Chapter 13
ISLA
I’ve barely slept, I lack coffee, and I’m doing my best to check the graphics for work, as I wanted to send a few more notes even though I'm on leave. The banana peel and crumbs on my dining room table from my toasted waffle are just a bonus in my life that is now in chaos.
The sound of the doorbell already has me dreading my wobble to the door. It’s an array of options who could be on the other end, and I’ve done my best not to be hopeful that Vaughn would be so quick to talk.
When I reach the door and look out the side glass, I’m confused. The woman appears to be holding a sign, but she looks normal enough to avoid stranger danger.
I open the door. “Can I help you?”
The woman in her forties smiles brightly at me and seems awfully cheery. “Yes, I’m Katherine from the agency and just wanted to let you know that I’m setting up the sign now, so we should be getting some action quite soon.”
“Sign?” My face must seem perplexed.
“Of course, you can’t rent a house without the for-rent sign. It’s an essential to get traffic to view this place.”
Blinking my eyes a few times, I try to make sense of this.
“Sorry, but did my landlord send you? She said she wasn’t thinking of selling until next year.
Did she change her timeline? Normally she’s really good about talking to me directly.
This is the worst possible time, right now.
” Now I’m internally freaking out because this is too much to add to my current state of life.
Her smile drops and she begins to look confused. “The landlord? Well, I’m here because the landlord called and said she wants to rent out this address since it will be vacated soon. The paperwork initiating the process was signed yesterday evening.”
A skeptical laugh escapes me. “I assure you that I didn’t hand in any notice to leave last night. Hell, I’m not even sure I left my bed last night. You must have the wrong address.”
She grabs her phone from her big purse and immediately brings up a message that she quickly reads.
“This most certainty is the correct place. Vaughn Madden wrote it down specifically in the email after speaking with the landlord on the phone who is down in New Mexico. He even got her to send over the paperwork via email.”
“What?” My curt response has me nearly spinning.
Before she can answer, I notice a car pull up to the curb.
A fancy rental, with a guy in the driver’s seat that has a sharp jawline that I’ve enjoyed a time or two.
We both watch Vaughn get out. I’m sure Katherine here is drooling and getting her panties in a twist. Vaughn is sporting a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt that is tight enough to see the outline of his muscles.
His hair seems to have a little gel, as his wave is swept back, and I’m not quite sure what the small box is in his hands.
He instantly smiles a welcome to our real estate trespasser. “Hey, Katherine, you beat me here. You go on, do your thing, and keep me posted. Isla and I need to talk.”
“Of course, I’ll be quick, as I need to go take down a sign over on Duck Road,” she greets him in passing.
I warily assess Vaughn, as I’m unsure what is happening or if I am still on planet earth. “Please explain.” My sharp tone hopefully informs him that I’m not impressed.
Vaughn is unfazed by my direct tone and strides straight to me before touching my arm to guide me inside. I quickly look back to see a sign getting hammered into my lawn.
That isn’t the kind of hammering I enjoy.
Vaughn kicks the door closed behind us, and I break free from his touch. “You’re leaving your house and moving in with me.” His tone is dismissive as we face one another.
I ogle my eyes at him as an electric shock seems to hit me. No words can express this bombshell demand, because he isn’t asking, he’s ordering me.
He hands me the box with a fake sweet smile. “Here.”
Examining the box, I’m torn between backtracking on what he just said or being happy. “I assure you, ice cream sandwiches are not going to solve this conversation.” That’s the road I choose; serious discussion.
His smug appearance has me worried. “Oh, you’re right on that, sweetheart.
” The way he says sweetheart isn’t an endearing term, it’s a warning.
“You kept the single most important news of my life from me, and I have every intention of rectifying that little judgement error, and you may or may not like what I have in store for you.”
My body straightens and again that swirl of confusion is on full flight through my body. A concern for what his decision may be, but damn, his word choice makes me hot and very bothered. I may be pregnant, but I’m ready to pounce on a little anger sex.
My glare is hopefully burning a hole through him; however, we have to put this aside. I indicate the sofa, and he nods once before going to sit down. I follow, holding the box of ice cream tightly, because despite what I said, I may need one to calm me down.
