Wild Hearts (The Wilde Brothers #5)

Chapter 4

4

ADDISON

W hen I met Walker with Dakota that afternoon at the outdoor skating rink, I was struck by how natural they looked together. No one would question that she was his daughter, and they looked so at ease together.

I was happy that they'd had a good outing. So far, Dakota was okay visiting her father and staying with her grandparents. What would happen when it was time for her to move in with him full-time?

I opened the door to the fridge, searching for salad toppings. Now that it was just us in the kitchen, I felt vulnerable. Dakota served as an effective barrier whenever she was in the room. Would Walker want to address our past now that Dakota had left the room?

I wasn't ready for that discussion. When he enlisted and then broke things off with me, those were some of my darkest days. I didn't feel like I'd ever feel good again. Even if it was youthful naivete, I'd thought we had a future together, but clearly, he didn't.

I pulled out tomatoes and carrots, placing them on the counter .

Walker grabbed a knife and a cutting board. "I think I have a shredder around here somewhere."

I washed and cut the grape tomatoes, throwing them in the salad bowl while Walker peeled the carrots.

When I couldn't take the silence anymore, I asked, "Do you mind if I put on some music?"

"Not at all."

I chose holiday music since it was December. "Have you thought about decorating for Christmas?"

"I'm not used to having my own place. But I guess I should now that I have a kid. Dakota would probably like that."

"It might make the place feel more inviting. Your walls and shelves are bare." There were no clues as to his interests.

"What are you thinking?" Walker asked as he grabbed the shredder and scraped the carrots over the sharp edges. Fine shards of carrots fell into the bowl.

I scanned the living room. "A tree and maybe a wreath for your door. It will make it warmer and homier."

Walker dropped the nub of the carrot into the trash. "You don't think my cabin is homey?"

"Honestly?" I asked him, wondering how truthful I should be. At his nod, I continued, "You don't have any photographs on the walls. I think she'd like to get a glimpse into who you are. What you were like growing up. What traditions you held with your family for the holidays." You could tell a lot about a person from their decor, and Walker's was saying bachelor.

"That's not a bad idea."

"The cabin is gorgeous but kind of looks like a rental."

He shot me a hopeful gaze. "Maybe you could help me with the holiday decorating."

I shook my head, not sure if it was a good idea to spend more time with him alone. "I'm not an interior designer or anything. "

"But you noticed that the space was lacking. Don't you want Dakota to feel comfortable here?" Walker persisted.

"Well, of course but—" Didn't he have any feelings about spending time with me? Maybe he didn't. After all, he'd been the one to break things off back then. Maybe he wasn't as into me as I thought.

"I could really use your help."

I could never say no to Walker. When I met him, he was grieving the loss of his parents but hiding it under a hard shell. Getting him to open up was the best feeling in the world. It was the reason why I'd wanted to go into social work. "Fine."

Walker grinned, and I shook my head. He turned his attention to flipping the patties on the stove when Dakota jogged down the wooden stairs. When she reached the bottom, she pulled her headphones off her ears. "I'm starving."

"Almost ready. Why don't you wash your hands before we eat?"

Surprisingly, Dakota went to the bathroom without complaint. I bet it was her grandparents' influence. When she returned, Walker asked her, "Do you think we should go shopping for some items for the house? Holiday decorations?"

Dakota gazed thoughtfully at the space. "It could use something."

"I was hoping you'd want to go shopping with me, maybe even pick out a tree."

My heart squeezed at the open vulnerability in Walker's tone.

"You mean, at a lot or something?" Dakota asked as she leaned against the island.

"I thought we could cut one down. There's a Christmas tree farm close by."

Dakota raised a brow. "I've never done that."

"There's a first time for everything," Walker said, and I wondered if he was cataloging all his firsts with Dakota .

He plated the meat patties, then toasted the buns. I pulled mustard and ketchup from the fridge, and we assembled our sandwiches.

We sat at the wood table in the dining room with views of the snow-topped trees. Living here would be like being on a permanent vacation. "Are you planning to live here permanently?"

Walker shook his head. "For now. Eli mentioned something about me building a house like he did."

"Oh, wow. That would be amazing."

Walker took a large bite of his burger, chewed, and then wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Eli likes the family feel of the business, and what better way than for most of us to live here?"

The meat was tender and the seasoning tasty. He was a good cook. Or at least he could cook a delicious burger. I remembered everyone in the Wilde household had to learn how to cook. His aunt wanted her kids to be able to take care of themselves.

Walker waved a hand. "We're not doing anything soon. First, I have to figure out what my role will be here at the resort."

I frowned. "I didn't think you'd be working soon."

