Chapter Eight
LIAM
M y heart pounds in my chest as I stare at Ella’s apartment door. I had finally drawn up the courage to text and ask what her unit number is so I don’t have to play the apartment lottery to figure out where to go today. It would have been super awkward to have to knock on every door until I hit the right one. Especially at eight in the morning.
Yesterday, I felt kind of betrayed when I found out Ella has a daughter she never said anything about. Even though I’m completely aware that I have no right to feel that way. But then I tried to put myself in her shoes and wondered how I would have gone about telling my one-night stand from years ago about a child immediately after reconnecting. I can’t imagine it would have been easy.
I’m glad that I offered to come check on her bandages this morning. Maybe she’ll explain why she didn’t tell me about Macie when we had lunch the other day. Coffee and donuts seemed like a good way to break the ice.
Luckily, because of my seven a.m. to seven p.m. shift yesterday, I don’t have to go to work tonight until seven, so I’m free to check in on my girls.
What the hell? Where did that thought come from? The girls. Not my girls.
With that unsettling thought, I figure it’s time to knock on the door before I spiral further. I have a drink carrier in one hand, and a box of donuts in the other, and I have to admit I didn’t think this far ahead when I was planning my little surprise.
Not one to let lack of free hands stop me, I use my elbow to awkwardly knock on the door. Only a few moments and the sound of a large dog barking later, Ella opens it, her eyes widening in surprise when she takes in the treats I brought. She’s only in leggings and a slightly oversized t-shirt, and her hair is in a pile on top of her head, but she looks just as beautiful as our first night together. One of her hands is gripping the blue collar of a large German Shepherd.
“Oh Liam, you didn’t have to do that!” She ushers me into the house, taking the tray of drinks from me with her free hand. I’m met by Macie, who is very excited to see me in her cute little night dress with princesses all over it. She seems to be walking just fine despite her stitches, but that’s not surprising given the amount of ibuprofen I prescribed to manage the pain.
“Doctor Liam!” she cheers, hugging me tight around the knees, her brown curls sleep-mussed and wild. “What did you bring us?” Her large, blue-gray eyes stare up at me, a huge smile on her face, and I’m suddenly wondering how Ella can deny this girl anything . “Did you see Ollie?” Her little finger points to the giant dog.
“I’ll show you as soon as I can set these down, and then you can introduce me to Ollie.” I grin at her, and she releases me, going to her mom and wrapping her arms around one leg.
“You can set them on the coffee table,” Ella says, closing the door behind me. I look around the apartment, and I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. Maybe something bare and minimal, like how my apartment still looks. But, they’ve really made this place into a home . The layout is slightly different from mine, probably because I’m in a one-bedroom, and I’m assuming this is a two-bedroom. It’s quite a bit smaller than I’m used to, but it’s not a cramped or crowded feeling either.
They’ve painted the living room a soft blue color, with framed photos and different knickknacks lining the walls. In the corner is a TV, a small couch, and a coffee table. Next to the TV is a toy box with the head of a teddy bear poking out, and on the wall behind it must be every single picture Macie has ever drawn pinned up, covering the wall from the ceiling to the top of the toy box.
The kitchen is just as inviting, painted a beige color instead of blue, and the fridge is covered with even more hand-drawn photos. Next to the kitchen is a hallway that must lead down to their bedrooms.
I move toward the couch, placing the box of donuts on the table. Less than two seconds later, Macie is standing by the coffee table with her hand on the dog’s head.
“This is Ollie, he proteccs us.” She nods seriously as she stares up at me with those giant eyes.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ollie.” I reach over and scratch behind the dog’s ears before turning back to Macie, who is now leaning on the coffee table, propped up on her elbows and her chin in her hands.
“So, what did you bring us, Doctor Liam?”
“You know, squirt, you can call me Liam if we’re not at the hospital,” I tease as Ella walks over with a few paper plates. “And…” I make a show of turning the box around and giving her an excited look, “I brought… donuts!”
Popping the box open, I can’t stop the way my heart warms at the absolute joy on her face.
