Chapter 22
Riggs
Our time in Vegas wasn’t nearly long enough. Now, it’s time to get back to reality. Zoe and I settle into our seats, ready to fly home. As nervous as I am for us to leave the sanctuary of our honeymoon, I’m excited to move her into my house and start our life together. Being with Zoe gives me a sense of peace I haven’t had in a long time. The closer we get to being back in the ‘real world’, the more I try not to allow the worries of reality to take root. We haven’t discussed the important things, like whether or not she wants kids, what her plans for the future are, or how our worlds will merge. I have to hope that since she’s my soulmate, all of that will work itself out on its own.
The plane takes off, and Zoe grips my hand as she looks out the window. I lean over the armrest between us and kiss her neck. “I adore you, Mrs. Malone.”
She turns to me with a huge smile. “I adore you more, Mr. Malone.”
“Not possible,” I challenge, shaking my head. There’s no way she feels what I do. No way.
The first hour and a half of the flight is smooth, filled with flirting and laughter. When we’re about an hour away from arriving in Dallas, tension forms around Zoe’s mouth. She pales considerably half an hour later when we begin our descent.
I take her hand in mine, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “I promise it will be okay.”
She frowns. “What if I don’t fit in your world?”
“What if I don’t fit in yours?” I counter.
“Riggs, be serious. I’m still figuring out what I want to do. My life hasn’t even really begun. Your life is established.”
“Will there be growing pains? Yes. Will they be worth it? You bet your life. I know our decision to get married wasn’t conventional, but that doesn’t mean I want a life with you any less. If anything, it gave me the courage to finally admit what I truly want.”
She smiles, leaning across the seat to kiss me. “How did I get so lucky?”
I shake my head. “I’m the lucky one.” And I am.
I’ve managed to calm Zoe by the time we land and deplane. Love Field isn’t a very big airport, so it doesn’t take us long to enter the baggage claim area. As I scan for our driver, I jolt in surprise when I see my daughter standing there.
“Daddy!” she hollers, running toward me.
I drop Zoe’s hand, opening my arms to hug Calla. “Hey, honey. What are you doing here?” Next to me, Zoe squirms with discomfort. I snag her hand again, hoping my touch can calm her.
Calla holds up her keys. “Picking you up from the airport. Duh!” she teases.
“Honey, I want you to meet Zoe.” I introduce the two most important women in my life to one another, holding my breath. If they don’t get along, I don’t know what I’ll do.
Zoe gives Calla a timid smile as she extends her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. Your dad is really proud of you.”
Calla shakes Zoe’s hand and gives her a tight smile. “Yeah.” Her voice is riddled with tension, but she manages to keep from sounding hateful.
Well, I guess it could be worse. “I’ll get our bags while you two get acquainted.” I step away, hoping my absence might make the situation a little less tense.
Two teenage girls, standing next to me at the conveyor belt, snap a picture. I give them a smile, trying to look friendly but I hate when people take pictures of me without asking. It’s rude.
One of the girls points to Zoe. “Oh my god! That’s her.”
“Which one?” The other girl asks.
She points at Zoe. “Her.”
“She’s so freaking young.” They erupt in giggles at that comment.
I frown, clearing my throat. They turn away, going back to their phones. At least I don’t have to wait too long for our bags. Those girls are a harsh reminder of the uphill battle Zoe and I are facing.
Once inside the new SUV I gave Calla for her eighteenth birthday, she turns to me with a frown. “I thought I should pick you up so I could warn you about the shitstorm your new bride has created.” Her tone is laced with disapproval.
“Language,” I scold. “And there might be some chaos brewing, but it’s from nosy outsiders. Zoe is not responsible for any of that.” My tone is firm. Calla may be grown, but she’s still my baby girl, and I’m not about to let her treat Zoe with anything other than respect.
She rolls her eyes. “Let’s not try to be all fatherly right now.”
“What did you want to warn us about?” Zoe asks.
I turn in my seat so I can see Zoe’s face from where she sits behind Calla. Her expression is far from the relaxed one she wore while we were in Vegas. I reach back, patting her thigh, hoping it provides some comfort.
“Social media is having a field day with your marriage to a girl my age.”
“Zoe is almost twenty-one,” I say through gritted teeth.
Calla scoffs. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize those few months made such a big difference.”
I shoot her a warning glare.
“Seriously, Dad. You married a woman who’s not even six months older than me. What did you expect? I know you like to bury your head in the sand about shit, but you’re freaking Riggs Malone. Jazz Hinton is having a field day on Tik Tok over this.”
Just the mention of the blogger I had a brief dalliance with has me seething. She seemed nice when I first met her, but it didn’t take long for me to see she was using me for clout. When I ended things with her, she suddenly got very interested in blogging about a certain Titan star’s bad behavior. She damn near got Braxton Cade canceled because of it. He retired not long after. That woman is nothing but trouble.
