Chapter Forty-Eight
Sloane
Between Crash, Stu, and Ashley’s phones, the chime alerting the cameras going off filled the room in the early afternoon.
“You’ll have to give me the link and password for that,” I murmured.
“Ryan’s here,” Ashley announced, then she bolted up from her seat. “And he brought Tank!”
Without another word, she was out of the room and dashing toward the front door. I was behind her, although a lot slower.
“Who’s Tank?” Crash asked before I reached the hallway.
“My golden retriever. Are either of you allergic or uncomfortable around dogs?”
“Heck no! I haven’t played with a dog in forever!” Stu exclaimed.
Crash concurred. “Me neither.”
Both men jumped up from their spots on the couch and followed me toward the front door.
Ashley had left the front door open, so I could see Tank sitting patiently with his tail swishing back and forth while she rubbed his neck.
“Tank!” I bellowed, and my dog’s ears lifted up and forward on high alert as he looked around. Finally, he zeroed in on where I stood at the door and his ears dropped. I instantly realized this was a bad idea.
“Oh shit,” I murmured as he bound up the stairs. My best defense was to sit down on my ass before he took my legs out from under me.
The golden retriever kissed my face as he jumped all over me with a high-pitched whine.
I wrapped my arms around his furry neck and hugged him.
“Hi, buddy. I missed you, too.”
Tank only let me pet him for a few seconds before he leapt up and spun one way, then reversed direction and spun the other, then reversed one more time. I knew what was coming next and pointed him toward the open door.
“Look out!” I yelled before he dove from the top step and took off in a full sprint around the circular driveway then did a few laps around Ryan’s car.
“He’s happy to see you,” Stu observed as I hoisted myself back to a standing position.
“I’ve missed that damn dog so much.”
“Is he always this hyper?” Crash asked as we watched from the top step while the dog zoomed around the front yard of the beach house.
“Only when he’s really excited.” Crash took a step down, and I warned, “Be careful. His name is well deserved. He will take you out.”
Tank looked like he was about to charge Ashley head-on at full speed, and I barked, “Tank! Down!”
The pup instantly obeyed and a chorus of “Good boy!” echoed off the concrete.
Ryan looked over at me. “I didn’t know he could do that.”
I chuckled.
“Well, that answers my question if you’d been working on his commands with him.” I looked at the dog and ordered, “Tank, come.”
He popped up, trotted to where I was standing with my walker, and instantly sat.
“Good dog.”
Stu and Crash offered their hands for him to sniff. Once Tank indicated they’d passed the smell test with a lick to their hands, the two men knelt and showered him with affection while Ryan and Ashley came back up the stairs.
“Do you mind if he comes in the house?” I asked.
“I don’t,” Ashley said.
“Yeah, no problem. He can come in,” Crash answered as he and Stu stood back up and followed us into the house.
Once we were all inside, I heard Millie’s cries, but it sounded like they were coming from the kitchen. Then I noticed Stu lift a baby monitor off the counter and announce, “Baby girl’s awake!”
“I hear her,” Ashley said and started toward the stairs.
My gaze might have lingered a little longer on her ass than it probably should have, and I felt my cock jump in my shorts. Just like it had when she’d sassed me during our therapy session.
She wasn’t mine anymore; I had no business staring at her ass. Or getting hard when she gave me attitude. According to Ashley, she never was mine.
Crash’s voice drew my attention back to the kitchen where he and Stu were standing with Tank.
“Hey, would it be okay if we took him to play ball on the beach?”
“He’d love it,” Ryan replied for me as he pulled a tennis ball from his pocket and tossed it to Crash. They took off out the back patio door, leaving me and Ryan alone.
I motioned toward the couches in the family room, and we sat.
“So, did you get to spend some time with your daughter?”
“Yeah.”
“How’d it go? Was that enough time so you can walk away without any regrets?”
“You think you’re so damn sneaky. You knew perfectly well once I held her, I’d never walk away.”
“Honestly. I didn’t even think you’d have to hold her, but, yeah, you’re right. I knew it wouldn’t take more than a minute, but I factored in ten, just to be safe.”
“It took about ten seconds. I helped make a damn beautiful kid.”
Ryan agreed. “She is awfully cute.”
“When did you—oh, yeah. When you went upstairs last night.”
“So, I’m assuming you and Ashley hashed things out?”
“Kind of. I mean, she seems to want to share custody when I’m able to move out and live on my own. We’re still arguing about money, in that she won’t take any, but I’ll figure out a way to pay her.”
“Is that it? No chance of reconciliation?”
“No. Based on how hard she kicked my ass in therapy, I’m pretty sure she still hates me.”
“Tough love. The sooner you’re walking, the sooner you can chase her.”
“Doesn’t matter if I can walk on my own, I’ll always look like this.”
“Don’t you think it’s pretty incredible that out of all the physical therapists in San Diego, she’s the one you’re going to be living with. I mean, what are the odds?”
No shit.
“Which is why I don’t play the lottery.”
“Are you kidding? That’s exactly what you should be doing. You have a baby with the woman you were envisioning a future with.”
“Yeah,” I snorted, “because I’m such a catch. Besides how I look, I’m sure having to babysit someone twenty-four/seven is a huge turn-on.”
“No one’s babysitting you, for chrissake. Now who’s manufacturing drama? You’re her patient, and based on how dedicated you are to your recovery, I’m betting that will be short-lived.”