"Not yet. But I'm starting to think about what my life will be like here. Eli mentioned the possibility of me handling the cabin rentals, the maintenance, cleaning, and even reservations."

"Would you enjoy that?" I asked him, curious to know what interested him as an adult. As a kid, he just wanted to be independent and make his own way.

"Yeah, I think so. I don't want to be in an office, and I like to keep my hands busy." He polished off the last few bites of his burger.

It would give him a flexible schedule.

Every indication pointed to him staying in town. If so, I'd prefer to keep things professional. I wouldn't get close to him again. I couldn't handle him hurting me .

In my youth, him breaking up with me was the single worst thing that had ever happened to me. He'd lost his parents, but I'd lost my first love. It wasn't the same, but the wound for me was raw.

"When should I enroll in school?" Dakota asked.

"Are you interested in doing that soon?" Walker asked carefully.

I'd told him to let her take the lead on school.

Her forehead creased. "If I'm going to be living here, I'd like to get started. I don't want to miss too much."

"I'd like you to live here with me before you start school. Once you get settled, we can talk about your grandparents visiting or maybe us going there."

Dakota cringed. "I think I'd like to stay here for now."

That made me think that Virginia held a lot of memories for her, and it was easier for her to start over here. I didn't want her to avoid her feelings, but it wasn't a bad step for her to take. As long as she was processing her feelings. I'd have to mention it to Walker so he could look out for unsuppressed emotions.

"I already talked to the school about the possibility of us touring the place."

She let out a breath. "Thank you."

Walker nodded. "I want to give you whatever you need."

Speaking of, I needed to talk to him when she wasn't in the room about therapy for her. It would be invaluable as she navigated these changes in her life.

We finished eating and cleaned up.

"Are you ready to go to the hotel?" I asked Dakota when everything was put away.

"Do you think that we could talk about me moving in here? I'd like to get settled in my new room. I'm tired of living in a hotel and eating out all the time."

"I'm ready whenever you are." Walker looked from her to me.

"I'll talk to your grandparents tonight," I offered .

We moved toward the front door, and Walker said, "Thanks for hanging out with me today. I had fun."

Dakota smiled softly. "I did too. Even if I'm terrible at ice-skating."

"You just need to go a few more times," Walker said.

The Wilde boys had always been active, and I knew he was hoping Dakota would fall in love with the winter activities offered at the resort.

"We'll be back tomorrow for Sunday dinner. Should we meet you here or at Scarlett's?" I asked as he opened the front door for us.

"I'll text you the directions to Scarlett's house." Walker followed us out to my car.

"Great. We'll see you tomorrow."

Walker held the door open for Dakota, waited for her to get inside, and then closed it. He'd always been a gentleman, even as a teenager. I was pleased to see that hadn't changed.

I backed out. Then I drove down the road that led off the resort. "How are you doing with everything?" I was a little surprised she was eager to enroll in school and move into her new home. But then again, stability was just what she needed.

Dakota sighed. "I don't want to leave my friends. But it's easier being here. It's like I can finally breathe."

I gave her a sympathetic look before turning my attention to the road. "That makes perfect sense. I bet you're bombarded with a lot of memories at home."

Her nose scrunched. "Is it awful that I want to avoid that?"

"Not at all. You can always go home, and those memories are still in your heart. Your mom is with you wherever you are."

"You think so?" Her voice cracked.

I looked over as her eyes filled with tears. I reached for her hand. "Of course. She'll never leave you."

I squeezed her hand once before letting go .

She was quiet for the rest of the drive. I parked and handed her a tissue, waiting for her to blow her nose before we walked inside. I knew her grandparents would worry if I brought her home in tears. But it was to be expected. She was grieving after all.

I took her upstairs and said goodbye to her at her door, then went to her grandparents' room and knocked on the door.

Blanche opened the door. "Where's Dakota?"

"She's in her room. I wanted to talk to you for a minute."

She opened the door wider. Dennis turned off theTV which had been playing.

I sat on the edge of the armchair. "The visit went well. They ice-skated, drank hot chocolate, and Walker cooked dinner for us. Dakota expressed interest in enrolling in school and moving into her room at Walker's place."

"Isn't that soon?" Blanche's gaze flew to Dennis for support.

"Our plan was to gradually increase the time spent with her dad, which we've done. I always take my cue from the child. She said it's easier to be here without the constant reminders of her life before. If she's going to be living here, she wants to start her new life. She doesn't want to miss any more school, and she's tired of living in a hotel."

"I wasn't expecting everything to happen so soon," Blanche said as she sat heavily on the bed.

