Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Ayden
For the past three weeks, I’ve felt like a new man.
A new reason to get up in the morning.
A new reason to smile.
And it’s due to two ladies who have my heart in a chokehold.
I didn’t want to wait to officially meet Serena in person, so I asked Laney if we could FaceTime and to help ease the nerves for when we are face-to-face.
I wanted to get to know her a little before invading their home for a week.
Then, in the evenings, I’d text Laney and thank her over and over for giving me this chance to be in their lives.
Talking Garrett into letting me have time off was easy, considering I’d never taken a vacation in the decade I’ve worked at the ranch, but getting people to cover my job was another story. This is our busy season, and with it being hot as fuck already, no one wants to put in the extra hours.
It’s safe to say I owe a few ranch hands a kidney and liver if they ever need one.
Wilder demanded Laney’s phone number in exchange for cleaning stalls, and a punch to his gut was my answer.
For the next seven days, my only concern is meeting my daughter and hopefully repairing some of the damage my disappearance has done.
Although the three of us have spoken nearly every night, I’m still nervous as hell being in Texas.
I’ve no idea what people will think about me being back or why they think I left in the first place.
My dad will no doubt hear about my return and find a way to invade, or best-case scenario, he’ll have disappeared too.
My nerves spiked the entire two-and-a-half-hour flight, and when we finally land, I inhale a deep breath and prepare for my entire life to change.
Ayden
Walking off the plane now. Where should I meet you?
Laney
Don’t worry, you’ll see us ;-)
Furrowing my brow, I walk toward baggage claim and wonder what she means. There’s no need to be concerned, though, because as soon as I go down the escalators, I see two beautiful ladies waiting for me.
Laney’s gaze meets mine as she smiles wide, and next to her stands Serena with half a dozen balloons with a variety of Happy Birthday Dad and Happy Father’s Day written on them.
Laney holds up a large piece of white plasterboard that reads: Picking up the hottest cowboy in Texas.
And it’s decorated with pictures of Laney and Serena.
“I can’t believe y’all did this.” I shake my head with the biggest smile on my face as I walk toward them.
Laney shrugs modestly. “Serena demanded a welcomin’ party.”
Kneeling in front of Serena, I take her free hand. “Thank you. It’s so nice to meet ya in person finally.”
“May I hug you?”
“Are you kiddin’? Of course.”
My arms open as she falls into them. The balloons smack us in the face, and she giggles as I laugh.
“Since we missed birthdays and Father’s Day, Mom said we could get them for you,” she says, pulling back.
“I love them. Thank you.” I kiss the top of her hand. “I’ll treasure them forever.”
Standing, I pull Laney into a hug next and sigh at how good it feels to have her back in my arms. “Thank you.” Then I cup her cheek and mold my mouth to hers.
I warned her I wouldn’t be so polite next time, and although I couldn’t wait to kiss her, I don’t get too carried away since Serena is next to us and we’re in a public place. But the thought is definitely there.
Sliding my tongue between her lips, I stroke hers with mine briefly before pulling away.
She blinks up at me, stunned into silence, her chest rapidly moving up and down.
“You taste like strawberry,” I murmur with a grin and loving the way her face flushes.
“Um...so how’s it feel being back in Texas?” she asks after a beat of silence and noticing Serena staring at us.
“Best first impression I’ve ever had.” I shoot her a wink. “In terms of everythin’ else, I’ll let you know in a few.”
I’m still nervous as hell.
Going from nine hundred miles away to being back in my hometown gives me mixed feelings. I half expect my dad to pop out of somewhere and tell me what a piece of shit I am for not being here for my kid.
As if he’s the poster child for being a father.
We walk to the carousel and grab my bag. Once we’re at the car, I fight to get the balloons in the back seat, and Serena loses her mind laughing as each one hits me in the face. Eventually, she takes pity on me and helps.
As we drive to their house, Serena talks about anything and everything. I can’t stop smiling as I stare at her face. She looks so much like Laney, although she tells me she thinks Serena has my nose. Either way, she’s beautiful inside and out.
“So tomorrow, we’ll go to the zoo and have a picnic with the hippos. Then—”
“With the hippos?” I raise a brow.