“Whatever. I still look like this.
“And you think she cares about that?”
“Yeah. I mean, she did get her birthmark removed. Why would she willingly go through all that only to be embarrassed again when she goes out? She just had that problem fixed. Besides, she deserves better than me. You heard the guys yesterday; she’s dating a doctor.”
“I forgot about that. Well, I’m glad you can at least get along, for Millie’s sake.”
“Amelia,” I corrected. Amelia Sloane Youngman.”
“She named Millie’s middle name after you?”
“I know, I was surprised too.”
“Even though she thought you’d knocked her up and bailed on her?”
“Yeah…”
“Dude. You fucked up so bad with her. I swear to God, you better find a way to get her back. She’s the best thing to have ever happened to you.”
“I don’t deserve her, Ry. Not anymore.”
“No shit, Sherlock. So, make yourself worthy of her again. Fight for her. For your family. You’re a fucking Marine. Start acting like it.”
“I know you’re trying to rouse me into action with your little speech. Like I’m the hero in some movie, and I’m going to rise to meet the challenge. And I’ll admit, that was a pretty good pep talk. But I’m broken now, and there’s no fixing me.”
My friend shrugged.
“If you’re okay with another guy snatching her up, far be it for me to argue. But make no mistake, my friend, while you’re over here scratching your balls and feeling sorry for yourself, another man is going to come along, recognize how great she is, and wife her up. Then he’ll not only have your woman, but he’ll have your daughter, too. He’ll be Millie’s ‘bonus dad’ and the two of you can both walk her down the aisle at her wedding.”
I did not like that visual at all .
“Millie’s six weeks old. Pump your brakes on marrying my little girl off.”
“I’m just giving you a glimpse of your future, my friend.”
“It would be good if Ashley ended up with someone who could take care of her and Millie. She deserves that.”
“If you say so.”
“I say so.”
Now, I just needed my heart and my dick to get on board.
Ten minutes later, Ashley came downstairs in a pink tank top that her beautiful mommy tits were spilling out of and a pair of black yoga pants that hugged her ass just right, and my cock was like, “Nope, not getting on board.”
Living with her, I was either going to have a serious case of blue balls or I was going to be whacking off five times a day.
On a positive note… it was good to know my old buddy was still working. The doctors had told me I could still have children and a normal sex life—like that was supposed to be some sort of consolation—but other than my morning wood, nothing had made me the least bit interested. Until now.
On the flip side… even though things worked, I still couldn’t have her, and that might be ten times worse than a broken dick.
I was so screwed.
She set Millie’s baby carrier on the floor next to where Ryan and I sat on the couch and asked, “Where’s Tank?”
I stared down at my beautiful baby girl while Ryan replied, “Crash and Stu took him outside to play ball on the beach.”
She walked to the refrigerator and took out the water pitcher before pulling a glass from the cupboard.
“Has he ever been around kids?”
I was about to say no, but Ryan spoke up.
“Actually, he loves Ava and Travis’s kids.” He paused for a moment and glanced over at me. “Ava is Grace’s sister—”
“Wait, Travis’ wife is Grace’s sister? Your Grace?”
Ryan chuckled. “That’s a roundabout way of saying it, but yeah, they’re sisters so that’s how I know how Tank interacts with their kids.”
“Do you think we should introduce him to Millie?” Ashley asked, looking my way.
My heart felt like it was going to explode. She wanted my dog to meet my daughter. She had to know how much that would mean to me.
“I think that’s a great idea.”
Ryan grinned and nodded. “I agree. Their kids are a little older, but he follows them around like a guard dog, and was extra gentle with their littlest one.”
Glass in hand, she went onto the patio, and I could hear her yell for Crash and Stu. Minutes later, the three of them walked inside with a panting Tank.
“Why don’t you get him a drink first?” I suggested. “Then give me a paper towel to dry his mouth.”
“I got it,” Ryan said and walked into the kitchen.
Tank lapped up the water, and I cringed as I watched the mess he was making on the floor. Yet, I couldn’t help but smile. I remembered all too well how often I had to mop the area around his water bowl. Back when my life was normal.
He moved to come to where I was sitting but Ryan grabbed his sides and pulled him backward so he was between Ryan’s legs. My friend held him in place between his thighs as he wiped his snout, then let him go.
He made a beeline toward me, but Millie sitting on the floor next to me caught his attention. He cautiously put his nose on her seat to smell her, then nervously jumped back and looked at me, like he needed guidance on what to do with this little creature.
I wasn’t worried he’d hurt her, but I stayed on high alert, in case he decided he wanted to lick her, or suddenly got the zoomies again.
Softly stroking Millie’s belly, I told Tank, “This is Millie. You have to be gentle with her.”
He was painstakingly slow when he put his paw on her , so he was barely touching her, and looked at me again for approval.
“Good boy. Be gentle,” I reiterated, and petted her middle like I’d pet him.
He let out a whine and softly touched her again with his paw, then kissed her hand.
“Good boy, Tank,” Ashley cooed as she sat down next to me.
He dropped to his belly and rested his face on my daughter’s seat. When Stu came and sat on the other side of me and reached down to touch Millie’s little fingers, Tank nudged the man’s hand out of the way, as if to say, “ My baby.”
Ashley and I exchanged a smile. I knew at that moment he’d always protect her.