“Chocolate donuts!” Macie’s eyes are about to bug out of her head at the sight of twelve chocolate donuts in front of her. “My favorite!”
“Can I tell you a secret?” I loudly whisper, glancing at Ella, who is watching us with a strange look in her eyes. Macie’s attention is fixed on me as her face suddenly turns very serious and she nods. “Chocolate donuts are my favorite, too.”
“Twinsies!” Macie shouts excitedly, looking from her mom to me. “Mommy, Doctor Liam loves chocolate donuts too!”
Ella has that flash of… something in her eyes, before she shakes herself out of it and smiles at her. “Well, who doesn’t? Do you want one?”
“Yes, please!” She nods emphatically.
“Okay, but only girls who let nice doctors change their bandages get donuts,” Ella says seriously.
And that’s my cue.
Ten minutes later, Macie is situated on the couch with a fresh bandage and a donut, happily watching cartoons. Ella and I are sitting at her kitchen table, each with a donut of our own and a coffee, the box moved to the table between us. Ollie now sits next to the couch, like a guard dog for Macie.
“You really didn’t have to bring all this over,” Ella says, sipping her coffee, then groaning. “This is from The Bean Scene?” she asks, checking her cup and finding the small little graphic of a coffee bean. “They have the best lattes.”
“Well, I’m happy to help any time,” I tell her honestly, taking a sip of my own latte. “Donuts, coffee, medical needs, I’m just a few doors away. But…”
Ella’s brow furrows as she regards me carefully. “What is it?”
Should I even ask? It’s going to keep bothering me until I know, so I might as well put myself out of my misery even if she gets annoyed at me for asking. “I was wondering… Well, I just noticed that Macie’s dad wasn’t at the hospital yesterday. Is everything… okay?”
Ella’s face pinches, and I’m half worried she’s about to throw me out for prying into her private business. Instead, she just sighs, staring at the lid of her drink. “He’s not… in the picture. At the moment.”
Well, that’s not vague at all .
Does that mean they’ve lived alone all this time? I know her parents live nearby, but something clenches in my gut at the thought of the two of them living by themselves with nobody to protect them.
I want to press for more information. Like, is the guy who I saw at the hospital four years ago the dad? Did she know she was pregnant when she hooked up with me? Does the guy even try to be a dad for Macie, or is he more of a sperm donor?
Before I can voice any of that though, Ella meets my eyes. “I feel like I should do something to thank you for all of your help today and yesterday.”
“You could let me take you to dinner on Sunday,” I offer, taking a bite of my donut. Damn, these really are good. “I accept dates as forms of thanks when it comes to you.”
She lets out a slightly shocked laugh and shakes her head. “Sure, Liam, I’d love to go to dinner with you.”
My smile is so big my cheeks hurt, but then I’m distracted by the weight of something settling on my thigh. I look down to see Ollie’s large head resting on my leg, clearly asking to be pet. I had always wanted a dog growing up, but Mom always said one would be too much of a distraction, not to mention how much they shed.
“What do you do with him while you’re at work?” I ask, stroking the little spot on the bridge of his nose between his eyes, which he seems to love.
“He usually stays with my parents during the week and comes home with me on the weekends. It’s not fair to keep him cooped up all day while I’m at work. I thought having him here would be a comfort to Macie while she’s injured. My parents and I actually adopted him back when I was in school for my vet tech certification. We were doing clinical skills training at the animal shelter, and I fell in love with him.” She looks at the dog with warmth shining in her eyes.
Without warning, Ollie leaves the comfort of my lap and bolts to the front door, using his front paw to scratch at it and whine.
“Oh, buddy,” Ella rubs a hand over her face. “We can go out to take you to the bathroom, but we can’t do a walk today. Macie’s leg will start hurting too much.”
I don’t even think about the words that leave my mouth. “I could take him.” Ella’s gaze shoots to me, brows raised again. “I mean, for his walk.”
Her brows lower and a soft smile plays on her lips. “That would be really helpful, thank you.”