We get comfortable, and I’m waiting for him to begin. Not going to lie, I feel as though I deserve a lecture.
His head rolls to the side to look at me.
“Here’s the deal, Isla. I’ve already missed enough thanks to your doing.
I’m not going to miss any more, especially if the baby will be here before we know it.
I heard you were looking for a new place to live, and I just so happen to have a house that I bought on a whim.
Solution found.” His firm voice is far too cocky for me right now.
My face must be turning red due to irritation.
“I’m sorry, okay? I should have told you no matter what.
I've thought about it every day, trying to push my fears to the side. But you can’t just contact my landlord without asking.
How do you even do that?” My voice cracks, because really? How do you do that?
“Connections, and a promise of a financial bonus on her part. I’m fairly confident you will sign what needs to be signed to make sure you vacate like the good little tenant I’m sure you are.” His piercing gaze is chipping away inside of me.
“Vaughn, okay, I have been looking at houses because I will need more space. It’s not that I can’t afford a slightly bigger house to buy or with higher rent, it’s simply there isn’t much on the market here.
People tend to rent out their three-bedroom homes for weekend and summer rentals,” I explain, as I don’t want him to get any ideas that I need to be saved.
“Besides, I can make it work here for a bit, as the baby will sleep in my room the first few months.”
He holds a finger up as if he is going to correct me. “No, the baby can sleep in her own room in my house where space isn’t an issue.”
I grumble a sound before opening the box of ice cream, not caring that it’s all going to melt.
Ripping open a wrapper, I stuff a bite into my mouth.
“I get the memo. You want to make me move as punishment, but just throwing a sign in my yard is a step too far and far too permanent,” I say with a full mouth as I chew, then I point at him with my free hand.
"You know, before the baby news, I was a fun and spontaneous woman who would spend a night with hot hockey players," I begin my tangent.
"Players, plural?" he cuts in.
"Fine. You. Actually, you're the only hockey player. I've never done that before, but I am a spontaneous and fun woman. It's just when I found out I was pregnant that full-on mother bear mode kicked in. Roar.” I pretend to claw him with my hand not even in fun, I've gone psychotic.
His brows arch, and his face is dead serious. "Did you just roar and try to claw me like a bear?"
I blink my eyes a few times, realizing how crazy I am acting.
His head cocks gently to the side. “Now, let's stay focused. I wouldn’t say demanding you and my daughter live in my house is punishment, as you say, but it means you don’t have a choice but to rely on me and my place to stay, no fucking escape.
Our daughter deserves to have both her parents around her.
Isn’t bonding crucial the first few months? Then we can figure it out.”
My head perks, and I slow down chewing my mouthful. He said our daughter. He isn’t running away. I need to retrace my thoughts a second and break down the information that he’s throwing at me through dominant demands. “Wait, you made your decision… about being involved.”
Vaughn takes the ice cream sandwich out of my hand and flops it on top of the box that’s now on the coffee table.
Apparently, he needs me focused. “Didn't you get that clue with the whole ‘you will move in with me’ thing? Yeah… I’m involved.” His voice is pure reverence, delicate, but in the best possible way.
I lift a shoulder. “That probably… was an obvious clue.”
His nostrils flare slightly as he inhales deeply.
“Isla, I’m not going to lie. Timing? Uhm, not great.
” His face is near cartoonish. “Although it’s off-season for hockey players, it isn’t really for me, and I have a lot to do to prepare for next season, especially with the draft approaching.
Which is why I need you at my home, ready whenever I need. ”
“Ready?” I gulp.
Holy fuck, something inside of me is clinging to logic for survival while I feel a pool of wetness between my legs. I subtly shift my gaze down to double-check that he won’t notice that my nipples are now tight and hard, nor hidden thanks to flimsy fabric.
His tongue darts to the corner of his mouth while his eyes stay glued to me. “I mean it’s easier on my schedule. I will be traveling with the team, so I don’t want to be puzzling with our calendars. When I get back from a late flight, then I better be able to simply walk in to see my daughter.”
“Our daughter,” I correct him, but I stay mesmerized by first the image that was in my head, followed by the emotions soaring up through my body, because as prevailing as his request is, it’s because… he’s invested in the baby.