“They’re my favorite animal!” she exclaims.
“Oh, then we must eat with them!” I flash her a wink.
She goes on and on until we finally arrive. I love how excited she is because it reassures me I didn’t make a mistake in coming here. Laney helps with my bags and balloons before we go inside.
Serena’s eager to give me a house tour. It’s much nicer than I was expecting since I know Laney’s been on a single income since her divorce. She hasn’t brought up her marriage or what happened, and I haven’t asked her about it, but I hope she will when she’s ready.
“C’mon, I wanna show you my room!” Serena grabs my hand and pulls me down a hallway.
“Serena Mae, slow down!” Laney shouts from the living room, and Serena giggles in return.
She whips open the door, and I smile at the beautiful wall artwork of ladybugs and butterflies. She has posters lined up next to her bunk bed and a dresser on the other side with a small TV.
“This is adorable,” I tell her, noticing the LED lights on the ceiling.
“Check this out!” She turns on a black device. It splashes lights and stars across the ceiling. “It’s my galaxy machine.”
“Whoa, this is the coolest room I’ve ever seen! Do I get to sleep in here?”
“Yeah, like a slumber party!” she squeals.
“Actually, you can have my bed,” Laney says, approaching the doorway.
Serena frowns, and so do I. The last thing I wanted to do was put her out.
“He’s too big for that little bed, sweetie. I’ll sleep in here with you.”
“Are you sure?” I look at her. “I don’t mind.”
She puts a hand on my shoulder. “Trust me, you’ll thank me tomorrow when you don’t wake up with a kinked neck.”
I resist the urge to tell her we can share her bed, but I’m definitely thinking it.
“Let me show you the rest of the house,” Laney insists.
She leads me to the guest bathroom, shows off her office, and then finally, the master suite. I set my suitcase and carry-on down before looking around.
“This is so nice, Laney. Very you.” I smirk. Pictures of Serena cover the walls. Some with her and some with her mother. Small house plants are on the windowsill, and artificial ivy vines twist around the curtain rod.
“Thanks. I really wanted it to be a safe, relaxin’ place at the end of a busy workday. After Serena’s in bed, I take a long, hot bath and unwind for a bit. It’s my favorite place in the house.” She shows me her bathroom with a deep tub and standing shower.
“Good. You deserve that.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask if her ex lived here too. “When did you move here?”
She scratches at her throat. “Um, I guess it’s been about eight years.”
So the ex did live here.
“Well, you’ve made it into a very nice home for Serena.”
With a small smile, she nods, then leads me toward the kitchen.
“Serena and I make dinner together every night I’m not workin’. She’s really excited to cook with you.”
“I’m not much of a cook,” I tell her.
“Serena loves it. When she’s at my mom’s, they make a feast. She’s gettin’ pretty good for her age.”
I grin at that. “I hope she doesn’t mind teachin’ me then.”
That evening, Laney and I order in Chinese food after Serena passes out for the night.
After Serena taught me how to make French toast for dinner, we played board games, and then they showed me several family albums. It was the most normal family evening I’ve ever had, and I loved every minute of it.
“So can I ask you about something?” I ask as we eat. Though we ate with Serena earlier, we were both still hungry.
“Yeah, sure.”
“What happened with your marriage?” I blurt out.
She swallows hard at my unexpected question. “Um...well. We were more like roommates. But truthfully, I wanted—”
“Mom!” Serena screams, and we both jump.
“Comin’!”
I follow Laney as she rushes toward Serena’s room.
“What is it, baby?” Laney asks while I wait by the doorframe.
“I had a nightmare.”
“Oh, sweetie. You’re okay. It was just a dream.” Laney sits on the edge of the bed, running her fingers through Serena’s hair. “Do you want me to stay until you fall asleep?”
Serena nods. “Can Dad too?”
My heart pounds at hearing her call me dad. On the phone, I introduced myself as Ayden, and it’s what she’s called me until now. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it and am overjoyed at how quickly she’s adjusted to me being in their lives.
“Sure, kiddo.” I walk in and kneel next to the bed.
“She likes her head massaged,” Laney tells me.
I smile wide. “I can do that.”