Zoe clears her throat. “Who’s Jazz Hinton?”
“A mistake,” I say at the same time Calla says, “She’s an influencer who’s obsessed with Dad. She’s working overtime to make you look like a gold digger, and for dad to look like a pedo.”
Zoe winces at Calla’s words. “Did you date her?” she asks me.
“Barely. It was only a few dates over five years ago.” Jazz and I were nothing. Hell, we didn’t even sleep together. Not that I’ll broach that subject with my daughter in the car. Some things are not meant for her ears.
Calla clears her throat. “As I was saying, Jazz is out for blood. She’s been blowing up my phone for two days.”
“Do not speak with her.”
“As if. I’m not going to gossip about my own father.” There’s no mistaking the twinge of hurt in her voice.
“I know you wouldn’t, honey. I’m sorry you’re caught up in this.”
She glances in the rearview mirror at Zoe. “I hope you’re ready for life in the public eye.”
Zoe pales.
I reach back, placing my hand on her knee. “Baby, it’s not like that. Occasionally, people will gossip about me here and there. It’s not like I’m George Clooney or something.”
Calla laughs. “George Clooney? Geez, Dad, show your age much?”
Zoe laughs. As much as I don’t love the idea of Calla pointing out my age, it’s nice to see Zoe relax some. Hell, if it means she and Calla become friends, they can gang up on me all they want. I just don’t want this tension between them to continue. Being forced to choose between my soulmate and my daughter would be impossible.
Calla parks in the driveway, and I hop out to get our bags out of the back. Zoe leans forward in her seat, whispering. As much as I want to know what she said to my daughter, it’s not my business, and she obviously didn’t want me to hear her, or she would’ve said it when I was in the car with them.
After a few minutes, they exit the vehicle and follow me inside. My chef has been here and stocked the kitchen. Good. The last thing I want is to run to the grocery store. I want to spend the night settling my wife into her new home. Tomorrow we can go to her apartment and get her things.
While Calla helps herself to a soda from the fridge, Zoe looks around uncomfortably as if she feels out of place. I set our bags on the stairs, then guide her to sit on the sofa. “Do you want something to drink?”
“Um, no thank you.” She fidgets as if she doesn’t know where to place her hands. This is a side of Zoe I haven’t seen lately. One I don’t like. She shouldn’t ever feel uncomfortable around me. Or my daughter. Especially not in her new home.
“Baby, let me fix you a glass of wine. Maybe it will help you relax.”
“Okay.” Zoe’s voice is quiet, setting me on edge. I need to fix this.
Calla scoffs. “Wow. Contributing to the delinquency of minors now, huh? Can I have one too?”
“Calla,” I scold.
“Forget the wine. I’m going to go lie down. I have a bit of a headache from the flight.” Zoe stands, but then looks unsure.
“Our bedroom is upstairs. It’s the third door on the right.”
Calla makes a gagging noise, but I ignore her.
Zoe looks down at her feet. “Is it okay if I go up there?”
“This is your house. You can go wherever you want,” I tell her, hating how she seems uncomfortable.
Once I’m sure Zoe’s out of earshot, I turn to my daughter. “You will not treat her with anything less than respect. Those digs will stop right now, young lady. I hope once you get used to the news, you and Zoe can even become friends.”
She gives me a pointed look. “Come on, Dad. You can’t be serious.”
“She’s my wife.” I cross my arms, giving her my best ‘you better behave’ look.
Calla mirrors my stance, challenging me. “No, Dad. She’s your midlife crisis. It’s gross.”
Fuck. This isn’t going how I wanted. Maybe I need to try a different approach. “Honey, I know this came as a surprise to you, but Zoe and I are happy together.”
“Are you sure?” She snorts. “Your wife doesn’t seem happy.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “What do you expect? You’ve not exactly been welcoming.”
Calla huffs, but wisely stays quiet. She knows she’s treading in dangerous territory. As a daddy’s girl, the last thing she wants is to upset me.
“Come here.” I hold out my arms to her. She steps into them, and I give her a big bear hug, kissing the top of her head. “I love you. You’ll always be my favorite daughter.”
“I love you too, Dad.” She pulls away, frowning. “Wait. What if you and Zoe have a daughter?”
I smile. “You’ll always be my favorite first born.”
She giggles.
“Would you be okay with me having children with Zoe?” I ask, hoping it won’t be the start of another fight.
Calla pulls out of my hug, stepping back as if I just hit her. “Is that why you married her? Is she pregnant?”
“No. Jesus, Calla.”
She relaxes some. “Sorry, but I had to ask. At least that would make sense.”
“Come for dinner Saturday night. I think once you get to know Zoe, you’ll see what I see in her.” She hesitates, so I add, “Give her a chance. For me.”
“I will. For you.”
“That’s all I ask.”
I need my girls to get along. Otherwise, how will this work?