Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Leonard
“Did you have fun with Shelby?”
Riley nods, never taking her eyes off the small television.
“Do I have to help with dinner?”
I roll my eyes at the question. I really need to lose that habit.
“No,” I answer. “But once dinner is ready, your screen time is done for the night,” I warn, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.
Standing, I leave Riley lying on her bed, and the show’s catchy theme tune follows me out of her room.
Trying not to startle Shelby again, I make sure to step a little harder than normal as I walk down the corridor toward the kitchen.
“Thank you for starting dinner.” Pausing at the doorway, I watch her chop, her fingers quick and steady.
“No problem.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal.
But it is. I haven’t had a woman take care of us for a long time.
Walking behind her, my hand anchors to her waist. “Thank you,” I whisper into her hair and press a kiss to the brown tresses.
Her body responds instantly, shivering beneath my grasp.
Moving to the other side of the island, I take notice of her beaded nipples and smirk. Shelby craves me just as much as I do her.
“I was just going to sauté some vegetables with chicken and rice.” Shelby downplays her cooking.
Picking up another knife and a chopping board, I reach for a carrot. “It was a nice sight to come home to.”
“Better than Sarah?” She rolls her eyes.
My blood heats at the sight. Squinting, I wave my knife in her direction. “Injured or not”—I nod to her hand—“don’t think I won’t spank the sass out of you.”
Shelby’s face flames, and she stutters.
Seeing words fail her, I smirk. “That’s what I thought. Stop rolling your eyes.”
We chop in silence for a few minutes before Shelby hesitantly asks, “Have you spoken to Sarah?”
I grunt, “I have. Seems her ex-boyfriend wanted to work things out, and in her excitement, she forgot about Riley. Said she only meant to go out to his car and speak to him, but . . .” I shrug. “I also spoke to Sarah’s father and the boy’s parents. Now, no one is happy.” I smirk, proud of myself.
“Good.” Shelby tuts. “How do you forget about a child? You should have called the sheriff.”
“Perhaps,” I acknowledge, “but everything turned out okay, and I don’t think McCallister would press charges anyway.”
Shelby pulls a face at the mention of the sheriff’s name.
“Not a fan?” I ask.
“No, he’s given the Cromwells some trouble the past few years. God knows how he keeps winning the election.”
“Better the devil you know, I guess.”
“I still don’t like that she got away with it.”
My lips pull at the edges. Why is her being so protective of my daughter such a turn-on?
“I’ll charge her double the next time she comes to the clinic. How’s that?” I propose.
Shelby thinks for a second. “Is that legal?”
I shrug. “I’ll find a way.”
“Her mom and dad too. For raising such an irresponsible little shit.”
“Consider it done,” I declare.
Shelby giggles, drawing a laugh from me.
“Oh, we have cake for after.” Shelby points at the fridge. “Leftover birthday cake. It needs to be eaten.”
“Thank you.” I nod gratefully.
Shelby stops chopping to give me a smile that stops my heart.
“I should be thanking you. The cake meant a lot.” Sadness washes over her face. “It’s the cake my dad used to get me from the grocery store.”
“I know,” I whisper with a small smile.
Surprised, her gaze meets mine. “I tried to go buy one, but just couldn’t do it. It was the first birthday without him, and I wanted to feel like he was still here somehow.”
I can only hope that Riley and I develop the same kind of relationship that Shelby had with her dad. I’m sure the pain of being without him on her birthday wasn’t helped by the fact that her stepmother moved out of town a few weeks before.
Seeing her tears build, I round the island and draw her into a hug.
“He was,” I tell her confidently.
“How do you know?” She sniffles into my dress shirt.
“Because even after I’m gone, I will never leave Riley.”
Dropping a kiss to the top of her head, I relish the feel of her against me. The way her body forms to mine. Shelby’s hands grip my back, and she nods against my chest.
“You’re a good dad.”
“I’ll get you that cake every year,” I swear.
“That’s a promise you might not have to keep.” She shrugs, pulling away.
“What do you mean?” I frown.
“Sylvia wants to sell the house. She found a cute place near the sea. I can’t afford to buy out her half of the property, so I think the house will be on the market in the next month or two,” she states nonchalantly, like she didn’t just rip my whole world apart.
“You can’t move.”
“I’ll still be in town. I think. Maybe. Cromwell’s expensive.” She finishes on a mumble, pulling away to continue chopping.
“You can move in here,” I offer without thinking.
The knife in her hand freezes mid-chop.
“I need a nanny and you need a place to live.”
“I’m not being paid to look after Riley, so it’d be weird. You’re my friend.”
I need to think, to fix this. Not wanting to argue, I simply state, “You’re not leaving town,” in a tone that is final.
Getting lost in our own thoughts, we move about the kitchen preparing dinner in a comfortable silence.
She’s not leaving town.
She’s not leaving me.
Ever.