Chapter 11
ELEVEN
DARCY
R idge’s eyes widen with concerned curiosity, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he presses his shoulders back like he’s bracing for whatever I’m about to say.
“As you know, Lou and I went to the pet store today,” I say, looking over at Lou, who’s purposely avoiding eye contact as she wrestles to get a glob of peanut butter onto her apple slice. Great. Her body language doesn’t exactly instill confidence.
“Yeah…” he says, looking from me to Lou and back to me with a raised eyebrow.
“Perhaps I should just show you,” I say, stepping back from the counter.
“Okay…” He follows behind me as I walk down the hallway and into Lou’s room.
I squeeze my eyes shut and point at the fish tank, my lips pressed tightly into a mangled line. Even though my eyes are closed, I can feel him come to stand next to me. I can literally feel him looking toward where I’m pointing.
I manage one eye open, trying to get a read for his reaction. His face is blank and then, slowly, it morphs into a smile.
“You got fish?” he asks.
“See what had happened was, Lou can be very convincing,” I say.
Ridge laughs deep in his belly, a warm, throaty chuckle exploding from his upturned mouth. I breathe a sigh of relief I’m sure they can hear on the other side of the city.
“You’re not mad?” I ask. “Because if you’re upset in the least, I have a backup plan.”
“You do?”
“Yes, I’m prepared to take them.”
“The fish?”
“Yes, to live at my house. I don’t think Lyric would mind.”
“Lyric?” he asks, tilting his head.
“That’s my roommate’s name,” I say. “I guess the only times I’ve mentioned her, I’ve referred to her as my roommate and never by her actual name.” I laugh a little, doing nothing to hide my nervousness.
“It’s okay,” he says.
“Are you sure? Because?—”
“Darcy,” he says, turning toward me. “It’s okay. I told Lou that we could maybe get some fish for her birthday, which is at the end of the summer. So it’s okay. Trust me, I know she can be persuasive.”
There’s a strange little flip-flop low in my belly as his eyes trace over my face. And then I think back to our interview when he told me about the woman who fell for the dad. He didn’t seem all too keen on the idea. Of course, the part where he was married might have been the bigger issue. But still, it’s pretty clear he’s not looking for a romantic attachment, let alone one with his daughter’s nanny. He’s never been anything but professional.
“I can’t believe you were willing to take the fish if I said no,” he says.
“I would have tried to be the best fish mom,” I say with a laugh.
Ridge laughs, too. And it’s deep and sweet. Lou makes her entrance then, walking past us and around her bed to the tank.
“See, I told you I could have them,” she says, her confidence suddenly restored.
“Well, more or less,” her dad says. “And don’t expect me to take care of them. You’re gonna have to do your part.”
“I will not let Tater Tot or Prince Charming down,” Lou says.
Ridge looks at me with sheer confusion written all over his face.
“Those are the names of the fish,” I say, suppressing a giggle.
“Right,” he says. “How silly of me. Of course. Brilliant names.” His attention shifts from me back to her.
I move to exit her room, and Ridge follows after me. Lou elects to remain behind.
“I’ll be right back,” he says. “Just going to change into something else before I pack Lou’s bag.”
I nod, heading to the living room to sit on the couch as he walks back toward his bedroom.
No more than two minutes later, he’s back out in the living room, his thumb pitched over his shoulder. “Did you fold my clothes?”
“Oh, yeah, I was putting some stuff into the laundry room and saw them. I’m sorry. I was just trying to help.”
“Darcy,” he says, crossing the room and coming to sit next to me on the couch. “Why are you apologizing?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe I got used to it. Like, it’s just my default,” I say, spitting the words out before I can filter them at all. That feels like a massive overshare, and I’m praying he doesn’t press for more information.
He flinches a little, and there’s a hint of surprise on his face. And not the good kind. It’s definitely the kind that makes me think he wants to ask but is restraining himself.
Whatever the expression was, he wipes it away just as quickly as it appeared. I won’t deny that something inside me wants to tell him all about Tyler. My ex was a real piece of work, and I found myself constantly apologizing, even when I did nothing wrong. Which was most of the time.
“So, any weekend plans?” he asks, abruptly changing the subject. But I gladly welcome it.
“Um, Lyric wants to get me out of the house. Actually, I think she wants to get me back into the dating scene, but she’s disguising it as a night out.” I laugh.
“Is there a reason she wants you to get back out there?” He squints almost imperceptibly.
“I broke up with my ex over a year ago,” I say. “She says it’s time to move on. I’m not hung up on him or anything. Just apprehensive about putting myself out there again.”
“Dating can be tough,” he says. “But a woman like you? I’m sure you’ll have no trouble. I’m sure they’re lining up for a chance.”
I think the seventeen-year-old inside me just yelped and shoved her face into her pillow on her twin bed below a poster of One Direction.
