Chapter 47
CHAPTER 47
ELIJAH
A weekend away is what we both needed. Time to reconnect without worrying about the rest of the world. I admit, it’s been a long time since I felt this free and relaxed. But then, Pen has that effect on me. Even when we were working together on projects, she had her lists but took life in her stride.
I look down at the woman sleeping, wrapped in my arms. I close my eyes and wonder how I’m going to broach the subject of Pen and me with Lottie? She’s due home tomorrow. Pen says she’s happy to continue in secret, but I realise I’m not. I have too much respect for her. I won’t treat her like my dirty little secret.
“Dad…I’m home.”
A voice breaks through the early morning silence.
My bedroom door hits the wall with a bang, pulling Pen out of my arms and her deep slumber.
“Oh. My. God. What the…”
Lottie’s shrieks fill the room as Pen sits bolt upright, the sheet dropping from her torso, exposing her naked breasts to the room.
I sit up in a semi-daze as Pen clocks my cheek with her elbow as she scrambles to cover herself.
“Oh. My. God.” Lottie shrieks again as Pen finally draws the sheet up and around herself. “Aunty Pen?”
The sound of horror in my daughter’s voice brings me upright, and I watch on as Pen and my daughter stare at each other across the room.
“Lottie?” I say, pinching the bridge of my nose to stem the headache I know is going to hit. “What are you doing here, darling? You aren’t supposed to be home until tomorrow.”
“Clearly,” she says, raising her eyebrows and placing her hands on her hips. “I can see you weren’t expecting me.”
Pen sits next to me, clutching the duvet to her chest.
“Hey, Lottie,” she says, her voice husky from sleep.
“Don’t hey Lottie, me, Aunty Pen,” my daughter says.
Her fourteen-year-old sass coming out.
“I will not ask what you’re doing in my dad’s bed…naked. Ew!” She shakes her head and pulls a face. “Aunty Pen? Dad, really.”
Her eyes flick between us, and I can see the pain in her gaze.
“I’m going to put the kettle on. Maybe you two can put some clothes on,” she says, turning on her heel.
I watch my daughter flounce out of the room.
I run a hand down my face.
Pen drops her head to her bent knees and groans.
“She hates me,” she says, hiding her face.
“She doesn’t. Lottie loves you like a mother. You’re her favourite person. It will probably be me she can’t forgive.”
“I may have been—past tense. That was before she thought about me having sex with her dad.”
Pen turns her head and looks at me, her cheek now resting on her knees.
It’s my turn to groan. Even I know no teenager wants to think about their parent doing that.
“I better go. Leave you to talk to her.”
Pen jumps out of bed and begins pulling on her clothes. When she’s dressed, she leans over the bed and drops a kiss on my lips.
“Call me later.”
“So, you’re leaving me to handle this?” I say.
“It’s probably for the best.”
“Chicken,” I say, making her smile.
“Totally. Call me if you need me.”
Pen makes a speedy exit.
I get up slowly, taking my time to pull on my clothes as I try to decide what I’m going to say to Lottie.
When I come out of the bedroom, I pull up short.
Pen is sitting at the island, drinking coffee with Lottie.
“I can’t believe you were going to sneak out. Aunty Pen, that’s a real dick move.”
“Language, Lottie,” Pen says, making my daughter roll her eyes.
“You were really going to let Dad fumble his way through, telling me you two are an item? Now that’s just cruel.”
I can just make out the smirk on my daughter’s face.
I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing. I cough, letting them know I’ve arrived.
“Fumble?” I say when Lottie looks up.
“I’m not sure what you’re smirking about, Dad. I at least expected you to act like responsible adults and face me together. Instead, I catch Aunty Pen trying to sneak out the front door and then you skulking in the background.”
“I wasn’t skulking. I was putting on some clothes.”
Lottie holds up a hand and turns her head away, her expression one of sucking on a lemon.
“Stop,” Lottie says, waving her hands in the air. “T.M.I. Way too much information.”
“Pen was going to give us time to talk,” I say, stepping closer and pulling up a stool opposite the two women in my life.
“If she and you are an item, then don’t you think she should be here for that talk? ” Lottie says, pushing a mug of coffee across the countertop towards me.
She’s clearly not that mad.
I look at Pen, who’s staring at Lottie. She turns to me and shrugs.