By the time I have Ollie hooked to his leash and we’re making our way downstairs, I can’t help but shake my head and ask him, “What have we gotten ourselves into, boy?”
But hell, if I don’t want to find out.
* * *
I had returned to my own apartment after bringing Ollie in from the walk and checking Macie’s bandages, then spent the rest of the afternoon convincing myself to not go back over there.
They don’t need me to bring them lunch. Or make sure Macie is comfortable enough. Or snuggle on the couch all together and watch a family movie.
Nope. Not at all.
Though that fact didn’t stop me from sending a text asking if they need anything before I’m unavailable for the next twelve hours.
By the time I had gotten to work, I was determined to get both Ella and Macie off my mind for the duration of my shift. I can’t focus on work when I’m thinking about how cute Macie is or sexily rumpled Ella looked this morning.
Of course, it takes less than an hour for that plan to go up in flames when a familiar figure walks through the doors of the ER and heads toward the nurses’ station.
“Mrs. Parsons?” I ask, walking up to Ella’s mom. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh! Liam.” Mrs. Parsons turns to face me. “I was hoping to grab Macie’s jacket. We left it here yesterday. Also, please, call me Celine.”
“Well, if it was left here, it’s probably in the lost and found. Here,” I tell her, stepping around to the back of the nurses’ station and pulling out the cardboard box marked “Lost and Found” and moving off to the side so she can look through it.
“Oh! There it is!” she exclaims, pulling out a little purple jacket and clutching it to her chest. “I have to thank you, Liam. You were so great with Macie yesterday?—”
“Celine? Is that you?” a voice sounds from behind us and Celine stiffens before turning around.
“Harvey,” she says flatly, and my brows shoot up. Harvey? That’s the guy that Ella and Brynn were talking about back in Boston. I turn around and am met with the same guy who went into Ella’s hospital room all those years ago. I couldn’t forget his face if I tried. Short, brown hair, glasses in front of dull brown eyes, and a wiry frame makes up the man that made me walk out of Ella’s life.
“It’s been too long. How are you?” he asks, his tone reminding me of a used-car salesman. Slimy and dishonest.
“I’m fine.” Celine nods and it’s really obvious that she is not a fan of this guy.
Me too, Celine. Me too.
What is he even doing here? She doesn’t ask him, but I have a feeling that’s because she’s trying to keep this conversation as short as possible. She doesn’t ask him how he is, all warmness from our conversation a moment ago nowhere to be found. He looks lost for a moment, like he’s not sure why she isn’t giving him more to work with, before he checks his watch.
“Well, I’ve gotta run, but it was good seeing you. Tell Nolan and Jayce I said hi.” He gives a smarmy grin before disappearing.
“Ugh, I cannot stand that man.” Celine shakes her head, turning back toward me.
My brows shoot up. “Isn’t that… Macie’s dad?”
Ella had been so tight-lipped about the whole thing I’m grasping at straws here, hoping for whatever information she can give me.
Celine snorts out a laugh. “God, no! Thank goodness. Ella dumped him months before she got pregnant.” She chuckles, shaking her head. “No, she had… relations with someone years ago, but from what I understand, it was a one-time thing. It’s just her and Macie now. Her father and I obviously help when we can, but she’s so darn independent.”
I don’t know what to say. Harvey’s not the father. It was a one-time thing…
Celine cuts off my thoughts by shivering. “Whoo! Talking to Harvey always fills me with the heebie-jeebies. Anyway, Liam, I’ve got to run, but thanks so much for your help!” She pats my shoulder before she leaves, and I watch her walk out the door, wondering what the hell this means for me now.
If Harvey isn’t the father, then who is? Ella hadn’t given me the impression that she hooked up a lot back then, and it can’t be me, she would have said something by now. … right? She’s had plenty of opportunities to do so. Plus, we used a condom.
There’s an incessant niggling in the back of my mind, a reminder that condoms are not one hundred percent effective, and a repeated whisper, it’s possible .
Now I’m wondering if the father isn’t in her life because he doesn’t want to be, or if it’s because he doesn’t know he is one.