Chapter 5
FIVE
“What do you mean you threatened to put a restraining order on him? He was my husband!”
“He was being an asshole. He needed to realize that he couldn’t just boss us around. I mean you. He can’t just make decisions for you like that!”
“Lissa!” This was some weird-assed dick measuring shit? Christ on a cracker. “He’s my husband!”
“I didn’t do it, did I? I wouldn’t have done it. I just wanted him to know that this was serious. You’re my baby brother, I’m not going to let somebody hurt you, and let’s be honest, if that’s all it took—”
“Stop.” Dalton rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying his best to focus. He was just supposed to be up here grabbing the ‘right’ set of floaties for Effie.
But since he had a chance, he had to talk to his sister and find out if it was true. He knew Jack hadn’t lied to him, but damn it.
He kind of liked being the one who was righteously mad. It suited him to be the one who had been totally wronged. Damn it, this made it way, way more equitable.
He did not approve.
“All right, I’ve got to go. He’s in the pool with the girls, and I got to bring Effie her Bluey floaties.”
“You’re going to get back together with him.” It was way more of an accusation than a question.
“I love him.”
I love him.
That was it. That was enough. They had babies. They had history. He’d make Jack work for it, sure, but he needed the son of a bitch like breathing.
“I love him, and so fuck, yeah, I’m going to try to get back together with him. I’m going to be careful, but I love him.”
“Yeah, you said. You’re a damn fool.”
Oh, God yes. There was no question about that.
He was all right.
That worked.
He could be a damn fool; he knew how.
“I guess so, but you know what? I’ve spent all this time thinking this was all on him, and he had a lot to be butthurt about too. I love you, but I’m not thrilled with you right now, sister.” He sighed. “I have to go.”
“Love you too, butthead. I did what I thought was best for you.” She hung up, and he knew he’d hurt her feelings too, but he couldn’t help it.
This was a lot for a simple fucking road trip to the zoo.
Dalton grabbed the floaties, put on his best rodeo man smile, and headed back down to the pool. He wasn’t even outside yet when he could hear the girls squealing, their happiness infectious. God, he adored them both.
“Everything okay?” Jack asked, and he just nodded. He wasn’t gonna get into it.
Really, he just needed to smile and keep his mouth shut and get rid of his headache.
He brought over the floaties and helped Effie put them on before handing her back down to her papa, who had both girls in the pool, floating away.
“Did you forget your suit, Daddy?”
He blinked. “Yeah, yeah, I guess I did. I’m sorry.”
Jack, give him the raised eyebrow. “Are you okay?”
He wanted to snap back, “Do I look okay?” But that would have been ridiculous because it wasn’t Jack’s fault that he was mad.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll be right back.”
Jack shook his head. “You can just sit by the pool if you don’t want to get in. It’s all right, I’ve got it.”
“No, Papa, I want Daddy to get in the pool with us.” Lena had on her stubborn face.
“I’m sorry, I was on the phone, and I got distracted. I will totally run as fast as a bunny and get my suit on.
“Can I go potty?” Effie asked, and he nodded, reached down, and scooped his little one up.
“We are going to go potty, and I’m going to get on my swimsuit, and then I will be back and we will swim like swimming things.”
Jack watched him leave with a worried expression.
Effie, though, she was singing and wiggling and laughing and getting him soaked.
“Are you having fun, little girl?”
“I have fun! I swim-swim with sisser!”
“You did swim! It’s so fun to swim. You and sister, you’re my swimming girls.”
She nodded and sang, “Swim, swim, swim.”
He managed to get her in and get her out of her swimming suit in time to go to the toilet, and then he put on his trunks and T-shirt along with a pair of flip-flops.
Dalton knew better than to disappoint Lena when she got that mulish thing going on. She would have a meltdown if they weren’t careful, because she was tired, and because this was stressful, so he didn’t want to add to it.
“Daddy will swim too.”
“With Papa and Sisser!” She was just singing.
“My so good girl.”
“So, so good.”
By the time they got back to the pool, Jack was distracting Lena by tossing her up in the air and catching her just as she hit the water, one of her favorite games.
“Papa! We came back!” Effie waved furiously. “Here we are!”
“Hello, my loves!” Jack waved back after settling Lena down to tread water.
“Daddy! I was swim flying!”
“I saw! Effie was being good and using the potty!”
All four of them cried, “Yay!” and that made his heart clench.
His girls and his husband, all in one place, and they were in tune, at least moreso than they had been in ages. And he hoped it stayed that way, because his sister was right.
He intended to take his husband back.
Jack smiled at him, then grabbed Effie as she reached for him.
“Papa! Me too!”
So Jack tossed her in the air while Lena paddled over to him, holding up her arms. It was good to be him right now.
It really was.
“Thanks for putting on your suit and joining us, baby,” Jack told him.
“Sure, of course.” He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to swim. I just… I called L-I-S-S-A.”
Jack’s eyes went wide. “Oh, how’d that go?”
He winced. He hated hurting Lissa’s feelings, but he needed to be clear about this situation. He was a fucking adult, and he was married—still married, dammit—and trusted Jack with their children, he could decide whether Jack was trustworthy. “Could have been better.”
“Yeah. Sorry about that.”
“No. Don’t be sorry. You did…you know. Whatever you were going to do, it should have been between us.”
“Yeah, but still. I’m still sorry that it happened.”
“Thanks.” He gave Jack a nod. “Now come on, let’s play.”
He tossed Lena up into the air, catching her as she splashed down and brought her back up.
And Jack did the same with Effie.