"I know it's a bit of a shock. I was surprised at how quickly she acclimated. But everyone handles grief differently. She's realized starting over will be easier for her. It doesn't mean she can avoid her feelings."

Dennis leaned forward with his elbows on his legs. "When will she move into her father's?"

"Walker mentioned taking her to school on Monday to enroll. Maybe before she's going to school, so she can get settled? "

Dennis nodded. "That seems reasonable. I don't want her to miss any more school."

"You're welcome to stay until she's transitioned. I know that Walker would like some time with her alone so that she can settle with him. He's mentioned having you visit in the future."

Blanche's eyes filled with tears. "I wasn't expecting everything to move so quickly. I thought she'd ultimately want to stay with us."

"The courts will place her with Walker. He's her biological father. That would happen regardless of her wishes." Walker had a right to know his daughter, and there wasn't any reason that he couldn't be her guardian. He was competent and eager to take on that role.

Blanche sighed. "It's going to take some time to get used to the idea of our granddaughter living in Colorado."

"I'll let you guys talk. Tomorrow, she's going to the resort to meet his extended family."

Blanche's forehead creased. "Will that be overwhelming for her?"

I shrugged. "She wanted to go. She was excited at the prospect of meeting more family members."

"I'm happy she has that," Dennis said.

I stood and walked toward the door. "Have a good night."

I left the hotel room feeling like I was managing a difficult situation as well as I could. Blanche and Dennis were losing their granddaughter on top of losing their daughter. It was a tough situation.

When I arrived home, I grabbed the mail, sorting it into the recycling and shredding bins before I entered the house. I called out to my cat, and when I didn't see him, I topped off his water and food, then went to the bedroom to change.

After I pulled on lounge clothes the phone rang.

"Walker? Is everything okay?" I asked as I answered the phone .

"I wanted to talk about how today went."

I settled on the bed. "I thought it was great. How was your alone time with Dakota?"

"It went better than I expected. She was out of her element, learning to skate. She had to look at her feet to keep her balance, and it seemed to make it easier for her to ask me some questions about her mother. It was good."

"That's great. I'm sure she's happy to talk to someone else who knew her mother."

"She was interested in our relationship."

I knew he'd moved on. It had been years since we dated. But I didn't like the idea of him being serious about anyone else. Over the years, I'd reduced our relationship to teen love. But now that he was back in town, the old feelings were bubbling to the surface.

"I told her the truth. We didn't exchange any identifying information beyond our first names. I don't know if her mother attempted to find me or not. Or if she even would have been able to. But if I'd known about Dakota, I would have changed everything I could to be with her," he said with conviction.

"I'm sure she liked hearing that."

"I hope I'm doing the right thing by asking her to leave everything she's known behind."

"In the car, she told me she felt better starting over in a new place. There's no memories of her mother here."

"That's something at least."

I hoped it eased his anxiety about the situation. "She's eager to move onto her new life, but she can't escape her grief. She might seem okay and then all of a sudden fall apart."

"That's what I was wondering. I'm not sure what to expect. I just want to be there for her."

"I'll forward some names of therapists that would be good for you and her. Talking to someone could help both of you navigate this situation. "

"If you think that would help."

"I do."

"I'll take a look at whatever you send over. You don't think it’s too soon to move her in, do you?”

"I think she wants to stop living in a hotel, and she's worried about falling behind in school. All reasonable considerations."

"I was worried that she'd be a surly teenager, but so far, she's been fairly easygoing."

"I think so too. But that doesn't mean you won't encounter teenage attitude at some point. She might be processing everything and not acting like herself."

"So expect the unexpected and be prepared for anything," he said lightly.

I laughed. "That's parenting."

"I really appreciate everything you've done for us."

"That's my job," I said because his voice was far too low and intimate to keep my heart out of this conversation. I needed to create some distance.

He hesitated and then asked, "Should we talk about what happened between us?"

My heart rate picked up. I wasn't expecting him to go there. "I don't think so. We can act professionally."

"I think it would be good to clear the air."

"You said everything you needed to say back then."

"Addison—" His voice was anguished, but I couldn't listen to him say all the things he'd said back then.

There had been no point in continuing our relationship because he was leaving. His heart hadn't been ripped out of his chest. "Let's focus on Dakota."

He let out a long breath. "If you're sure."

"I'm positive this is the best way forward for all of us." I told myself I was thinking of Dakota. She didn't need awkward tension between her dad and her social worker. We were mature enough to put it behind us and move on. I had no interest in revisiting the past.

"If you ever want to talk, I'm here."

I was positive I'd never want to talk about that breakup again. It had taken me a long time to move on from Walker Wilde, and I wouldn't be getting entangled with him again.