heart melt. Again, selfless. He’ll move, give up his job, and move in with me and Posie, not just because he wants to, but because it is what his friend wanted. And he wants to make his friend proud.

  The scratch of the pen against the paper causes the hairs on my arms to stand up. Who would have thought that within two weeks, my life would change like this? I went from having a brother, to burying him, and then moving in with his best friend.

  “I know you’d do anything for her, but Caden, remember, my salary isn’t as good as yours. I want to help in every way I can. I want to pull my own weight.”

  “We will figure it out. I want her to have the best home this world can offer after she lost the best parents. Let me do that, please.” He places the pen in the middle of the paper, laying it down gently on the table.

  Like I wished he’d do to me.

  Oh, I have no idea where that thought came from. Remember, Molly, you and this man clash heads more than you laugh. Right.

  “Okay, maybe we can look together?”

  “Yeah, it will be your home, too. You should have a say.”

 
; Mr. Newton clears his throat and stands, clasping the middle button of his blazer together. “I believe that is all. I’ll call you about the money transfer, Ms. Lowell. I’ll need to file this first with the court, and then you’ll hear from me.” He holds out his hand to Caden, since he is the closest. “Call me for any questions. I’m sorry for your loss. Brandon was a good man, and his wife was the sweetest thing since my Mary made her homemade cherry pie.”

  “Thanks for dealing with us. And they were good people.” Caden doesn’t say much else as he shakes the guy’s hand.

  He plucks Posie out of my hold when he notices I’m next to him. I shift the diaper bag on my shoulder and give Mr. Newton a hug. “I can’t imagine dealing with all this sadness. I couldn’t do your work. Thank you for all your help.”

  “Oh,” he says with surprise, not expecting the hug. His apprehensive hand pats my back. “It’s not a problem. Just doing my job.”

  “Your job sucks sometimes,” I say jokingly, but there is a sliver of truth. I didn’t expect to walk out of here having to live with the enemy.

  And the enemy is disguised as a fallen angel, something that looks so beautiful and ethereal. I know if I get entangled in him, I’ll never be able to let go, and then I’ll see his true colors—and I have a feeling they won’t be as dark as I think they are.

  Chapter Eleven

  Caden

  Well, I feel locked down, even though I’m really not. Molly and I sealed the deal. We signed the agreement, and now we are in for a lifetime together, caring for Posie. The reality hasn’t hit me yet, and I’m surprisingly calm for a guy who basically just committed himself to an already-made family. But this is as close to Brandon as I will ever get, his sister and his daughter are all I have left of him. And the thought of disappointing him doesn’t sit right with me.