“Darcy, I?—”
A knock at the door interrupts him, his head snapping in the direction before he jumps up from the couch like he was just caught making out in the movie theater.
“Damn, they’re early,” he says. “I have to pack her bag.”
Cool, cool. But my mind is still back on that sentence you didn’t finish, my dude . I need to know what you were about to say.
“I’ll grab the door, if you want to run back and get her together?” I offer.
His state of panic signals my “help mode,” and the next thing I know, he’s disappearing down the hallway and leaving me to open the door for Lou’s grandparents. Vanessa’s parents.
When I open the door, I’m greeted with the sight of the most put-together elderly couple I’ve ever seen.
Alma’s shiny gray hair is cut into a blunt bob at her shoulders, perfectly framing her naturally aging face. But I can tell she uses a couple of expensive skincare products. She’s wearing brown slacks and a white blouse, and I do mean blouse. There’s no way I can just call this a shirt. She’s adorned with dainty gold jewelry and strappy shoes. Didn’t he say they lived on a farm? I guess I was expecting something a bit more… farmer-y.
George is dressed in pressed khakis and a light blue polo shirt like he’s primed and ready for the golf course. Seriously, what farm is this?
“You must be Darcy!” Alma says, coming in to embrace me without a second of hesitation. “It’s so nice to meet you. Ridge has said so many nice things about you this week.”
“Pleased to meet you,” George adds, extending his hand for a shake. I take his hand after Alma releases me.
“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you as well,” I say, addressing both of them. “Lou speaks fondly of you. She’s very excited to visit you this weekend.”
“Grandma!” Lou’s voice cuts into the room as she runs past me and into Alma’s open arms. It’s such a sweet moment that I can’t look away. It makes me secondhand happy for Lou and how many people love her, even if her mom isn’t here.
“Hey, pumpkin,” Alma says, embracing her into a hug. “You ready to go?”
“She is!” Ridge says, bounding into the room as he zips up her bag. That’s gotta be a record for the fastest packing.
“Good to see you, son,” George says, taking Ridge’s hand for a firm shake. The older man seems to sincerely mean that. I can tell it’s not a pleasantry exchanged by obligation.
“And you, sir,” Ridge says. “And I assume you’ve all introduced yourselves?” His question is directed at all of us, so I nod.
“Yes, we were just talking with Darcy here, but sweetie, you didn’t tell us how pretty she is,” Alma says, eyeing Ridge.
Oh my god, what? Warmth spreads over my chest and up my throat. I swear old people just say literally whatever they want.
“Uh,” Ridge says, clearing his throat. “Um, I didn’t… Well, I mean, I…”
“Stop butting in, dear,” George says, saving Ridge—and by extension, me—from certain embarrassment.
The pair of them collect Lou and her bag and a few additional items and say their goodbyes. Ridge gives Lou a big hug and says he’ll see her Sunday but to call him before bed. It’s sweet to watch the interaction.
When the door shuts behind them, leaving just the two of us, Ridge huffs out a loud, lengthy sigh.
“Sorry about that,” he says. “Alma insists I have to ‘get back out there’ or whatever.” He makes quotations in the air as he says it, rolling his eyes in a way that makes me think some of the embarrassment may have already taken root before George’s interruption.
“It’s okay.” I laugh a little, hoping to break up the tension. “They seem like very nice people, and they seem to care about you just as much as they do Lou.”
“They do,” he says. “My parents aren’t in my life. It’s nice to have Vanessa’s parents to call or see on holidays.”
A moment of silence falls over us, and it’s a bit awkward. He’s staring at me and I stare right back. I don’t know what to say because even though my grandmother loved me, I still longed for my parents. I had a tough time. I can’t imagine missing them plus trying to raise a kid myself. I’m glad he has them to lean on.
“So you’re going out tonight then? That sounds like fun,” he says.
It’s another subject change I’m grateful for.
“That’s the plan,” I say.
“Well, I hope you have a good time. You’ve done a good job with Lou this week and you deserve to relax.”
I feel my praise kink activate a little bit with all this “good job” talk and decide it’s time to get the hell out of here.
“Thanks. I really appreciate that. Lou is great. She makes it easy,” I say. “I’ll leave you to your kid-free weekend. I’m sure you’re good and ready to relax yourself.”
“Pizza and beer and baking show reruns await me.” He makes a strange huffing sound.
I leave Ridge’s house feeling so many things. Relieved that I’m not taking a fish tank home and that I didn’t get myself shitcanned. Reluctant to go out, but I promised Lyric and she’s been looking forward to this since she asked. And a little bit curious about what Ridge is like when he’s not all… buttoned up and in dad mode. I don’t know, maybe dad mode doesn’t go away after it’s activated. But surely he steps out of that zone sometimes, right?
I push all those thoughts aside and focus on what’s going on right now, and that includes going home and finding something to wear and maybe taking the lemon for a spin.