“She has a point,” I say to Pen.
“Okay, so I shouldn’t have tried to sneak out,” Pen admits to Lottie. “My bad.”
“That was very teenager-ish of you,” Lottie says.
“What would you know about sneaking out?”
“Dad, I’m fourteen, nearly fifteen, not four. I listen to the conversations that go on with my friends, most of who have older brothers and sisters. Claire’s Mum found Teddy’s girlfriend hiding in the wardrobe when she came home.”
I groan. I don’t want to know about Teddy’s girlfriend hiding in a cupboard or that my daughter knows why she was probably there.
“I don’t need to hear this.”
I run a hand through my hair.
Lottie turns to me.
“Drink your coffee. You’ll feel better.”
“Who’s the parent here?” I ask, making her once again roll her eyes. “It’s good to have you home, munchkin,” I say, standing up and moving towards her, holding out my arms.
Lottie grins and jumps down off the stool before coming around the island and into my arms. I wrap her in a bear hug.
“I’ve missed you,” I say, breathing in her scent. One that is now distinctly more grown up as she’s wearing perfume.
“Dad, you’re crushing me,” she groans.
“I’ve missed you. I’m allowed to crush you,” I tell her.
“I’ve missed you too,” she says, my heart melting.
I pull back and grip her upper arms, holding her away so I can look at her properly.
“How was Italy?” I ask, finding her in one piece.
“Italy was amazing. The art school was fantastic. I have so much to show you. They taught me this really cool technique. I think you’ll love it.”
Art is our thing.
Lottie starts off at one hundred miles an hour. Condensing her three-month trip and all she’s learned into a five-minute summary. I know these are just the highlights, and there will be more to come. We have all the time in the world now she’s back.
“I can’t wait,” I tell her.
“Mum’s shipping my artwork once it’s fully dry. Then I can use it for my exams. My art teacher says I’m good.”
“You are. And I look forward to seeing it.”
I look over my daughter’s head at Pen, who’s sat watching us.
As if suddenly remembering Pen is here, Lottie looks up at me.
“Are you and Aunty Pen an item now?”
My gaze darts to Pen.
Fuck.
We haven’t really discussed what we are. Friends with benefits isn’t something a parent wants to admit to their young, impressionable daughter.
“It’s complicated.”
It’s Pen who comes to my rescue.
Lottie turns to face her.
“What’s complicated?”
“I’ve just come out of an engagement. Kris and I were due to get married in two weeks. Your parents haven’t been divorced that long. Your dad and I’ve been friends for a long time—but just friends,” she adds quickly. “It could be complicated if it got out.”
“So you’re keeping it quiet?” Lottie says. “Like Tina and Gerry when they started dating. Gerry was with Julie before Tina, and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings.”
“Exactly like that,” Pen says. “The press would not be kind.”
“Is Dad the reason you and Kris split up?”
“No,” Pen and I say together.
“Just asking. And don’t worry, I’m happy to keep your secret,” Lottie says, shrugging.
Pen and my eyes clash.
What?
“It doesn’t bother you?” I ask slowly.
“No,” she says, picking up her drink. “Why should it? I know Aunty Pen. She likes me, I like her. Plus, she’s super cool. It’s not like I have to get used to a complete stranger being around. Not like Sadie. Her Dad divorced her Mum, and his girlfriend moved in two weeks later. She’d never even met her before. It was hell.”
I choke on my coffee, making Pen laugh.
“And Lottie’s right, I am super cool,” Pen says, as Lottie fist bumps her. “But Lottie, it’s really important that this remains quiet. I’m sorry to ask this of you.”
“It’s cool, I’m cool. Honestly Dad. I’m happy if you’re happy. I must say I’m a little shocked it’s Aunty Pen…I thought she had more taste,” Lottie says, her face breaking into a grin, followed by a squeal, as I pull her into a headlock and ruffle her hair.
When I let her go, her laughter echoes around the room as she looks at us both.
“All I ask you is to keep the PDAs to a minimum. No kissing or sex when I’m around. Ew!” Her wrinkled nose lets us know all we need to know.
“Done deal,” we both say quickly.
The thought of my teenage daughter hearing me having sex is not something I want to contemplate. Back to sneaking around like naughty teenagers. Pen shoots me a sly glance, and I have a sneaky impression that her mind has gone in the same direction.